Bill used that hole for his stash,” said Ray. “Then one day he found a six-pack of Bud in there and realized some high school kids knew about it, too.”
“You think a lot of people know about it?” asked Lew.
“Hard to say, but if anyone does, it’ll be a local, that’s for sure.”
Lew turned back towards the clearing. A bright half-moon lit the final few yards and seemed to cast a halo over the woman’s body, which lay undisturbed just as they had left it.
“Who is this?” asked Ray as he knelt with Osborne to lay the tarp alongside the victim, his voice gentle with concern.
“Do you remember Meredith Marshall?” asked Osborne. Together they rolled the body onto the tarp, then folded the rubber sheets over and back until they had a neat sling.
“Oh, sure—about three years ahead of me,” said Ray. “She had a sister who was quite a bit older, didn’t she?”
“Alicia Roderick,” said Osborne.
“Oh yeah? The dachshund’s wife,” said Ray.
“The who what?” Lew gave Ray a quizzical look.
“You know that really rich guy with the Range Rover who sells lighting fixtures—he looks like a dachshund. That’s Peter Roderick, Alicia’s husband,” said Ray, “Once a year I take him up to Canada for walleyes. Now there’s a guy travels a lot—every week almost.”
“I wonder if he’s home tonight. I’m afraid I need to wake up his wife,” said Lew.
“Alicia was a good friend of my late wife’s,” said Osborne. “Would you like me to come along?” he asked, feeling more presentable in his dry clothes.
“I wouldn’t mind,” said Lew. Then a look crossed her face as if she was about to get bad news. “Doctor Osborne …,” she hesitated, tightening her lips, “I have a problem. In order for that dental exam to be official, which I need it to be … Well, Jack Pecore is on vacation all week,” she referred to the Loon Lake coroner whom Osborne knew and despised, “and to make this official I need to deputize you right now. In fact, I need to write it up as if you were a deputy at the time you examined the victim—” “Fine,” said Osborne.
“Really?” Lew stopped short in surprise. “But I might have to keep you on for a week if that’s okay. With Pecore gone, I’m stretched to the limit over this Labor Day weekend. If the autopsy confirms criminal activity, I’m going to need extra help. You know the family and you have all that military experience …”
“Whatever I can do, just let me know,” said Osborne. “My schedule is wide open.” Not to mention his life. The thought of being a professional again, of working around a woman as interesting as Lew, had a sudden, intriguing appeal.
“The department will pay you for your time.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Osborne had an idea. “We’ll barter. You give me some more pointers on my fly-fishing, and I’ll help you out with whatever you need over the next few days.”
“You’ve got a deal,” said Lew, extending her hand to grasp his in a firm shake.
“Just don’t ask me,” Ray raised his hands, “I’m up to my ears with the Walleye Classic—”
“Not a chance, Ray,” laughed Lew. “Not with your record. I don’t mind your untimely toking, fella, so much as your total lack of remorse. I’ll tell ya, Ray, you’re the kinda guy,” she shook a finger at him good-naturedly, “I never know what you’re gonna do next.”
Ray shrugged. Some things he just couldn’t help. He wouldn’t be Ray if he could.
Lew eased up, “But I’m impressed you’re chairing the Walleye Classic, huh? That’s a big job!”
Ray cut his eyes in a “ya gotta be kiddin’ “ look. “Me? Heck, no,” he said. “That’s
work.
I’m just in charge of the boats for the pros.”
And his image, noted Osborne with amusement. For the first time in years, Ray had been to the barber. His distinctive head of rich, reddish-auburn curly hair and chest-length, very curly auburn but greying beard had been stylishly
“You think a lot of people know about it?” asked Lew.
“Hard to say, but if anyone does, it’ll be a local, that’s for sure.”
Lew turned back towards the clearing. A bright half-moon lit the final few yards and seemed to cast a halo over the woman’s body, which lay undisturbed just as they had left it.
“Who is this?” asked Ray as he knelt with Osborne to lay the tarp alongside the victim, his voice gentle with concern.
“Do you remember Meredith Marshall?” asked Osborne. Together they rolled the body onto the tarp, then folded the rubber sheets over and back until they had a neat sling.
“Oh, sure—about three years ahead of me,” said Ray. “She had a sister who was quite a bit older, didn’t she?”
“Alicia Roderick,” said Osborne.
“Oh yeah? The dachshund’s wife,” said Ray.
“The who what?” Lew gave Ray a quizzical look.
“You know that really rich guy with the Range Rover who sells lighting fixtures—he looks like a dachshund. That’s Peter Roderick, Alicia’s husband,” said Ray, “Once a year I take him up to Canada for walleyes. Now there’s a guy travels a lot—every week almost.”
“I wonder if he’s home tonight. I’m afraid I need to wake up his wife,” said Lew.
“Alicia was a good friend of my late wife’s,” said Osborne. “Would you like me to come along?” he asked, feeling more presentable in his dry clothes.
“I wouldn’t mind,” said Lew. Then a look crossed her face as if she was about to get bad news. “Doctor Osborne …,” she hesitated, tightening her lips, “I have a problem. In order for that dental exam to be official, which I need it to be … Well, Jack Pecore is on vacation all week,” she referred to the Loon Lake coroner whom Osborne knew and despised, “and to make this official I need to deputize you right now. In fact, I need to write it up as if you were a deputy at the time you examined the victim—” “Fine,” said Osborne.
“Really?” Lew stopped short in surprise. “But I might have to keep you on for a week if that’s okay. With Pecore gone, I’m stretched to the limit over this Labor Day weekend. If the autopsy confirms criminal activity, I’m going to need extra help. You know the family and you have all that military experience …”
“Whatever I can do, just let me know,” said Osborne. “My schedule is wide open.” Not to mention his life. The thought of being a professional again, of working around a woman as interesting as Lew, had a sudden, intriguing appeal.
“The department will pay you for your time.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Osborne had an idea. “We’ll barter. You give me some more pointers on my fly-fishing, and I’ll help you out with whatever you need over the next few days.”
“You’ve got a deal,” said Lew, extending her hand to grasp his in a firm shake.
“Just don’t ask me,” Ray raised his hands, “I’m up to my ears with the Walleye Classic—”
“Not a chance, Ray,” laughed Lew. “Not with your record. I don’t mind your untimely toking, fella, so much as your total lack of remorse. I’ll tell ya, Ray, you’re the kinda guy,” she shook a finger at him good-naturedly, “I never know what you’re gonna do next.”
Ray shrugged. Some things he just couldn’t help. He wouldn’t be Ray if he could.
Lew eased up, “But I’m impressed you’re chairing the Walleye Classic, huh? That’s a big job!”
Ray cut his eyes in a “ya gotta be kiddin’ “ look. “Me? Heck, no,” he said. “That’s
work.
I’m just in charge of the boats for the pros.”
And his image, noted Osborne with amusement. For the first time in years, Ray had been to the barber. His distinctive head of rich, reddish-auburn curly hair and chest-length, very curly auburn but greying beard had been stylishly
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