Orchid Beach

CHAPTER

8

Holly went back to the station, taking Daisy with her. The dog sat at attention in the backseat, gazing out the window; Holly thought she seemed sad, but who knew? At the station, Holly got out of the car. “Jimmy, will you stay with Daisy for a while? She seems comfortable with you, and I don’t want to leave her alone in the car.”

“Sure, Chief, glad to,” Weathers said. “I’m comfortable with her, too.”

She had hardly sat down at her desk when Jane Grey and Hurd Wallace were in her office. She gave them a rundown of the scene at Hank Doherty’s place. Hurd nodded and went back to his desk; Jane sat down, practically in tears.

“What a terrible day,” she said. “I just can’t believe all this has happened.”

“I know,” Holly said. “Have you heard anything on the ballistics?”

“Oh, no. I expect it will be tomorrow, probably late in the day, before we hear anything.”

“Anything from Dr. Harper yet?”

“Nothing.”

“You know the number at the hospital?”

“I’ll dial it for you,” Jane said. When they were on the line, she handed Holly the phone.

“May I speak with Dr. Green, please? This is Deputy Chief Barker from Orchid Beach Police.” There was a pause, and the doctor came on the line.

“Yes, Chief?”

“I just wondered if there had been any change in the chief’s condition,” Holly said.

“Not as yet; to tell you the truth, I’d be surprised if there had been. He’s still in a coma. Certainly the anesthetic wore off a long time ago.”

“Thanks, Doctor. Please keep me posted.” She hung up.

“Anything?” Jane asked.

“Nothing yet. He’s still the same. Jane, will you type up a press release and fax it to all the local media, saying that we’d like to hear from anyone who passed along the relevant part of A1A between eleven and eleven-twenty last night, who might have seen two cars at the side of the road?”

“Sure. Oh, I forgot—Charlie Peterson called. He got the city council to put up a ten-thousand-dollar reward for any information leading to arrest and conviction.”

“Great, put that in the release, too, and get it out as soon as you can.”

“Hank Doherty had a daughter,” Jane said.

“I’ve already talked with her; she’ll be here tomorrow. If she comes in while I’m out, find me. I’d like to talk to her.”

“What’s happened to Daisy?”

“She’s out in the parking lot with Jimmy Weathers. I’ll take her home with me tonight. I’d hate to put her in the animal shelter. She seems like such a sensitive creature.”

“She’s a marvel. Lots of people know her, especially around here. Hank used to bring her into the station, but he hasn’t been around for months.”

Holly glanced at her watch. “I think I’m going to call it a day, and so should you as soon as you get that release out.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

The phone on Holly’s desk buzzed, and she picked it up.

“Chief, Dr. Harper’s on the phone for you.”

“Thanks.” Holly pushed the flashing button. “Doctor?”

“Evening, Chief. I’m done.”

“What’s the story?”

“He was killed late last night or early in the morning, say between eleven P.M. and three A.M. Death would have been instantaneous.”

“Any sign of a struggle? Anything under the nails?”

“Just dirt. No injuries, except the shotgun—that was enough.”

“Anything else I should know?”

“Not much. He had an alcohol level of point two two, which would not have been unusual for Hank. He had a liver the size of a watermelon, and as hard as marble, which doesn’t come as a surprise. He’d have been dead in a few months anyway from cirrhosis.”

“Thanks, Doctor.” Holly hung up. “Nothing of use from the autopsy. Jane, do you know Hank’s cleaning lady?”

“Sure, she worked for the chief, too.”

“Would you give her a call and break the news to her, then ask her to go over to Hank’s house and clean up his office? I wouldn’t want his daughter to see it as it is.”

“Of course.”

Holly stood up. “I’m off. Tell the front desk to call me if anything comes in on either shooting.”

Holly stopped by the manager’s office on her way in and introduced Daisy to Jerry Malone. “All right if I have a dog here tonight?”

“Sure, I’ve got no problem with pets,” Malone said. “Lots of my people have them.”

Holly waved good night and drove to her trailer. Daisy hopped out and showed some interest in the area, sniffing at bushes and at the river. Holly got the dog food she had brought from Hank’s and set out a dish and some water for her. Grief had not hurt the dog’s appetite. The phone rang.

“Oh, God,” Holly said aloud. She’d hoped she could get through the night without a call, in spite of her instructions to the front desk. She sat down on the bed and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Hiya, kiddo,” her father said.

“Hello, Ham,” Holly replied.

“So how was your first day?” he asked.

“Oh, Jesus, Ham, you’re not going to believe it. Are you sitting down?”

“Yep.”

“Both Chet Marley and Hank Doherty were shot last night, probably by the same person. Chet’s in a coma, and Hank is dead.”

There was a long silence at the other end of the phone. “Do you know who did it?” Ham asked finally.

“No, not yet. Don’t know why, either.”

“Tell me everything.”

Holly launched into a detailed description of both crimes, finishing up with Hank’s autopsy report. “And that’s all I know,” she said.

“What about this detective, Hurst? He any good?”

“I think he’s all right, maybe a little short on imagination. Of course, he’s got a new boss breathing down his neck, too, and he may be reacting to the pressure, holding back a little to avoid making a mistake.”

“You think these shootings have anything to do with what Chet talked about at dinner last month?”

“I think it has everything to do with it, but as far as I know, he didn’t discuss it with anybody. When I talked to him last night, he said he’d brief me this morning, tell me everything. He was going to meet somebody, and that may have been the shooter.”

“I wish I could help in some way,” Ham said. “Those guys were my friends.”

“I know how you feel, Ham; I feel the same way, though I didn’t know Chet well nor Hank at all. I’m going to bust a gut clearing this one.”

“You got all the help you need?”

“I think so.”

“Can you trust the help?”

“I don’t know about that yet. I’ve hardly had time to form impressions of these people.”

“Chet had a secretary, Jane. He trusted her, I think, from the way he talked about her.”

“Right, she’s been a big help, got me off to a good start.”

“What about this guy who wanted your job?”

“Hurd Wallace. I don’t know about him yet. He’s a hard one to read, a real cold fish.”

“You watch your back, you hear?”

“I will, Ham.”

“I’m going to let you get some rest now.”

“Thanks, I’m bushed.”

“I love you.”

“You, too.” She hung up, surprised. Ham was not one for expressions of affection. She fell back onto the bed, and Daisy came and nuzzled her hand.

“Oh, Daisy.” She sighed. “I could really use a beer.” She struggled to sit up before she fell asleep in her clothes. She watched, puzzled, as Daisy went into the kitchen, looked around, went to the refrigerator, took the door handle in her teeth and opened the door. She stuck her muzzle inside and came out with a bottle of Heineken, holding it by the neck in her teeth, then she brought it to Holly and placed it in her hand.

Holly stared dumbly at the dog. “Wow,” she said, half to herself. “You want a job, Daisy?”