expertise. I think she can help us.”
“I saw her bio picture on the Web site. She’s cute.”
Brady shrugged. “I mean, for an older woman.”
Funny, but when Wil thought of a cute woman, the only face he envisioned was Elizabeth’s. Yep, he’d fallen for her, and he hadn’t even kissed her yet. “I don’t care what she looks like as long as she helps us solve this case.”
“Amen to that. So when will she get here?”
“Unfortunately, she’s not available until next week. I’m hoping Monday.”
“Any theories of your own about the offender?”
“Just one,” Wil said. “He doesn’t belong here. I have a strong feeling he’s an outsider.”
No, a killer didn’t belong in their community. Wil hated to think one of his own citizens was capable of murder. “Now that the college students have returned, you’re talking about half the county.”
Wil nodded. “I know. I need something else to go on—a weapon, an eye witness …”
“We interviewed everyone along the river. You’d think somebody would’ve seen something, with all the holiday river traffic.”
“My gut says she wasn’t shot on the river.”
“Whoever dumped the body probably dumped the weapon, too,” Brady said.
“Good thinking, Brady.” Wil snapped his fingers. “With the drought, there’s not much water to search. I’ll get Geraldo on it.” He picked up the telephone and buzzed Zelda. “Get Deputy Blanco for me.”
“I thought FDLE searched the river,” Brady said.
“They searched right around Reesor’s property, treating it as a crime scene. We’re going to take out our boat and broaden the search. That weapon could lead us to the shooter.”
“It’s worth a try,” Brady said. “Let me know if you need me to work the search with Geraldo.”
“Thanks. We’re all going to have to pull extra duty until we solve this case.”
“Contrary to what the editor printed in this week’s
Drake Springs Democrat
. She seems to think we’re a bunch of losers.”
Wil expected nothing better from Phyllis Gillespie. She’d do her best to discredit Wil and his family. “She shouldn’t underestimate us,” Wil said. “We’re a small county, and we’re short on homicide investigation experience, but I’m staffed with smart, dedicated deputies.”
“Thanks. With an endorsement like that, how can we fail?”
“That’s the idea.”
Brady stood. “I’d better let you get back to the computer stuff and check my e-mail.”
Wil leaned back and stretched. “Nah, I’ve been sitting here too long. Let’s grab a Coke. I’ll tell Zelda where to find me when Geraldo shows.”
“Sure.” Brady followed Wil past Zelda’s desk, then into the locker room, which doubled as the station’s break room. Three vending machines had been squeezed in between two sets of lockers and a row of vinyl-covered benches. “When will we have the results from the autopsy?”
“Monday, I expect. A body in the water decomposes fast. I imagine it’s a challenge for the medical examiner’s office.”
“Which was the idea, if the killer deliberately dumped the body.” Brady poured himself a cup of coffee from the decanter. “Zelda just made this, so it’s fresh.”
“I’m ready for something cold to drink.” Between his early morning in the office and his breakfast at Boyd’s Diner, Wil had had his fill of coffee for the day.
“How’s your daddy doing?”
“Holdin’ his own.” Wil’s father wouldn’t appreciate being discussed. He’d been fiercely private ever since Wil’s mother’s death—or maybe he’d always been guarded about his personal life. “He’s able to do a lot for himself now.”
“Still seeing the physical therapist?”
“Yes, but he calls her a physical terrorist.” Wil fed a dollar to the Coke machine. “He’s determined to live alone, so he’s motivated to work hard.”
“Sure. He has his pride.” Brady’s cell phone rang. He stared at the caller ID before answering the call.
“I saw her bio picture on the Web site. She’s cute.”
Brady shrugged. “I mean, for an older woman.”
Funny, but when Wil thought of a cute woman, the only face he envisioned was Elizabeth’s. Yep, he’d fallen for her, and he hadn’t even kissed her yet. “I don’t care what she looks like as long as she helps us solve this case.”
“Amen to that. So when will she get here?”
“Unfortunately, she’s not available until next week. I’m hoping Monday.”
“Any theories of your own about the offender?”
“Just one,” Wil said. “He doesn’t belong here. I have a strong feeling he’s an outsider.”
No, a killer didn’t belong in their community. Wil hated to think one of his own citizens was capable of murder. “Now that the college students have returned, you’re talking about half the county.”
Wil nodded. “I know. I need something else to go on—a weapon, an eye witness …”
“We interviewed everyone along the river. You’d think somebody would’ve seen something, with all the holiday river traffic.”
“My gut says she wasn’t shot on the river.”
“Whoever dumped the body probably dumped the weapon, too,” Brady said.
“Good thinking, Brady.” Wil snapped his fingers. “With the drought, there’s not much water to search. I’ll get Geraldo on it.” He picked up the telephone and buzzed Zelda. “Get Deputy Blanco for me.”
“I thought FDLE searched the river,” Brady said.
“They searched right around Reesor’s property, treating it as a crime scene. We’re going to take out our boat and broaden the search. That weapon could lead us to the shooter.”
“It’s worth a try,” Brady said. “Let me know if you need me to work the search with Geraldo.”
“Thanks. We’re all going to have to pull extra duty until we solve this case.”
“Contrary to what the editor printed in this week’s
Drake Springs Democrat
. She seems to think we’re a bunch of losers.”
Wil expected nothing better from Phyllis Gillespie. She’d do her best to discredit Wil and his family. “She shouldn’t underestimate us,” Wil said. “We’re a small county, and we’re short on homicide investigation experience, but I’m staffed with smart, dedicated deputies.”
“Thanks. With an endorsement like that, how can we fail?”
“That’s the idea.”
Brady stood. “I’d better let you get back to the computer stuff and check my e-mail.”
Wil leaned back and stretched. “Nah, I’ve been sitting here too long. Let’s grab a Coke. I’ll tell Zelda where to find me when Geraldo shows.”
“Sure.” Brady followed Wil past Zelda’s desk, then into the locker room, which doubled as the station’s break room. Three vending machines had been squeezed in between two sets of lockers and a row of vinyl-covered benches. “When will we have the results from the autopsy?”
“Monday, I expect. A body in the water decomposes fast. I imagine it’s a challenge for the medical examiner’s office.”
“Which was the idea, if the killer deliberately dumped the body.” Brady poured himself a cup of coffee from the decanter. “Zelda just made this, so it’s fresh.”
“I’m ready for something cold to drink.” Between his early morning in the office and his breakfast at Boyd’s Diner, Wil had had his fill of coffee for the day.
“How’s your daddy doing?”
“Holdin’ his own.” Wil’s father wouldn’t appreciate being discussed. He’d been fiercely private ever since Wil’s mother’s death—or maybe he’d always been guarded about his personal life. “He’s able to do a lot for himself now.”
“Still seeing the physical therapist?”
“Yes, but he calls her a physical terrorist.” Wil fed a dollar to the Coke machine. “He’s determined to live alone, so he’s motivated to work hard.”
“Sure. He has his pride.” Brady’s cell phone rang. He stared at the caller ID before answering the call.
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