Previously, in BLACK DOOR: The team closes on Columbus, Indiana, which, unaccountably, experiences a blizzard in early September. While the team approaches the source of the disturbance, a shot rings out. Someone's been killed…

"Yep, that's an elf." Sizemore nudged the corpse with his toe.

It was an elf, what was left of it. The three-round burst from Ridenour's MP4 had taken out half of the victim's torso, but what remained lay in the snow clad in bloody green knickerbockers, red tights, and green felt shoes. Pointy ears framed a blankly staring face speckled with gore. A red, felt, triangular cap had been jammed onto the head, a silver jingle bell hanging soundlessly from its tip.

"He came at me," Ridenour said, soundin...

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