8. Killion

The summer heat pounds over my back as I head up the steps to the Eagle County Morgue. It's blistering hot, and the forecast only promises more of the same. And as any crime aficionado can tell you, as things begin to heat up outside, things begin to heat up as far as crime goes as well.

It's just about ten on the button and my meeting with the new coroner is about to start. Even though I met Horace Kaplan last night, or Duke, whatever he's calling himself, I've still got an appointment with the guy. And if I'm anything, I'm punctual when it comes to both my personal and professional obligations.

I step into the morgue and the sterile, chilly air hits me immediately. It's a stark contrast to the balmy weather outside.

The walls are a clinical white, and the harsh lighting doesn't allow for a single shadow, leaving nowhere for secrets or bodies to hide. The slight scent of lemon antiseptic is actually pleasing to my senses. And for that I'm thankful.

If the morgue is anything, it's a place of final truths, and today, it's the backdrop for a meet and greet I'm not exactly looking forward to. Nor am I looking forward to any truths about Hattie's former relationship.

I'm not sure how I feel about Duke, Hattie's ex-boyfriend. Frankly, the guy rubs me the wrong way—not sure why, but I've learned over the years to trust my instincts. And the fact that he's connected to our current case doesn't sit well with me either. As a homicide detective, I've trained myself to keep personal feelings at bay, but with Duke, it's a bit more complicated.

I round a corner when I bump into a stunning brunette—my favorite stunning brunette. And she just so happens to be holding a bright pink box of donuts.

"Hattie." I shed an easy smile as I help steady her load. "What are you doing here?" I'll admit, there's a twinge of disappointment in my voice even though I'm never disappointed to see Hattie.

"I was invited." She hikes up on her toes and offers me a kiss on the lips. "You didn't think I'd miss out on discussing Jane Jordan's murder investigation, did you?"

"Nobody said it was murder," I tell her as I steal another kiss. "And if it is, I'll be happy to handle things from here."

She makes a face and that tiny dimple to the side of her lips goes off. "We'll see what Duke has to say. But something in my gut says what happened was no accident."

It's all I can do to keep from cringing because I happen to trust Hattie's gut more than I trust my own.

"Why the donuts?" I frown at them without meaning to.

"I heard Duke request them and I knew you wouldn't bring them." She winks as she says it. "I left Cricket and Rookie back at my cabin." She wrinkles her nose. "I didn't want them anywhere near this place. Who knows what they could get into here."

"Or what you can get into," I muse and she laughs. "And you were right about the donuts. But that won't stop me from eating one or two."

"That's the man I know and love." She bats her lashes up at me and I go in for another quick kiss.

"I love you, too," I tell her, pecking a few more kisses onto her lips. "Now let's get this show on the road."

We head past another set of doors into the clinical area of the morgue. The room is palatial, lined with stainless steel tables and cabinets. The air is tinged with the distinct scent of disinfectant and preservatives, not my favorite combination but not the worst.

"I've always found this place unsettling," I whisper to Hattie.

She nods. "A final stop in the stories of those who pass through here. With the exception of us, of course."

Someone pops out from behind a wall of steel shelves and we see Duke flashing his million-dollar smile in all of his white coat finery.

I steel myself for the interaction ahead, forcing myself to shift into professional mode. I'm ready to uncover whatever truths are waiting for us here—even though my fist is ready to knock the guy out if need be.

Duke straightens up as he walks over, and don't think for a minute I missed the way his eyes just lit up when he saw Hattie.

"Hattie Holiday," he sings. "Radiant as ever. And you brought my favorite food group. How did I ever let you slip out of my fingers?" He laughs as he takes the donuts from her and lands a kiss to her cheek.

Now was that necessary?

I take a moment to glare at him, and Hattie turns my way and giggles.

"He's harmless, I promise," she whispers.

We exchange polite hellos as he opens the box on one of the steel tables and we help ourselves to a carbohydrate-laden piece of deep-fried heaven.

"Hattie, Hattie"—he shakes his head while looking as if she just morphed into a donut herself—"I must say, I never expected our paths to cross in a place like this." His gaze lingers on her a moment too long. And right about now, I'm weighing on when it might be appropriate to sucker punch the guy. He chuckles once again. "But then again, life is full of surprises, isn't it?"

He casts a side glance my way as if I were the surprise in question.

My jaw tightens slightly. Duke's undertone is grating, and the last thing I want is this guy making moves on Hattie, especially here, of all places.

"It's full of surprises, for sure," Hattie says, offering up a quick smile.

She's handling the situation with her usual grace, but I can tell she's not entirely comfortable with the attention. And for that I'm thankful.

I clear my throat a little louder than necessary. "So, Duke, welcome to Eagle. It looks as if we'll be seeing a lot of one another now that you're here. As in you and me." My tone cuts through his flirtation like a scalpel.

It's time to get back to business and remind Duke this isn't a social call.

