That left one door.And if Tubbs was napping away the evening in there, I was going to be so freaking annoyed.And I said as much aloud as I rapped on the door with my knuckles.Someone was shouting above-deck, telling Muffin to shut up, and Muffin had gone from frantic barks to high-pitched whines.Still, I couldn’tnotcheck, could I?
Because if Tubbs had ghosted me, I wanted to know.Like one hundred percent sure know.My next stop, I decided, was going to be the inn since that’s where they were staying, him and the ladies and Nate.One more quick rap on the door and I pushed it open.
At first, the room was dark.Dark and chilly, much cooler than the weather should warrant.It took a moment for me to realize the soft hum I was hearing wasn’t my nervous pulse but rather a desk fan set to high, aimed straight at the bed that took up most of the room space.My eyes adjusted to the low light after just a few seconds and I could make out another laptop on the tiny desk beside the fan, this one closed and apparently off—there was no little light indicating charging or even power.“Shit,” I muttered, flipping the USB drive over and over between my fingers.“He just blew me off, didn’t he?”I took a half-step into the room, pivoting to turn and leave, when something caught my eye.The wavy mirror beside the door, a cheap and warped thing that should’ve been in some recycle bin somewhere, showed me a pale lump just past the bed at an angle I couldn’t really see from the door but the mirror picked up thanks to its undulating surface.At first, I thought it was clothes.Tubbs just leaving his shit for someone else to pick up was pretty on-brand, to be honest.
But clothes didn’t have hair.
Clothes didn’t have an arm with fingers curled like that...
“Oh no,” I breathed.“Not again...”
Chapter 4
“Have you considerednotattending cocktail parties?”Heath asked, beleaguered.The dock had been cleared of all non-emergency services folks with the exception of me and Muffin, who were officially witnesses.Or, based on the looks I was getting from the emergency services personnel, suspects.
“I’m starting to think it might be a good idea,” I muttered, queasy enough that my mouth burned with it.“Um, I...I don’t suppose that’snotTubbs?”
Heath sighed, his expression softening with pity, I supposed, or maybe bemusement at my naiveite.“The i.d.in his wallet matches his face, so unless he’s got an identical twin, that’s definitely him.”
Muffin pressed his huge, warm body against my leg and I just went with it, crouching down to hug him around the neck while I tried to get myself together.It wasn’t that I was particularly upsetTubbswas...was dead, it was just that I’d found him.
Found another dead body.
One that I had a connection to.
“Cherry already get your statement?”
“Yeah.Soon as you guys got here.”
He let out a small sigh, probably not even aware he’d been clenched up.“Okay then. Go home.Don’t call, don’t text, don’t doanythingexcept get Muffin back home and, I don’t know, have a drink or two.And for the love of all that is holy, stay there.”
That was me told, I supposed.Heath strode to join the deputies, his fingers drumming a restless and irritated rhythm on his thigh.He’d been on a not-date, I remembered.Cherry had said as much before getting down to business.A not-date with Ralphie Hemmings, having dinner to talk about upgrading the department’s computer system out of the late 90s stranglehold the current set up had on them.
Allegedly.
Muffin at my side, I sat on the hard bench against the railing, watching the deputies murmur with Heath, all three of them careful to avoid the white body bag on the deck.It was dreamy and weird and I wanted to be sick.Instead, I waved down a deputy scurrying onto the deck.She frowned at me for a beat then, her expression clearing, strode over.“Damien Murphy, right?I know about you.If you’re done with your interview, you should head on home.”When I hesitated, she sighed, rolling her eyes.“I’ll ask Heath if someone can give you a ride home.”
