Page 49 of Beneath Still Waters

“It happens. People get greedy,” Duke said.

“I’m never cleaning for her again. I didn’t know that. Maybe he only told me that story because then I’d feel bad for her and be willing to help him ruin Bailey’s reputation. I guess I’m no better than her. I was greedy too. I’m sorry.”

Duke motioned for Ferd to follow him. “I’m not arresting you. For now. Stay in town.” He pulled open the drawer mostlikely to hold junk rather than silverware. It was filled with old photographs, their edges curled and darkened with age. He sifted through them. Nothing.

“Help me look.” He nodded at her.

Ferd opened a nearby tackle box and lifted the different sections. Seemed like the perfect place to hide a key that would look like brightly colored tackle. She closed it quickly. She scanned the tiny galley. If she wanted to hide something small, she'd choose a place no one opened very often. Carl lived alone and bachelors rarely baked . . . Shoved in the corner of the tiny built-in oven was a fuzzy pink keyring.

“Bingo.” Ferd carefully grabbed the fuzz in case they could get prints off the key.

“Time to go.” Duke headed for the door.

“Where?” Ferd held tight to the keyring fuzz.

“Time to find that boat.”

THIRTY-EIGHT

Kevin and Heath waited out by their boat. Duke had called them the moment Ferd got into the truck. “One more stop or are you done for the day?” He looked up at her with more understanding than her commanding officer would ever give.

“I want to see this through if I can. Might be the only time I ever get to do this. It feels really good to not only set the record straight about Bailey, but to find his killer.”

“And maybe stop a drug pipeline. Assuming George is one of the major players and he’s the one coordinating it all.”

“I still have a lot of questions. Carl feels like a patsy. Like he started out not liking Bailey for a potentially legitimate reason, but it mushroomed. Is he really guilty, or is this another frame?” she asked as she tucked the key into an evidence bag.

“I don’t think anyone is good enough to get his prints and DNA not only on the two cans but on the body. That would take a forensic expert, and I don’t think that’s what we’re dealing with. I think a big-city guy took advantage of a small-town spat. Carl got in deeper than he knew how to get out of without getting hurt. I personally think he’s still guilty, but that’s up to a jury to decide.”

“I suppose there is that. Just because he’ll be arrested doesn’t mean he’ll be convicted.”

“You’ll have to keep in touch to see how it all plays out.” He cast a glance her way, then parked near the boat.

“I don’t want to go out on that water. You have no idea how much I don’t want to go.”

Duke stopped and faced her. “I could tell you to stay behind. Give you that option. But when I come back and tell you all that happened . . . are you going to wish you’d been there?”

“Ugh. You and your logic.” She stomped toward the waiting men.

Heath held out a hand to help her onto the boat. That was the nicest he’d been to her so far. Maybe he’d finally accepted her as part of their little team. In minutes, they directed the boat out onto the huge lake. It was shaped like a massive crescent, and on the west end was a very small area where the water was the deepest and the calmest in the entire lake. It was sheltered by bands of trees and sparkled in the sun.

“Water depth here is about a hundred and sixty feet,” Kevin muttered. “Don’t anyone go overboard.”

Ferd shivered. Not today. A houseboat sat anchored at the center of the smaller alcove. Two men sat out on lawn chairs, smoking cigars. Carl and George either hadn’t seen the approaching boat yet or didn’t care.

Kevin pulled in alongside the houseboat and tethered to it. Carl jumped from his seat and ran down the side. “What are you doing? This is private property! Hey!” He stopped, his eyes wide. “You . . .” He pointed at Kevin.

“Nice to see you again. I think we have a little unfinished business.” He cracked his knuckles.

“George!” Carl screamed.

George came around the corner slowly, his gun in hand. “Wrong boat, boys.”

Duke showed his badge. “Put the gun away. We have a few questions for you, but we’re here to arrest Carl. We have a warrant.”

“What for? They tried to beat me up. I didn’t do anything.” He pointed at Kevin and Heath.

“Murder,” Ferd said, finding her footing and trying to stand tall.