"Right," Duke says, snapping back into a more professional demeanor. He shifts his focus to one of the metal beds that just so happens to have a body lying over it with a sheet on top. "I won't have my official report for a bit. But it looks like Jane Jordan's cause of death was indeed acute electrocution."

"Oh my word," Hattie groans. "I'm so sorry to hear it. And I feel completely responsible. I am the event planner after all. That cable was there effectively because of me."

"Don't do that to yourself," I say, rubbing her back. "Hattie, how did that puddle form? It was the size of a small pond. Was there something in that space before that caused the land to dip like that?" Or did someone dig it out in the night,I want to ask but don't want to spook her.

She shakes her head. "Trust me, nobody dug that out in the night." She winces, and I laugh because it's as if she just read my mind.

Hattie is the first woman I've truly been in love with. Now that I know what this slice of heaven feels like, it's obvious the rest of the women that I professed to love were nothing more than a severe case of infatuation. And we're intuitive as to what the other one is thinking. Or at least Hattie is intuitive when it comes to what I'm thinking.

"That sinkhole has been there since I started up with the country club last fall," she says before looking at Duke. "The library let me go last summer, and I was lucky enough to get the position at the club. Let's just say it's been an adventure."

"Sounds like it would be a barrel of fun," he says with a dark laugh. "I'm thinking of getting a membership myself."

I clear my throat. "Hattie, I inspected the rest of the electrical on the beach last night. How do you think that cable got on the far end of the beach like that? There were no others around it."

She thinks on it for a moment, then shakes her head. "I don't know, but it definitely had no business being there. The twinkle lights it was attached to were nowhere near that spot. In fact, a strand was disconnected from that cable. I guess someone must have dragged it there," she says with more than a hint of concern. "I feel so terrible. I didn't realize there was such a danger out on the sand last night."

Duke nods, taking over the explanation. "Electrical cables can be extremely dangerous when exposed to water. The risk of electrocution increases significantly in a setting like a beach. Water, especially when it's not pure like seawater or tap water, acts as a conductor. This means if a live electric cable comes into contact with water, the electrical current can travel through the water and cause"—he turns toward the body lying under that sheet—"well, we saw what it can cause."

As Duke goes on about the obvious, I can't help but ponder the implications.

Hattie's gut feeling is right.

This wasn't an accident. Another thing that's becoming obvious is that this was a deliberate act.

The question now is, who would go to such lengths, and why target Jane Jordan?

Hattie nods my way. "Everyone in town knew Jane. She wasn't just another friendly face. She was a prominent accountant. I have a feeling this case is going to take us deep into the undercurrents of Brambleberry Bay—the darkest undercurrents."

The three of us stand there, taking it in, just as Hattie's phone buzzes and breaks the spell. She pulls it out and checks the message.

"I have to run. Duty calls—aka Peyton the Taskmaster," she says, slipping her phone back into her pocket. "Plus, I need to pick up Cricket and Rookie before I head to the country club." She lands a quick kiss to my lips before turning to Duke. "Thanks for including me. If you learn anything at all about the case, please let me know." She bites down on a smile. "I mean, let him know." She winks my way. "We'll talk soon," she says as she heads for the door.

"Anytime, Hattie," Duke sings. "Anything for you. And if you're ever in need of some company just give me a call."

I raise a brow his way.

Does this guy not realize that Hattie and I are a couple? I thought Hattie made it pretty clear last night, and that kiss she gave me before she left should have been a dead giveaway. It only means one thing—he doesn't give a rat's behind.

I push aside my irritation and decide to play it cool but direct. "It's nice to meet you, Duke." I offer a polite nod. "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other. The department works closely with the coroner's office." Then, almost on impulse, I add, "Maybe you and someone special could double date with Hattie and me sometime? Peyton, is it?"

I'm not entirely sure if that was a petty move on my part, but I'm glad to make the point clear. Part of me hopes he declines the offer.

Duke's expression darkens as he studies me.

"So, you and Hattie are the real deal?" he asks, and I can't help but note there's a hint of skepticism in his tone.

"You better believe it." I'm quick to affirm the fact. My gaze locks with his as I give it a second for my words to sink in.

A tense moment bounces by as we're locked in a standoff.

"Can I ask you a question?" I go on without meaning to. "Why did you and Hattie break things off?" A part of me wants to hear all about how she stomped over his heart.

"I broke it off like a fool." He sighs as his shoulders sag at the thought.

He broke it off? I inch back to inspect him properly.

"To be honest," he continues, "there was something about the girl that unnerved me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was starting to give me the heebie-jeebies. Pretty silly, huh?" He shakes his head in the direction she took off in. "And I'm certainly regretting my actions."

I nod his way. "I won't make the same mistake."

Without another word, I turn on my heel and take off.

Hopefully, the message is clear, and I hope Duke understands it.

Hattie and I are not a passing phase. We're solid, and I intend to keep it that way.

I still think it's clear who sent the mystery gift.

And I hope now he sees the error of his expensive emerald ways.

Nevertheless, I might just have a killer to catch.

I've got your back, Jane Jordan.

And I'll make sure justice is on your side.