He did not remember it being as difficult to get to as a youth. Kelly and he usually fished upstream from this spot because of that reason. He always feared her falling and landing in the water.

Buzz turned to Dan when he heard loose rocks announcing Dan’s presence. He was smoking a cigarette and from the pile on the ground he had been waiting for hi for a while.

“Took you long enough,” Buzz snapped.

“A lot has been happening.”

Buzz ran his hand through thinning hair. “Tell me about it. Didn’t sleep at all last night.”

“Does this have anything to do with what happened to Jason?”

Buzz nodded. “Christ, we were friends. And we just left him there.”

“Left him? Where?” Dan asked.

Buzz tossed the cigarette and then broke down. He shook his head, as if not believing what had happened.

“Want to talk about it?”

Buzz looked up at Dan. “I had nothing to do with it.”

Dan studied Buzz for the longest time. “It was that night,” Dan said watching Buzz’s reaction. “Remember, the night you and Alan picked me up before I reported to Little Rock?”

Buzz turned his back on Dan as if to walk away but then turned around to face Dan. The look on his face was that of a man about to confess a great wrongdoing.

“I trusted him.”

“Who?” Dan asked.

“You got to believe me when I say I had nothing to do with it?”

“With what? God damn it, tell me?”

Buzz looked up, he was about to speak when a shot rang out. His head exploded like a watermelon. Buzz fell backward, landing into the water. The water quickly turned red as it flowed downstream.

Dan rushed to Buzz. He knew it was useless. He had seen kill shots like this in Desert Storm. Right now his first instinct was to get Buzz out of the water. Once that was accomplished Dan rushed up the embankment tripping a few times on the way, making it impossible for him to get a glimpse of the car as it sped away. Dan quickly turned to the squad only to see the tires were flat. He turned to Buzz’s SUV but it too had flat tires. Out of frustration Dan kicked the squad. He limped over to the driver’s door and got in.

* * *

Dan sat in the squad, the frustration clearly on his face and in his voice. This used to be a place he came to get away from the ugliness of the world around him. It was a place he took Kelly to, to teach her how to fish. Now he could never come here again without the memory of seeing Buzz in his last moments of life.

“That’s right,” Dan snapped. “Send the medical examiner out here,” He did not want to explain anything to Mac, not right now and not over the radio.

“Are we going for a record?”

“I’m in no mood,” Dan said. Under normal circumstance he might have found humor in Mac’s comment but not now, not after what he just witnessed.

“Are you going to tell me who it is this time?” Mac asked.

In reality Mac already knew who Dan was meeting. He just wanted confirmation.

“Buzz Sheffield,” Dan finally said and then hesitated. “My list of suspects is narrowing.”

“Yeah, they are all dying.”

“Mac, not now.”

“Want me to do anything?”

Dan thought for a moment. “If any of the boys are near the highway, tell them to take inventory of cars they pass. It might help.”

“Consider it done.”

Dan slammed the radio down and then got out of the squad. His forehead perspired, he was not sure if it was the heat or what had just happened. Life for him would never be the same. Too many of the people he knew were involved in this and he wondered if he was too close to sort it all out now.

CHAPTER 15

Dan hurried into the living room. He just tossed the gun and hat on the chair next to the door. He was too anxious to see Kelly to bother taking off his shoes. He walked into the kitchen and when he saw Kelly at the table working on a puzzle, he slowed down. Dan walked over to the pot of coffee, checked to see if it was hot, and then took a mug off the mug tree and poured himself a cup. He turned around and leaned back on the counter and just watched Kelly.

“Rough morning?” Kelly asked, looking up from the puzzle.

“Can you tell?”

Kelly glanced at his shoes. She knew something was bothering him. She also knew it would be difficult getting it out of him.

“I heard all about it on the radio.”

“Half the county heard I was meeting Buzz. Mac was supposed to scramble the calls.”

“Don’t blame him.”

“It was a simple request.”

“Under normal circumstances no one listens.”

“Someone’s been listening now.”

“Did you get a look at who did it?”

“It all happened too fast. By the time I was dragging poor Buzz out of the water, the car was already down the road.”

“Nancy called,” Kelly said, almost forgetting the call. “She wants you to stop by the lab.”

Dan took a sip of coffee and then looked around the room nervously.

“Would you mind if we had company for Sunday’s barbecue?”

“Anybody I know,” Kelly asked, teasing her father.

“No. But you could get to know her,” Dan said looking at Kelly for her reaction.

“It’s about time. I was going to ask you how your date went, but I guess if she’s coming for Sunday dinner, it went well.”

“It’s just awkward talking to you about my date.”

“Why, you always want to know about mine?”

“That’s different,” Dan laughed.

She smiled up at her father. “I’m glad it went well.”

Dan set his coffee down. “If you don’t mind I’m going to take a run up to Little Rock. If Nancy calls again, tell her I’ll stop by the lab when I get back in.”

“You’re bothered by all this, aren’t you?”

Dan shook his head. “Used to be a nice place to live.”

“Still is.”

“Make sure you keep the doors locked after I leave.”

“That bad?” Kelly looked up with concern.

“Four dead bodies in three days aren’t good for the numbers.”

“There’s only one person doing the killing. You get him and it all stops.”

“I wish I had your optimism.” Dan said with a puzzled look. “Things don’t add up. Buzz was going to tell me something about Jason.” Dan hesitated for a moment and then continued. “But how does it figure into the Ames boy? Then Junior killing himself. If that’s what happened.”

Kelly got up from the table and walked over to her father. She wrapped her arms around him. Dan kissed the top of her head. He was thankful he had her to come home to, otherwise he didn’t know how he would survive when things didn’t go right.

* * *

Dan stood outside the Medical Examiner’s lab. The door was locked but Nancy’s Outback was still parked in the lot. He pressed the button again. Finally the familiar voice on the intercom answered his call.

“Who is it?” Nancy asked.

“It’s Sheriff Harter.”

The buzzer going off indicated the door lock had been released. Dan quickly pulled open the door.

Dan walked into the lab as Nancy shoved the slab back in the wall unit. She shut the door and then turned to Dan.

“You’re locking the outside door now?” Dan asked as he watching Nancy closely.

“You bet, at least until all this settles down.”

“That’s a smart move,” Dan added.

“I called you earlier.”

“Yeah. I got your message, but I had to check something out.”

Nancy walked over to the desk. “What do you want first?” she asked.

“At this point, I don’t really care.”

“Got the results from Junior’s shirt. It was the Ames boy’s blood.”

“Figured as much.”

Nancy picked up the clipboard. “You’re not going to like this one though,” she added.

“I’d ask you not to tell me, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t listen.”

Nancy handed Dan the clipboard. “Junior’s neck was broken, but not consistent with a hanging.”

“Shit! I was so hoping it was suicide,” Dan said, thinking for a moment. “No one claims to have seen anyone enter the jail.” Dan shook his head. “With Maria out front everyone was watching her.”