While his father was in the bathroom, Roy thought about Lavern Rope cutting off Sister Mary Alice Gogarty’s arm in a Valdosta hotel room. If he had used a pocket knife, it would have taken a very long time. He had probably brought along a kitchen knife from his mother’s house to do the job, Roy decided.

     When his father came out, Roy asked him, “Do you think the cops will find Lavern Rope?”

     “Sure, they’ll catch him.”

     “Dad?”

     “Yes, son?”

     “I bet they never find the nun’s arm.”

     “Won’t make much difference, will it? Come on, boy, take your clothes off. We need to sleep.”

     Roy undressed and got into one of the two beds. Before Roy could ask another question, his father was snoring in the other bed. Roy lay there with his eyes open for several minutes; then he realized that he needed to go to the bathroom.