Colker watched it for a moment.
“Those two souls are going to overnight at Beaufort Memorial, today being Sunday. In the meantime I’ll get hold of Dr. Hardaway and see what his preference is. May I ask where you’re staying, ma’am?”
As I was telling him, the sheriff joined us.
“I want to thank you again, Dr. Brennan. You did a fine job out there.”
Baker stood a foot taller than the coroner, and Sam and Colker together did not equal his body mass. Under his uniform shirt the sheriff’s chest and arms looked as if they’d been forged from iron. His face was angular, his skin the color of strong coffee. Harley Baker looked like a heavyweight contender and spoke like a Harvard grad.
“Thank you, Sheriff. Your detective and deputy were very helpful.”
When we shook hands mine looked pale and slender inside his. I suspected his grip could crush granite.
“Thank you again. I’ll see you tomorrow with Detective Ryan. And I’ll take good care of your bugs.”
Baker and I had already discussed the insects, and I’d given him the name of an entomologist. I’d explained how to ship them and how to store the soil and plant samples. Everything was now on its way to the county government center in the care of the Sheriff’s Department detective.
Baker shook hands with Colker and gave Sam a friendly punch on the shoulder.
“I know I’ll see your sorry face,” he said to Sam as he strode away. A minute later his cruiser passed us on its way to Beaufort.
Sam and I drove back to the
By nine forty-five my hair was wrapped in a towel and I smelled of White Diamonds moisturizing mist. I was raising the cover of my carryout box when Ryan called.
“Where are you?” I asked, squeezing ketchup onto my fries.
“An enchanting little place called the Lord Carteret.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“There’s no golf course.”
“We’re to meet with the sheriff at nine tomorrow.” I inhaled the fry.
“Zero nine hundred hours, Dr. Brennan. What are you eating?”
“A salami sub.”
“At ten P.M.?”
“It was a long day.”
“My day wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.” I heard a match, then a long exhalation of breath. “Three flights, then the drive from Savannah out here to Tara, and then I couldn’t even raise this yokel of a sheriff. He was out on some damn thing all day, and no one would say where he was or what he was doing. Very hush-hush. He and Aunt Bee probably work deep cover for the CIA.”
“Sheriff Baker is solid.” I slurped a spoonful of slaw.
“You know him?”
“I spent the day with him.”
Hush puppy.
“That chewing sounds different.”
“Hush puppy.”
“What’s a hush puppy?”
“If you chip in I’ll get you one tomorrow.”
“Yahoo. What is it?”
“Deep-fried cornmeal.”
“What were you and Baker doing all day?”
I gave him a brief account of the body recovery.
“And Baker suspects the hookah boys?”
“Yes. But I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Ryan, I’m exhausted, and Baker’s expecting us early. I’ll tell you tomorrow. Can you find the Lady’s Island Marina?”
“My first guess would be Lady’s Island.”
I gave him directions and we hung up. Then I finished my dinner and fell into bed, not bothering with pajamas. I slept naked and like a rock, dreaming nothing that I could recall for a solid eight hours.
