Raber stood beneath the branches of the tree, panting. She did it. He tried to catch his breath as he watched her swing lifelessly, her eyes bulging and her broken neck making her head sit at an unnatural angle.
He had very little time and had to work quickly. First, he had to make sure that she was truly dead. He climbed halfway up the ladder, reached out for the yellow vinyl rope and pulled her to him. He put his fingers to her lips, feeling for breath. When he discovered all was still, he felt her throat for a pulse. She was definitely dead.
“How lucky for us, baby, that it happened fast,” he said, releasing her body and trying not to watch it swing. The rope made a groan as it twisted and pulled.
He ran to his car, popped the trunk and pulled out his flashlight as well as a pair of
