turn into the field station.
I could see the red lights of the police cruisers ahead. Der leaned against his cruiser, cell at his ear. There were state troopers and a county sheriff’s car on the scene also.
“Sorry to ruin your cookout.” Der nodded to the officer to let Annie and me pass.
“So, do you know who it is? Have you removed the body from the lake? How long has it been in? Any evidence of foul play or was it simply a drowning? No, no, it must have been suspicious because you’re here. Was it someone connected with the field station? Who? Or maybe a visitor? Who is it? Can you tell?” I finally gasped for my next breath.
“Murphy, it’s so good having you here.”
I ignored the sarcasm in his voice and craned my neck to look around him toward the dock. A patrol boat was tying up there.
One of the state troopers approached Der and beckoned him away from Annie and me. When he returned, he was shaking his head. “He’s dead and hasn’t been in the water long. He’s got identification in his pocket.”
“Good. Who is it?” I was wringing my hands with both anticipation and anxiety, but Der moved away with the officer and returned to the dock.
Two men in EMT uniforms were removing the body from the boat. I couldn’t make out the face on the dead man because of the angle of the sun near the horizon and the flashing lights from the police and emergency vehicles. Besides, I wasn’t too keen on looking at a dead body anyway. I much preferred the grisly details once removed.
“Who is it?” I said again. Der ignored me.
Annie tapped my arm. “Give me your cell, and I’ll let your guests know the cookout is off.”
I handed it to her without taking my eyes from the scene in front of me.
“It’s dead. Don’t you ever remember to charge this thing?”
“Every now and then. Use yours.”
“We left in such a hurry I don’t have mine. I’ll just use the station’s phone.” She started toward the building, but an officer barred her way.
“Sorry, ma’am, we’re securing this area as a crime scene. You can’t go in there.”
He smiled at Annie. Aha! A friendly face. Maybe we could pump him for information, but before I could intercede, Annie looked up into his eyes, shoved her spectacles back up on her nose and took charge.
“Why is the building considered part of the crime scene?” she asked.
“Because the body is that of a person connected to the field station.”
“Oh. Do you know whom?”
Atta girl, Annie.
“No. What’s your name? I don’t recall seeing you at any crime scenes before. Are you a reporter for a local?”
“Oh, no, I’m with the college.” Annie twisted a lock of her hair around her finger, removed her glasses and ratcheted up her smile on the grin meter. She’s flirting with him. Good heavens, they’re into some kind of mating ritual. I’d never seen Annie behave so coyly.
Get on with it, I thought, then decided to help move things along. I cleared my throat to get his attention. His glance slid to me and then back again to Annie. I took that as a sign of brain wave activity.
“So if the dead person is someone connected with the field station, it could only be one of two people, the director or his assistant. Which one?”
I got nothing in return. The two of them continued to gaze into one another’s eyes and smile.
“It was the director.” Der’s voice came from behind me, startling the three of us.
Annie dropped her eyes from the officer’s and grabbed my arm. I knew we both were thinking of Beth.
“I’d better call Beth and tell her,” I said.
“I already called her. She’s on her way here to ID the body,” Der said.
“Is that absolutely necessary? You said he had ID on him.” Der rolled his eyes at my remark. “Oh, I get it. That might not be his. Well, then, can’t someone else do it?”
“Sure, how about you, Laura? You knew him well enough. Want to take a look?”
“No thanks.” I began retreating to the safety of
I could see the red lights of the police cruisers ahead. Der leaned against his cruiser, cell at his ear. There were state troopers and a county sheriff’s car on the scene also.
“Sorry to ruin your cookout.” Der nodded to the officer to let Annie and me pass.
“So, do you know who it is? Have you removed the body from the lake? How long has it been in? Any evidence of foul play or was it simply a drowning? No, no, it must have been suspicious because you’re here. Was it someone connected with the field station? Who? Or maybe a visitor? Who is it? Can you tell?” I finally gasped for my next breath.
“Murphy, it’s so good having you here.”
I ignored the sarcasm in his voice and craned my neck to look around him toward the dock. A patrol boat was tying up there.
One of the state troopers approached Der and beckoned him away from Annie and me. When he returned, he was shaking his head. “He’s dead and hasn’t been in the water long. He’s got identification in his pocket.”
“Good. Who is it?” I was wringing my hands with both anticipation and anxiety, but Der moved away with the officer and returned to the dock.
Two men in EMT uniforms were removing the body from the boat. I couldn’t make out the face on the dead man because of the angle of the sun near the horizon and the flashing lights from the police and emergency vehicles. Besides, I wasn’t too keen on looking at a dead body anyway. I much preferred the grisly details once removed.
“Who is it?” I said again. Der ignored me.
Annie tapped my arm. “Give me your cell, and I’ll let your guests know the cookout is off.”
I handed it to her without taking my eyes from the scene in front of me.
“It’s dead. Don’t you ever remember to charge this thing?”
“Every now and then. Use yours.”
“We left in such a hurry I don’t have mine. I’ll just use the station’s phone.” She started toward the building, but an officer barred her way.
“Sorry, ma’am, we’re securing this area as a crime scene. You can’t go in there.”
He smiled at Annie. Aha! A friendly face. Maybe we could pump him for information, but before I could intercede, Annie looked up into his eyes, shoved her spectacles back up on her nose and took charge.
“Why is the building considered part of the crime scene?” she asked.
“Because the body is that of a person connected to the field station.”
“Oh. Do you know whom?”
Atta girl, Annie.
“No. What’s your name? I don’t recall seeing you at any crime scenes before. Are you a reporter for a local?”
“Oh, no, I’m with the college.” Annie twisted a lock of her hair around her finger, removed her glasses and ratcheted up her smile on the grin meter. She’s flirting with him. Good heavens, they’re into some kind of mating ritual. I’d never seen Annie behave so coyly.
Get on with it, I thought, then decided to help move things along. I cleared my throat to get his attention. His glance slid to me and then back again to Annie. I took that as a sign of brain wave activity.
“So if the dead person is someone connected with the field station, it could only be one of two people, the director or his assistant. Which one?”
I got nothing in return. The two of them continued to gaze into one another’s eyes and smile.
“It was the director.” Der’s voice came from behind me, startling the three of us.
Annie dropped her eyes from the officer’s and grabbed my arm. I knew we both were thinking of Beth.
“I’d better call Beth and tell her,” I said.
“I already called her. She’s on her way here to ID the body,” Der said.
“Is that absolutely necessary? You said he had ID on him.” Der rolled his eyes at my remark. “Oh, I get it. That might not be his. Well, then, can’t someone else do it?”
“Sure, how about you, Laura? You knew him well enough. Want to take a look?”
“No thanks.” I began retreating to the safety of
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