Manhunt for a Sniper

The pursuit that begins after Jamie is shot at camp and ends only when Cady's body is carried down from the hill.

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Jamie Shot at Camp

Jamie Shot at Camp Context While doing kitchen pots outside the mess hall at Gannatalla, Jamie Bowden is hit by a bullet fired from Shadow Hill. The slug passes through his upper left arm and then through the shed wall. Significance The shooting transforms the threat from harassment to attempted murder. It also proves Cady has learned the children's location and is willing to kill an eleven-year-old to make Sam suffer. Aftermath Jamie is rushed to the hospital in Aldermont, and the camp staff scrambles to control panic. The Bowden family's defensive posture is no longer precautionary.

Hospital in Aldermont

Hospital in Aldermont Context Jamie receives six stitches and a transfusion, then shows off his wound with pride. Carol struggles to hold herself together while Sam listens to the details. Significance In the hospital, the family is forced to confront the randomness of the injury: inches of wind, a gust, and the wrong moment separated Jamie from death. The terror becomes visceral. Aftermath Sheriff Kantz arrives, and Sam gives Cady's name. The formal manhunt begins, but everyone knows that proof will be almost impossible to assemble.

Sheriff Kantz's Investigation

Sheriff Kantz's Investigation Context Sheriff Kantz and Deputy Ronnie Gideon find the firing position on a rock ledge, a chewed cigar butt, and a deformed .30-caliber slug. Kantz tells Sam the shot was deliberate and only the wind saved Jamie. Significance The physical evidence ties Cady to the scene in every way except the one a court needs: no witness saw him pull the trigger. The law can order a pickup, but it cannot hold a smart man with an alibi. Aftermath Sam pulls Nancy out of Minnatalla and reorganizes the family retreat. The message is now explicit: Cady has become a hunter using long-range weapons.

Search of the Back Roads

Search of the Back Roads Context Law officers trace the network of dirt roads behind Shadow Hill and discover where a car could be hidden within rifle range of the camp. Cady has clearly scouted the area in advance. Significance The search defines Cady as a patient and mobile enemy. He is not acting out of sudden rage; he has chosen a killing field with a clean exit route. Aftermath Despite the search, Cady slips away before any roadblock can be set. The failure increases Sam's belief that official protection will always be one step too slow.

Pick-Up Order Issued

Pick-Up Order Issued Context Sheriff Kantz contacts New Essex and puts out a pickup order on Cady. Captain Dutton sends the information down the line, and the apparatus of the law begins to move. Significance For the first time, Cady is formally wanted. Yet the order is only as good as the information network and the roadblocks, and Cady has already demonstrated a talent for vanishing. Aftermath The next act of violence will come not from a distant hill but from the family's own driveway. The manhunt is running behind the hunter's schedule.

Wednesday morning, July 31

midday July 31

afternoon July 31 at Gannatalla

late July, during the days before and after the shooting

evening after the shooting of Jamie