Nexpo

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Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to new episodes of Late Nights with Nexpo early and ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts.

With all your strength, you jam the long steel rod straight downward, deep into the grassy soil. There's a muffled thud. The rod has hit something hard. Something six feet below the surface. You glance over at the sheriff. He gives you a nod. Dig it up. It takes hours to get there, but eventually, that familiar thud rings out again. The blade of your shovel has made contact.

With all your strength, you jam the long steel rod straight downward, deep into the grassy soil. There's a muffled thud. The rod has hit something hard. Something six feet below the surface. You glance over at the sheriff. He gives you a nod. Dig it up. It takes hours to get there, but eventually, that familiar thud rings out again. The blade of your shovel has made contact.

You brush away the dirt with your hands, uncovering the lid. This could definitely be the one. It's the exact style of coffin she was buried in. But then again, it's the style a lot of people around here get buried in. The sheriff is peering down at you from the edge of the hole. You receive another nod. Pry it open. There's a palpable energy in the air as you take up the crowbar.

You brush away the dirt with your hands, uncovering the lid. This could definitely be the one. It's the exact style of coffin she was buried in. But then again, it's the style a lot of people around here get buried in. The sheriff is peering down at you from the edge of the hole. You receive another nod. Pry it open. There's a palpable energy in the air as you take up the crowbar.

The mystery that has plagued this town for so long is at last on the cusp of being answered. But as the lid comes off, your face falls. You know it right away. There are no answers for you here, only more questions. Because Mary Grimes is not in this coffin, and at this point, you have to wonder if she's even dead at all. January 10th, 1954.

The mystery that has plagued this town for so long is at last on the cusp of being answered. But as the lid comes off, your face falls. You know it right away. There are no answers for you here, only more questions. Because Mary Grimes is not in this coffin, and at this point, you have to wonder if she's even dead at all. January 10th, 1954.

The sun hasn't yet risen on the rural outskirts of Xenia, Ohio. In these last few moments before daybreak, all is perfectly silent and still, but now a train approaches from the east. The locomotive's engineer rubs his eyes as he gazes warily out the windshield. He's driven these tracks, from Columbus to Xenia, dozens, maybe hundreds of times over the years.

The sun hasn't yet risen on the rural outskirts of Xenia, Ohio. In these last few moments before daybreak, all is perfectly silent and still, but now a train approaches from the east. The locomotive's engineer rubs his eyes as he gazes warily out the windshield. He's driven these tracks, from Columbus to Xenia, dozens, maybe hundreds of times over the years.

It's a remarkably uninteresting route, so when he notices something unusual up ahead, a flash of fabric near the tracks, he's immediately on alert. As the train pushes through the morning haze, the scene comes into view. The fabric is a man's pant leg. He's walking briskly away from the tracks, as though he'd been loitering there until the train appeared.

It's a remarkably uninteresting route, so when he notices something unusual up ahead, a flash of fabric near the tracks, he's immediately on alert. As the train pushes through the morning haze, the scene comes into view. The fabric is a man's pant leg. He's walking briskly away from the tracks, as though he'd been loitering there until the train appeared.

The man keeps his head turned away so that the engineer can't make out his face. Now, this could be because the train's headlights are so blindingly bright. Or maybe it's because the man doesn't want to be identified.

The man keeps his head turned away so that the engineer can't make out his face. Now, this could be because the train's headlights are so blindingly bright. Or maybe it's because the man doesn't want to be identified.

Out of an abundance of caution, the engineer prepares to pull on the cord that'll sound the train's whistle, just to make absolutely sure that this man hears and sees the locomotive, even though he's no longer right next to the tracks. But before he can sound it, something else catches his eye.

Out of an abundance of caution, the engineer prepares to pull on the cord that'll sound the train's whistle, just to make absolutely sure that this man hears and sees the locomotive, even though he's no longer right next to the tracks. But before he can sound it, something else catches his eye.

More fabric, a pile of it even, lying across the eastbound train tracks, which run directly parallel to the westbound tracks the engineer's train is currently traveling. As he draws closer, the engineer finally realizes it's not a pile of fabric at all. It's the body of a black woman, and her head, or rather, what's left of her head, is positioned squarely across one of the track's metal rails.

More fabric, a pile of it even, lying across the eastbound train tracks, which run directly parallel to the westbound tracks the engineer's train is currently traveling. As he draws closer, the engineer finally realizes it's not a pile of fabric at all. It's the body of a black woman, and her head, or rather, what's left of her head, is positioned squarely across one of the track's metal rails.

Evidently, an eastbound train has already passed through this morning. The engineer quickly initiates the brakes, and the deafening squeal of metal on metal echoes amongst the bare trees. As the train comes to a stop, the engineer jumps from the locomotive to the ground outside. Shivering, he rushes over to the body. He abruptly stops in his tracks once he gets near.

Evidently, an eastbound train has already passed through this morning. The engineer quickly initiates the brakes, and the deafening squeal of metal on metal echoes amongst the bare trees. As the train comes to a stop, the engineer jumps from the locomotive to the ground outside. Shivering, he rushes over to the body. He abruptly stops in his tracks once he gets near.