EPOV

As I flew over a small village I heard shouting and saw the blaze of torches. Maybe I could find an easy meal. I landed and looked out from the shadows. A young blond man was standing under a tree, a noose looped over a large branch. It was the height of farming season, but even when every moment of day light counted to these country people, hangings were rarely held at night. Perhaps he was a very dangerous man. I listened as an elderly woman spoke to the man who appeared to be in charge.

"Andy, you know darn well that Jason didn't kill those women. Send everyone home and put a stop to this nonsense."

"Now, Mrs. Stackhouse I respect your opinion, but you love your grandson and that clouds your judgment. The last two women Jason has had relations with have been found dead the next day. What could be clearer?"

"What about all the other women he has slept with that are still alive?" shouted a young, blond woman. "Can I have a show of hands of the women here who have 'known' my brother?" She stood at the front of the crowd and glared at the villagers. A couple of women raised their hands tentatively, then more followed. Soon nearly every woman between the ages of 50 and 16 had her hand in the air. I could understand why the men wanted to hang him, and probably the scorned women too.

"Bullshit!" the man called Any bellowed. " What did you do to them Sookie to get them to raise their hands like that?" (I wondered if one of the women was his wife.)

"My brother may be a tom cat, but he isn't a murderer!" Sookie shouted.

"Maybe you aren't the only one in the family that is crazy, after all," Andy responded to her. She hung her head. At first I thought she was acknowledging defeat, but she was only gathering herself. Sookie raised her head to look at her grandmother, then squared her shoulders and head her head up high.

"I did it!" she shouted. "I killed Dawn and Maudette." All eyes fell on her; not a sound could be heard. (That is a lot for humans to accomplish – someone is always coughing or sniffling or fidgeting or whispering some nonsense.)

"Sookie Stackhouse, you are confessing to the murders of Dawn Green and Maudette Pickens?" Andy asked.

"Yes."

"You are aware than the penalty for murder is death and you will be hanged this night."

"Yes."

"Sookie?" Jason asked, shocked. "You killed them?" She nodded and everyone started shouting at once - everyone except the grandmother, a lone tear running down her cheek. She understood as I had, the brave young woman had lied to save her brother's life.