Larsson's that afternoon.
That queen-to-peasant look. Christ, it made him want to just scoop her right up.
Not that he had any plans to. He was swearing off women awhile. Not only did his body hurt, but he figured his luck was a bit shaky. Still, it was pleasant to think about it. He liked the way her voice sounded, all soft and smoky, so different from her cool, hands-off look.
He wondered just what he'd have to do to convince her to let him get his hands on. Tucker fell asleep with a smile on his face.
'Tuck.'
He muttered and tried to shrug off the hand shaking his shoulder. The sudden movement brought pain back with a bang. He swore, opened his eyes.
'Jesus, can't a man get any peace around here?' He blinked up at Burke. The shadows were lengthening, and his first thought was Delia hadn't called him in for supper. His second, as he swung around to sit, was that his stomach was so sore, it was just as well. 'Remember when the Bonny brothers and their crazy cousin jumped us down at Spook Hollow?'
Burke kept his hands jammed in his pockets. 'Yeah.'
'We were younger then.' Tucker flexed his swollen knuckles. 'I don't recollect it hurt so damn much taking a licking then. Why don't you go in, get us a couple beers?'
'I'm on duty, Tucker. I gotta talk to you.'
'Talk better with a beer.' But when he looked up and focused on Burke's face, his quick grin faded. 'What is it?'
'It's bad. Real bad.'
And he knew, as if it had already been said. 'It's Edda Lou, isn't it?' Before Burke could answer, Tucker was up and pacing, his hands dragging through his hair. 'Oh, Jesus. Jesus Christ.'
'Tuck-'
'Give me a minute. Goddammit.' Sick, furious, he pounded a fist against the tree. 'You're sure?'
'Yeah. It was like Arnette, and Francie.'
'Holy God.' He leaned his brow against the rough bark and struggled to keep the image out of his mind. He hadn't loved her, had gotten to the point where he didn't even like her, but he had touched her, tasted her, been inside her. He felt a well of grief rise up that was staggering, not only for her, but for the child he hadn't even wanted.
'You ought to come on and sit down.'
'No.' He turned from the tree. His face had changed. It had taken on that hard, dangerous look so few were allowed to see. 'Where did you find her?'
'McNair Pond, just a couple hours ago.'
'That's less than a mile from here.' He thought first of his sister, of Delia, of protection. Then he thought of Caroline. 'She-Caroline-she shouldn't be alone there.'
'Josie's with her now, and Carl.' Burke rubbed a hand over his face. 'Josie bullied her into drinking some of Miss Edith's apple brandy. She's-Caroline-she's the one who found the body.'
'Fuck.' He sat on the hammock again, put his head in his hands. 'What the hell are we going to do, Burke? What the hell's going on here?'
'I gotta ask you some questions, Tuck, but before I do I want to tell you I went to see Austin. I had to tell him.' He pulled out a cigarette. 'You watch your back, son.'
Tucker took the cigarette. 'He can't believe I'd hurt Edda Lou. For chrissake.' He lit a match, then stared as it burned down toward his fingers. 'You don't believe…' He dropped the match and sprang to his feet. 'Goddammit, Burke, you know me.'
Burke wished he'd taken the beer-or anything else to wash this nasty taste from his mouth. Tucker was his friend, the closest thing he had to a brother. And his most likely suspect. 'Knowing you's got nothing to do with it.'
Tucker felt a punch of panic worse than any fist to the gut. 'The hell with that.'
'It's my job, Tucker. I got a duty.' Sick at heart, he took out his notebook. 'You and Edda Lou had a public argument only a couple days ago. She's been missing nearly ever since.'
Tucker struck another match. This time he lighted the cigarette and drew and expelled smoke. 'You going to read me my rights, put the cuffs on me? What?'
Burke's hand fisted at his side. 'Goddammit, Tucker, I just spent two hours looking at what someone did to that girl. This ain't the time to push me.'
Tucker held out a hand, palm up, but there was too much sarcasm in the gesture for it to be taken as one of peace. 'Go on, Burke, do your frigging job.'
'I want to know if you saw Edda, or talked to her, after you left the diner.'
'Didn't I come in your office this afternoon and tell you I hadn't?'
'Where'd you go after you left the diner?'
'I went to-' He broke off, paling. 'Christ, I went to McNair Pond.' He started to bring the cigarette to his lips, then stopped. His tawny eyes glittered in the lowering light. 'But you already knew that, didn't you?'
'Yeah. But it helps you telling me yourself.'
'Fuck you.'
Burke grabbed him by the shirtfront. 'Listen to me. I don't like what I've got to do. But this is nothing
We've got three women dead, sliced up like catfish. Edda Lou threatened you in public, and she's found dead not two days later. I've got a witness who puts you at the scene a day, maybe hours, before the murder.'
The first lick of fear joined the tension in Tucker's stomach. 'You know I've been over to McNair Pond hundreds of times. So've you.' He shoved Burke's hands away. 'And being pissed at Edda Lou doesn't make me a killer. What about Arnette, Francie?'
Burke's jaw set. 'You dated them, all three of them.'
It wasn't temper now, but simple shock. 'Jesus, Burke.' He had to sit again, and do so slowly, feeling his way. 'You can't believe that. You can't.'
'What I believe doesn't have a damn to do with the questions I have to ask. I have to know where you were night before last.'
'Why, he was losing his shirt to me, playing gin rummy.' Josie strolled over to them. Her cheeks were pale, but there was a hard gleam in her eye. 'You interrogating my brother, Burke? Why, I'm surprised at you.' She walked between them to lay a hand on Tucker's shoulder.
'I've got a job to do, Josie.'
'Then you ought to be doing it. Why aren't you out looking for someone who hates women rather than someone who has such a powerful affection for them like Tuck here?'
Tucker put a hand over hers. 'I thought you were staying with Caroline.'
'Susie and Marvella came down to be with her.' She shrugged. 'It gets to be too many women in one place, and she's holding up just fine now anyway. You might want to run on home, Burke, make sure those boys of yours aren't tearing up the house.'
He ignored the suggestion and the anger in Josie's eyes. 'You and Tucker played cards.'
'That's not a crime or a sin in this county, is it?' She took Tucker's cigarette from between his fingers and drew on it. 'We sat up till two, maybe two-thirty. Tucker got a little bit drunk and I won thirty-eight dollars.'
A wave of relief thickened Burke voice. 'That's good. I'm sorry I had to ask, but when the federal boys get in, you'll have to talk to them, too. Thought it'd be easier from me the first time.'
'It wasn't.' Tucker got to his feet again. 'What are they going to do with her?'
'Took her down to Palmer's Funeral Parlor. Hold her there, overnight anyway, till the FBI gets here.' He stuffed the notebook back in his pocket, shuffled his feet. 'Steer clear of Austin, long as you can.'
With a sour grin Tucker rubbed an absent hand on his bruised ribs. 'You don't have to worry about that.'
Awkward, miserable, Burke stared off at a trio of rhododendrons. 'I'll be going, then. It might look better if you came on in tomorrow, talked to the feds right off.'
'Right.' Tucker let out a long breath as Burke walked away. 'Hey.' When Burke turned around, he offered a half smile. 'I still got that beer, if you want.'
