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Doug was the name of the one who’d given me a hard time at The Kerrigan a couple of weeks ago. I’d only had the one interaction with the guy, but I’m pretty sure I remember his face.

“This is the guy who walked out of the hospital?”

Rick answers Savvy with a nod. “And hasn’t been seen since. That’s what this morning’s call was about.”

When Rick moves around to the other side of what appears to be a shallow ditch, doubling as this poor man’s grave, I get another look at the partial face visible above the edge.

Yeah, this is the same guy who left his fingerprints in bruises on my arm.

Rick

* * *

I stand back as I watch Buck Wilson examine the body.

When I found out our local veterinarian doubles as the county’s coroner, I’d been ambivalent. But I’ve since learned that this isn’t a novelty position for Wilson to boost his ego, but a responsibility he takes very seriously.

As such, I’m not surprised when he straightens up and recognizes his own limitations.

“Above my pay-scale to make an educated estimate on this one, the closest call I’m comfortable to make is anywhere between a few days and a week,” he shares. “Nothing to confirm his identity in his pockets, and with the damage done by wildlife, I wouldn’t want to venture a guess as to the cause of death, so I’m gonna pack him up, take him back to the morgue, and then I’m gonna call Tom Richter and see if he has time to come down and assist me with the autopsy.”

Tom Richter is a friend of Buck’s, and also the bona fide medical examiner in a neighboring county. Even since I joined the sheriff’s department last year, this isn’t the first time Buck has called in his buddy for help when the circumstances around a death were in question.

Personally, I suspect the elected position is becoming a bit much for Wilson, who is probably approaching retirement age, if he hasn’t passed it already. I’m not sure if there is anyone up for following in his footsteps by the next election, but I don’t see him doing this work for another four years or so.

I hold out my hand to help the older man out of the shallow ditch.

“If this is the guy I think it is, I guess it’s doubtful he simply wandered off from Silence Memorial Hospital after skipping out on treatment for injuries—mainly to the face and head—he sustained in a fight, and died from them way the hell up here,” I speculate.

Buck chuckles. “First of all, what the hell would he be looking for out here? And secondly, if his injuries were severe enough to kill him, I don’t think he’d have made it the seven or eight miles uphill it would’ve taken him. If it were any colder, exposure would’ve been a factor, but it’s been pretty mild out.”

He’s right, it is mild. Normally at this time of year we’re still hanging around in the upper sixties during the day, but it can get chilly overnight. That hasn’t been the case though; I’m still sleeping with my window open and I have yet to turn on the heat.

“Anyway…” He waves a dismissive hand. “Let me get this body taken care of and on the horn with Tom, and hopefully we can get some answers for you sooner than later.”

Half an hour later, I help Buck and one of our deputies load the body into the coroner’s van, before watching it drive off.

“Are you done up there?”

I swing around at the sound of Dana’s voice.

Savvy had to get to a meeting at the station and didn’t stay long after I got here. Dana went back down the trail with her and I figured they’d both left already. That was a few hours ago.

I don’t see her car.

“Where did you leave your vehicle?”

She grins and looks back over her shoulder. “On the side of the house. I figured there’d be vehicles going in and out, and my hatchback would just be in the way.”

Considerate of her, but it doesn’t explain why she’s still here.

“I figured you’d be gone by now.”

“Partly curiosity,” she admits with a shrug. “But also, Pops is doing the pub today, and the hospital doesn’t expect me back until next week, so I thought I’d put my hands to good use while I contemplate my next move.”

“Your next move?”

I tag along when she unexpectedly laughs at my question and turns to walk up to the porch.