us to testify, we’d have a case. I was wrong.”
“He got off scot-free.”
“He did.”
“Looks like you and I are sort of black sheep, doesn’t it?” he said.
“You could say that.” They plunged into the barbecue. It was sensational. “This is sensational barbecue,” she said. “Best I’ve ever had.”
“I know a guy,” he replied.
“So tell me about law school.”
“I applied at a dozen places, all out of state. They all liked my academic record—I had a degree from Florida State—but they didn’t like the idea of a thirty-two-year-old first-year law student. I finally got into the University of Georgia Law School, after I hinted that I might sue for age discrimination if I didn’t get in.”
“How’d you do?”
“Third in my class; edited the law review.”
“So how come you’re not practicing corporate law in some glass tower somewhere?”
He smiled sadly. “I like criminals. I mean, I understand them, somehow—what makes them do what they do. It makes it easier to defend them. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever defended an innocent man until today. And, of course, ol’ Sam possessed an unlicensed weapon and some drugs, so I guess he wasn’t innocent, after all.”
“I just said good-bye to Sam,” she said. “Right before I got home.”
“He’s going somewhere?”
“At my suggestion. We don’t need him around here.”
“I can see it’s going to be tough to make a living in Orchid with you around.”
She laughed. The phone rang. She got up and went into the trailer. “Hello?”
“Ms…. Chief Barker?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Dr. Green, at the hospital.”
“Yes, Dr. Green?” She had the awful feeling that Chet Marley was dead.
“Chester Marley is awake,” he said.
“I’m on my way,” she replied, then hung up.
CHAPTER
“Sure, glad to. Something to do with Chet Marley?”
She came out of the trailer, buttoning her blouse. “Sort of.”
“Okay,” he said. They got into his car and drove off. Daisy sat in the backseat.
Holly was quiet, wondering what was going to happen next. Probably, Chet wouldn’t be able to talk. Never mind, at least she could let him know she was on the job.
“I hope Chet hasn’t died?” Oxenhandler said.
“No.”
“Why are you being so closemouthed about his condition?”
“Somebody tried to kill him,” she said. “They could try again.”
“They? There was more than one?”
“Didn’t Sam Sweeney tell you that?”
“No, he didn’t. He told me he knew nothing about it. Did he tell you different?”
“He said he heard the shot but didn’t see anything. He thought there were two people.”
Oxenhandler drove along quietly for a while. “Something stinks in your police department,” he said.
“How long have you thought that?”
“A while. Chet said something to me once.”
“I didn’t even know you knew him. What did he say?”
“It’s a small town; everybody knows everybody. I had a few beers with him once, about three weeks ago. We were talking about the town. I said it was a nice town. He said it was going to be nicer before he was through being a cop. I asked how it could be any nicer, and he said it could have a better police department, and he was working on that.”
“He was,” Holly said. “That’s what got him shot.”
“You know who did it?”
“No, but I’m going to find out.”
“Good,” he said. He drove to the main entrance to the hospital and stopped.
“I’ve got to pick up my car at the airport,” she said.
“You go on in and see Chet. I’ll stay here with Daisy, and we’ll pick up your car later.”
“Okay. Daisy, stay here with Jackson and be a good girl.” She got out of the car and ran up the steps to the hospital, then took the elevator to the surgical floor and went to intensive care. Dr. Green was waiting for her. “How is he?” she asked.
“Come take a look,” the doctor said. He led her into the ward. Chet Marley’s bed had been cranked into a sitting position, and he was taking soup from a nurse. He turned and looked her way.
“Holly!” he said, and he sounded weak.
“Hey, Chet,” she said, taking his hand. “How you feeling?”
“Kind of tired. Am I in the base hospital?”
“No, Chet, you’re back in Orchid Beach.”
Chet thought about that for a moment. “You got here kind of quick, didn’t you?” he asked.
“No, some time has passed since we last met. You’ve been hurt.”
He put his hand to the bandage on his head. “What happened?”
“Somebody shot you.”
“Who?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
Chet shook his head. “Last thing I remember, you and Ham and I were having dinner. I hired you, didn’t I?”
“That’s right, Chet, and I came to work a few days ago. You were hurt before we could talk.”
He pushed the soup away. “Boy, I’m tired,” he said. “None of this makes any sense.”
Dr. Green spoke up. “We’d better let him get some sleep. You can talk more tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” Chet said, closing his eyes. The nurse lowered the bed, and he seemed to drift off.
Holly left the ward with the doctor. “Is he going to be all right?”
“Except for his memory loss, he seems to be recovering.”
“Is he going to get any of his memory back?”
“Hard to say. He seems perfectly aware of everything up until a few weeks ago, but as you saw, he remembers nothing about the shooting. That could come back to him, if the relevant brain tissue hasn’t been destroyed, but I can’t promise you it will. Come back tomorrow morning, and let’s see how he’s doing then.”
“All right. Thank you for calling me, Doctor, and let’s keep this quiet.”
“Of course. I’ll see that contact with him is limited. The nurses already know they’re not supposed to talk about him.”
“See you tomorrow,” Holly said, shaking his hand. She took the elevator downstairs and walked out to the car. Daisy was in the front seat now, her head in Jackson’s lap.
