Nexpo

A strange, animalistic sound he's never made before inadvertently escapes his lips. The scene is unthinkably gruesome. The woman's head is almost entirely decapitated from her body. The engineer turns to look for the man that was here just a few moments ago, but there's no one. He listens for footsteps, but he hears only trees creaking in the breeze, in the guttural growl of the train engine.

A strange, animalistic sound he's never made before inadvertently escapes his lips. The scene is unthinkably gruesome. The woman's head is almost entirely decapitated from her body. The engineer turns to look for the man that was here just a few moments ago, but there's no one. He listens for footsteps, but he hears only trees creaking in the breeze, in the guttural growl of the train engine.

The man is gone. Later that same morning, 60-year-old Ollie Grimes is in the kitchen of his small home in Xenia, taking in the morning paper. The phone rings, and somehow, deep down, Ollie knows it's about Mary before he even answers it. And calls about Mary are rarely good news. He's been worried about his 32-year-old daughter for some time. Life has been rough on Mary for these past few years.

The man is gone. Later that same morning, 60-year-old Ollie Grimes is in the kitchen of his small home in Xenia, taking in the morning paper. The phone rings, and somehow, deep down, Ollie knows it's about Mary before he even answers it. And calls about Mary are rarely good news. He's been worried about his 32-year-old daughter for some time. Life has been rough on Mary for these past few years.

First, her husband deserted her and their two children. Last time Ollie heard, the deadbeat was living in Oklahoma. Then, unable to secure welfare and earning a meager weekly salary, Mary was forced to give up her two small boys and place them in children's homes. Mary works the late shift at a supper club, and that's another thing Ollie worries about.

First, her husband deserted her and their two children. Last time Ollie heard, the deadbeat was living in Oklahoma. Then, unable to secure welfare and earning a meager weekly salary, Mary was forced to give up her two small boys and place them in children's homes. Mary works the late shift at a supper club, and that's another thing Ollie worries about.

The Alpha Supper Club is situated in a rough part of town, near the Lone Pine, a seedy roadside tavern where illegal gambling, knife fights, and allegedly prostitution take place. Out in the back of Lone Pine, a woman was murdered some years back, and more recently, a man who worked at the tavern was beaten to death in a separate incident.

The Alpha Supper Club is situated in a rough part of town, near the Lone Pine, a seedy roadside tavern where illegal gambling, knife fights, and allegedly prostitution take place. Out in the back of Lone Pine, a woman was murdered some years back, and more recently, a man who worked at the tavern was beaten to death in a separate incident.

Nothing good happens in that part of town, Ollie's convinced. Not that Mary's home life is any better. She's currently living with her boyfriend, a man named William Bird, who is 13 years her senior. Bird has a wicked temper and once threatened Mary with a shotgun. Ollie's always told Mary that her boyfriend was trouble. Well, tried to, anyway. The phone lets out another ring.

Nothing good happens in that part of town, Ollie's convinced. Not that Mary's home life is any better. She's currently living with her boyfriend, a man named William Bird, who is 13 years her senior. Bird has a wicked temper and once threatened Mary with a shotgun. Ollie's always told Mary that her boyfriend was trouble. Well, tried to, anyway. The phone lets out another ring.

Embracing himself for the worst, Ollie picks up the receiver. The voice on the other end asks for George Oliver Grimes. No one has called Ollie by his given name in years. This is gonna be bad news, alright. The voice goes on. They're calling from the Greene County Sheriff's Office.

Embracing himself for the worst, Ollie picks up the receiver. The voice on the other end asks for George Oliver Grimes. No one has called Ollie by his given name in years. This is gonna be bad news, alright. The voice goes on. They're calling from the Greene County Sheriff's Office.

They believe that Ollie's daughter, Mary, was the one found earlier that morning on the train tracks just outside city limits. Xenia is a small town, so it wasn't difficult to put together an educated guess. Still, though, Ollie's presence is requested at the coroner's office to identify the body. Minutes later, Ollie Grimes is there, looking down at the mutilated corpse on the slab.

They believe that Ollie's daughter, Mary, was the one found earlier that morning on the train tracks just outside city limits. Xenia is a small town, so it wasn't difficult to put together an educated guess. Still, though, Ollie's presence is requested at the coroner's office to identify the body. Minutes later, Ollie Grimes is there, looking down at the mutilated corpse on the slab.

Fighting through tears and grief, he positively identifies the body as his daughter, Mary Grimes Wallace. The sight is so ghastly that he quickly looks away. It's all too much. He feels like he's going to be sick. The coroner takes his cue and covers the body back up. Once Ollie regains his composure, he turns to face the other two men in the room, the coroner and Sheriff Clarence Stewart.

Fighting through tears and grief, he positively identifies the body as his daughter, Mary Grimes Wallace. The sight is so ghastly that he quickly looks away. It's all too much. He feels like he's going to be sick. The coroner takes his cue and covers the body back up. Once Ollie regains his composure, he turns to face the other two men in the room, the coroner and Sheriff Clarence Stewart.

Ollie asks the men how it happened. How did his daughter wind up with her head on those tracks? The men take a moment, as though formulating the right way to put it. Finally, the coroner explains that based on his examination, they're considering it a possible homicide. Ollie knows what the possible is meant to mean.

Ollie asks the men how it happened. How did his daughter wind up with her head on those tracks? The men take a moment, as though formulating the right way to put it. Finally, the coroner explains that based on his examination, they're considering it a possible homicide. Ollie knows what the possible is meant to mean.

They think Mary committed suicide by laying her head on the railroad tracks just outside of town. And Ollie can't bring himself to disagree with their theory. His daughter had not been in a good mental state for quite some time. Ollie nods sadly and informs the sheriff of an incident from nine days prior, when Mary witnessed a murder.

They think Mary committed suicide by laying her head on the railroad tracks just outside of town. And Ollie can't bring himself to disagree with their theory. His daughter had not been in a good mental state for quite some time. Ollie nods sadly and informs the sheriff of an incident from nine days prior, when Mary witnessed a murder.