Steve Shell

As the stars winked out and the sky began to fade from velvety black to deep blue to gray, Mr. Crane collected the boy from what remained of a boarding house catering to miners in a small coal camp called Nettleburg.

He passed the drowsy child to Polly, who settled him in next to her on the back seat.

Where to next, Miss Barrow?

Polly Barrow was ready to return home to report another successful mission to her daddy, to accept his praise and bask in his love.

What might her reward be this time?

A new car?

A train ride up to New York for a shopping day?

Perhaps a trip abroad.

A cruise might be nice this time of year, but first there was one last name on her list.

A man who, according to their local informant, seemed undeterred by recent events.

Thank y'all for joining us here on the back roads of West Virginia with us Polly Barra and her best friends Crane and Churchman up to nefarious acts of no good.

But it looks like they're about to meet some real interesting folks.

Think y'all need to come back and check that out next time around, don't you?

I thought so.