The Wrong Bones (Widow's Island #10)(25)

Dispatch said, “A black 2018 Honda Accord is registered to Shannon Dooley.”

“Ten-four.” Tessa released the mic.

“Ten-four,” Bruce repeated on the radio.

Tessa checked the time on her phone. “The next ferry doesn’t leave for another hour.” Staff shortages and budget cuts had reduced the number of ferries servicing Widow’s Island.

“For once, I’m glad the ferry system is underfunded.”

“Me too.” Tessa studied the body and scene. “Simon’s truck was used in Kurt’s shooting. Now it’s here. We arrived here about an hour after Kurt was shot. I suspect he came back here and was killed almost immediately.” Tessa pointed to the edges of the blood puddle. “These smaller blood spatters are still wet in the center. But he’s very pale, so it happened at least fifteen to twenty minutes ago.”

Blood stopped moving through the capillaries, causing the skin to lose color after death.

Tessa’s knees cramped, and she stood. “Kurt was shot, the bones were stolen, and Dwyer was sprung free.” She gestured to the remains. “But the bones were left behind, presumably by Dwyer and Shannon.”

“Maybe the bones were only important to Simon.” Logan motioned toward the dead man.

“He’s the one who had a verified connection to Alyssa.” Tessa rested her hands on the front of her duty belt. “Dwyer could have known Simon.”

“So Simon shot Kurt to steal the bones. He freed Dwyer. They come back here, and Dwyer kills Simon? What about Shannon?” Logan asked. “Is she Dwyer’s hostage?”

Tessa frowned. “Either that or Dwyer and Shannon are in this together. Could be they double-crossed Simon.” She reached for her phone and called Henry.

He answered immediately. “The air ambulance just took off. Kurt was stable when I handed him over to the team.”

“Good. Are you still with Bruce?” Tessa asked.

“Yes,” Henry answered.

“Put the call on speaker,” Tessa said. When the call shifted to an airy sound, she continued. “We have a dead body.”

“Where?” Henry asked.

Tessa gave him the address. “This one is very fresh.”

“Any details?” Bruce asked. On their end of the connection, an engine started.

“Three gunshots to the chest,” Tessa said. “The victim was a prime suspect in Kurt’s shooting.”

Three heartbeats of silence ticked by; then Henry said, “I’m stopping at my office for my vehicle and coroner kit.”

“ETA to your location is fifteen minutes,” Bruce added.

Tessa had a quick vision of Dwyer, armed with a rifle, forcing his way onto the ferry, maybe taking hostages. Had he kidnapped Shannon? “We need to check the passengers and vehicles waiting for the ferry. Dwyer could be desperate to escape. They might be in Shannon’s Honda or a stolen vehicle.”

“I’ll drop Henry at his office and head to the ferry.” Bruce ended the call.

Logan stared at Tessa, his face grim. “Chandler is headed to the ferry too.”

“Damn it.” Tessa called Mona. The social worker’s voice mail picked up. Tessa asked for an immediate callback. Then she sent a text but got no response.

Tessa used her radio to update dispatch. Deputies were already on the way to Widow’s, but they couldn’t beam themselves to the island. For now, the Widow’s team was on its own.

What now?

According to procedure, she should stay with the body and secure the murder scene. But she hated every second of waiting. They needed more uniforms on the island. Now.

She turned back to the body. Simon lay on his back near the wheel well of his truck. The vehicle door was closed. She analyzed the angle of his body. “Looks like he got out of his truck with the box of bones. He closed the door, turned around, took a step or two, and someone shot him.”

“He dropped the box, and the bones spilled.” Logan squatted next to the body, taking care not to step in any blood.

“He was shot in the chest,” Tessa said. “If he was carrying the box . . .” She held her hands in front of her body, spaced apart as if holding the wooden box. “Why didn’t the wooden box block the bullets?”

Logan stood. “His torso is longer than yours. The two shots to the upper chest would have been above the box.”

“And the third?” Tessa asked.

Logan shrugged. “Either he was carrying the box tucked under one arm, or he was shot the third time after he dropped the box.”

“Or after he was on the ground.” Unease crawled up Tessa’s spine. “Dwyer didn’t have a gun on him when you put him in Kurt’s cruiser.”

“Had to be Simon’s,” Logan suggested.

Tessa’s phone buzzed. “The Flying Fin?” Why was a restaurant in Bishopton Village calling her? She answered.

A rush of panicked, unintelligible words sounded over the phone.

“Wait!” Tessa used her calm, official voice. “Who is this?”

“This is Sheila Rodriguez at the Flying Fin. I just saw something strange. I don’t know if it’s a crime or not, but . . .” Sheila paused. “It didn’t feel right.”

Tessa’s stomach cramped. “What did you see?”