Aside from the keen intellect of one Eddie Pope, the growing network of tipsters around the country has been the best tool in the Tattles’ ongoing investigation of the Tarot Killer. So, when a reliable tipster wrote in that the fiend had attacked a group of ne’er-do-wells in North Carolina last Wednesday, I hopped in the car and took off for the frighteningly small Mount Gilead. Apparently the reliable tipster is only slightly reliable as the charming young urchins were insistent that they hadn’t been attacked by the “homeless nutcase” and, with no signs of a beating, it seems their story that the Tarot Killer was just looking for directions to some flaming rocks holds up.

After canvassing the townsfolk, however, it was clear that the killer had made a visit to the town. He stuck around the area for a little over a day, as he was spotted looking disheveled and "wild-eyed, like he hadn't slept," according to the patrons of a local pie shop, where he was seen on Thursday afternoon. "We thought he was a local farmer when he first got in, on account of the mud and blood stains on his shoes and such but then he asked for a whole pie and a bottle of milk and started mumbling something weird."

The waitress recalled some of his words: "He was repeating these odd things, talking about his father. 'But daddy did it' and ‘daddy said it would work' in between mouthfuls of pie. Creeped us all out." Apparently the TK then went and sat in an end booth, ate the pie with his hands and a hunting knife and continued talking to himself. After a few minutes, he noticed the patrons staring at him and took off. Word on the pie was conflicting. Some say sweet potato, but it could have been pumpkin.

As I left the diner, I was approached by the waitress who handed me a piece of paper that was apparently on his seat after he ran out of the place. A curious development as the letter was addressed to Mr. Camacho. The name rattled around in my brain for a bit when it occurred to me that Camacho was the name of one of the missing members of Sentry Outpost. Could this be the same man? Could he be the Tarot Killer? If not, what was the TK doing with a letter addressed to him?

With another suspect on the list, I checked with the local Sheriff and he told me that no one had been reported missing. At press time, nothing had changed. I have to admit, this continuing lack of bodies is starting to get worrisome. And what's up with all that pie?