chose us.” She transferred her gaze to Santiago. “You, on the other hand, are considered rogue material. I am just going to suppose I’ve landed in such lauded company because I shot a man to death in the line of duty and because of that particular incident find myself in this predicament. I’m not all that fond of either of you right now.”
“Predicament?” Santiago looked amused. He glanced at Carl. “Are we entitled to be insulted? Because I just can’t decide. And, MacIntosh, you’ve shot more than one suspect. Remember the man who kidnapped the niece of a federal judge? You’re no angel.”
Oh, yes, she remembered. “He lived. Besides, he tried to bludgeon me to death.”
“Still counts, sweetheart.”
Outside someone had started to play basketball on the lighted court down below. She gave a short laugh. “Okay, so none of us here have any reason to throw darts at each other. Can we talk about this case?”
“Fine by me.”
“So we’ve all shot suspects and I am not sure that it is a brotherhood I want to belong to, but none of us have ever gone after a cop, and none of us would.”
“Never say never.”
Surprisingly it wasn’t one of Santiago’s flippant remarks, but Grasso who said it. Dryly, he added, “Look at Reubens. Sometimes it is hard to tell the white hats from the black.”
“What is up?” Ellie was really searching, trying to stay focused, but honestly, she was distracted by lakeside skeletons and hidden graves. “Is there something going on, or is Metzger just paranoid?”
“Nope.” Santiago set aside his beer, blue eyes serious. “I don’t like it either. Fielding and Brown knew each other pretty well. Makes you wonder if they both stumbled over something. It isn’t always what you know, but just sometimes what someone thinks you know.”
Chapter 6
It drizzled, but maybe it was just as well.
No one was on the lake, not even a light on in the cottages across, mist over the water floating like gray ghosts, moving wisps in the uncertain light.
The branches were still there, scattered in a haphazard fashion over the stones she’d found and labored to move, but something had been at the grave. There was fresh dirt clawed out of one corner and she could see a glimpse of white flesh.
It was what she’d feared all along and a surge of panic ran up her spine, quickly tamed as she took in a deep breath.
Scavengers were fine as long as nothing pulled the body from the ground. The faster it was gone, the better.
She just needed to make sure it stayed buried.
The boat. Maybe she could pull that old rowboat up over it, but leave it tilted just enough.
That might just work.
* * *
Ellie sat outside the office and waited. The receptionist glanced at her now and then, but she just ignored it and assumed it was because the woman knew she was a detective. On her last visit she had handed over her card, but that had been official business.
Now she was a patient, though she really didn’t like to think of it that way.
“The doctor is ready to see you.”
Was she ready to see the doctor? She wasn’t sure, but this was not a decision she’d made lightly.
Dr. Lukens met her at the door, eyebrows raised. “Detective MacIntosh. Come on in. Imagine how surprised I was to see your name on my appointment schedule.”
Ellie’s first thought was Georgia Lukens had a nice tan. Tropical location maybe? Sandy beach, plush towels, frozen drink in hand? Sounded good. Must be the case, because she hadn’t gotten it in southern Wisconsin. Though it had been a record-breaking summer, it had been way too hot to sunbathe, and then it had abruptly cooled off considerably. Tall, leggy, with a no-nonsense haircut that showed off the fine bones of her face, the psychiatrist had on very little makeup, the sum of the parts completed by tailored slacks and a jacket. Her smile was unreadable. Dr. Lukens said neutrally enough, “Have a seat.”
The office Ellie followed her
“Predicament?” Santiago looked amused. He glanced at Carl. “Are we entitled to be insulted? Because I just can’t decide. And, MacIntosh, you’ve shot more than one suspect. Remember the man who kidnapped the niece of a federal judge? You’re no angel.”
Oh, yes, she remembered. “He lived. Besides, he tried to bludgeon me to death.”
“Still counts, sweetheart.”
Outside someone had started to play basketball on the lighted court down below. She gave a short laugh. “Okay, so none of us here have any reason to throw darts at each other. Can we talk about this case?”
“Fine by me.”
“So we’ve all shot suspects and I am not sure that it is a brotherhood I want to belong to, but none of us have ever gone after a cop, and none of us would.”
“Never say never.”
Surprisingly it wasn’t one of Santiago’s flippant remarks, but Grasso who said it. Dryly, he added, “Look at Reubens. Sometimes it is hard to tell the white hats from the black.”
“What is up?” Ellie was really searching, trying to stay focused, but honestly, she was distracted by lakeside skeletons and hidden graves. “Is there something going on, or is Metzger just paranoid?”
“Nope.” Santiago set aside his beer, blue eyes serious. “I don’t like it either. Fielding and Brown knew each other pretty well. Makes you wonder if they both stumbled over something. It isn’t always what you know, but just sometimes what someone thinks you know.”
Chapter 6
It drizzled, but maybe it was just as well.
No one was on the lake, not even a light on in the cottages across, mist over the water floating like gray ghosts, moving wisps in the uncertain light.
The branches were still there, scattered in a haphazard fashion over the stones she’d found and labored to move, but something had been at the grave. There was fresh dirt clawed out of one corner and she could see a glimpse of white flesh.
It was what she’d feared all along and a surge of panic ran up her spine, quickly tamed as she took in a deep breath.
Scavengers were fine as long as nothing pulled the body from the ground. The faster it was gone, the better.
She just needed to make sure it stayed buried.
The boat. Maybe she could pull that old rowboat up over it, but leave it tilted just enough.
That might just work.
* * *
Ellie sat outside the office and waited. The receptionist glanced at her now and then, but she just ignored it and assumed it was because the woman knew she was a detective. On her last visit she had handed over her card, but that had been official business.
Now she was a patient, though she really didn’t like to think of it that way.
“The doctor is ready to see you.”
Was she ready to see the doctor? She wasn’t sure, but this was not a decision she’d made lightly.
Dr. Lukens met her at the door, eyebrows raised. “Detective MacIntosh. Come on in. Imagine how surprised I was to see your name on my appointment schedule.”
Ellie’s first thought was Georgia Lukens had a nice tan. Tropical location maybe? Sandy beach, plush towels, frozen drink in hand? Sounded good. Must be the case, because she hadn’t gotten it in southern Wisconsin. Though it had been a record-breaking summer, it had been way too hot to sunbathe, and then it had abruptly cooled off considerably. Tall, leggy, with a no-nonsense haircut that showed off the fine bones of her face, the psychiatrist had on very little makeup, the sum of the parts completed by tailored slacks and a jacket. Her smile was unreadable. Dr. Lukens said neutrally enough, “Have a seat.”
The office Ellie followed her
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