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"Someone called from the scene. Doc's been there, and he's on his way here. "
"Where did they find the body?"
"In a ravine near Brasstown Bald. "
Brasstown Bald was the highest peak in these parts. Coincidentally, or maybe not so much, it was part of a larger section of the mountains known as Wolfspen Ridge.
"Who found it?"
"Hiker. It's that time of year. "
Another of Grace's officers stood guard at the door - standard procedure for cases like this. Although I couldn't recall the last time there'd been an unexplained death or murder in Lake Bluff.
"Ever have to handle a questionable death before?" I asked.
Grace slid me a look. "I'm more than qualified for this, ma'am. "
"Are you insinuating that I'm not?"
"You're a goddamn suspect!"
"You're the one who wanted me to come along. If I killed the guy, or asked someone to do it for me, I probably shouldn't be here at all. "
Grace stopped. "Hell. "
"Oh yeah," I said, and shoved open the door to the temporary lab, "more than qualified. "
Before she could stop me I strode to the tarp-shrouded body in the center of the room and yanked it back. It was Josh all right. Although how I coul
d tell for certain through the blood, I couldn't say.
I swayed. Grace was there instantly, pulling the tarp up, then shoving a chair beneath my legs and my head between my knees.
"Girl," she muttered with just enough force to be an insult.
"You're a girl," I managed.
"I don't faint at the sight of blood. "
"I didn't faint. "
"Close enough," she muttered, and the door opened behind us.
"Doc," she greeted him. "Thanks for coming. "
I sat up, blinking as black spots threatened to converge in front of my eyes and make the whole world go away.
The medical examiner from Bradleyville, Dr. William Cavet, Doc Bill to everyone who knew him, had been a physician for over fifty years. He'd spent most of them as a GP, back when GP was what they were called. Soon after GPs became FPs and the health insurance system went to hell in a handbasket, he'd become the ME.
"You okay?" He shot me a quick glance from beneath bushy white eyebrows that reminded me of woolly caterpillars.
I was dizzy, as much from the horror as the conflict of emotions. I'd wanted Josh dead, dreamed of it, too, but now that he was, I wasn't sure what to feel.
"Fine. " I swallowed thickly as Doc went straight to the tarp and threw it down.
"I've been to the scene. " Doc wasted no time. One of the many things I liked about him. "Body was dragged to the edge of a ravine and tossed in. "
"I'm going to have to detain your boyfriend," Grace muttered.
