Page 78 of Oddly Fine

Beckett took a moment to look down at the corpse once more before looking back at Hayes. He needed to come up with a plausible explanation—although it would most likely sound as farfetched as everything else he’d said so far that night. But he froze when he heard the distinctive, familiar click of a safety on a handgun being released.

“You boys should have minded your own business,” a deep voice chastised from above them.

Beckett and Hayes looked up to see a man standing in the shadows aiming a pistol in their direction.

“Gotta say—murdering people when they’re already standing in a grave does make for easy clean up—I should have thought of that,” Beckett said in his usual dry tone.

The newcomer snorted, but, surprisingly enough, put the safety back on and lowered his weapon.

“I’m guessing you want to see your brother now. If you promise not to whack me in the head with that crowbar, I’ll take you to him.”

“My mommy told me never to get into a car with a stranger,” Beckett fired back.

Hayes exerted no small amount of effort fighting the urge to laugh at Beckett’s irreverent response.

After a few moments of cursing, a flashlight was turned on, illuminating the distinctive silver star in a circular ring that was attached to a chain the guy wore around his neck.

“Deputy Kolinsky, United States Marshals Service. Mind getting out of that grave?” Kolinsky requested, sounding both amused and annoyed.

“Well, okay, since you asked so nicely,” Beckett replied with a cocky grin. “Mind lowering a ladder? We dug pretty deep.”

“How were you planning on getting out?” Kolinsky asked curiously.

“No clue, really. Figured I’d climb on Haysie’s shoulders and use his head as a step stool.” Beckett had to laugh at himself for coming up with this ridiculous plan, especially since he had at least 50 pounds on Hayes.

“And you followed him into the hole without a plan?” Kolinsky asked Hayes in patent disbelief.

“Done dumber things,” he declared, shrugging casually.

“Right. Well, guess I don’t even have to check your IDs. You must be Agents Monroe and Thérault.” He turned around and someone behind him handed over a short ladder. He lowered it into the hole and stepped back a few feet.

“How’d you figure that?”

“Franklin told me his idiot brother and his equally crazy partner would come looking for him—you sound like the right nut jobs.”

“Well, what do you know? My asshole brother really does care!” Beckett stepped onto the ladder and began climbing.

Watching his ascent, Hayes couldn’t help but wonder just how in the hell he’d ended up here—standing next to a coffin that he’d just opened illegally, after having dug up a stranger based solely on one of Beckett’s wild-assed hunches. Pausing for a moment before beginning his own ascent, he listened to the love of his life bantering with a US Marshal in the middle of the goddamned night in the middle of a goddamned cemetery. This might be the craziest thing yet that he’d gotten sucked into. He sighed heavily, confident that hanging around Beckett guaranteed there would be many more hijinks in his future.

“You coming, Nancy? Or do you want to cozy up to John Doe for the rest of the night?” Beckett asked as he stood at the edge of the hole looking down at Hayes.

“Don’t be jealous,” Hayes cautioned with a snort as he climbed up the ladder.

“Not even a little. Go ahead and jump in—it’s not like he can kiss you.” Beckett gestured towards the disfigured visage of the corpse. “Sorry, that was probably a little insensitive—” he apologized to the corpse as Hayes reached the top of the ladder.

Beckett turned to Kolinsky, wearing that trademark grin that hinted of a shit load of trouble ahead for someone.

“Alright! Let’s go, Rambo! I have a brother to strangle,” he declared, mimicking choking someone by the neck, showcasing his expert skills.

In the dim light of his flashlight, Hayes thought he saw Kolinsky roll his eyes at Beckett.

“Come on. Car’s waiting,” Kolinsky said and headed towards the cemetery entrance.

Chapter 14

Beckett had tried his damnedest to get information out of the US Marshal, but to his credit, he’d given them absolutely nothing. In fact, Deputy Kolinsky had failed to respond to a single one of Beckett’s taunts. After they’d gotten into the government-issued SUV, Kolinsky had sent a single text, given them a few humorless smiles in the rear view mirror, and refused to engage in any conversation. Almost like he’d been briefed in advance of this evening’s festivities about Beckett’s particular superpower.

They’d been driven to a small house on a nondescript street. Only after parking in the garage of the house did Deputy Kolinsky finally break his silence. Looking stern, he’d laid out the ground rules for them, staring directly at Beckett the entire time. The rules were straightforward. Under no circumstance were they allowed to physically harm Franklin. Nor were they allowed to divulge to anyone at any time the fact that he was alive and well. Hayes had readily agreed, but Beckett had demanded, “Take me to the asshole!” However, Deputy Kolinsky staunchly refused to entertain Beckett’s nonsense, and basically ordered him to confirm that he’d heard, understood, and agreed with each one of the rules he’d set out. Much to Hayes’ surprise, Beckett caved and agreed, albeit begrudgingly.