Page 7 of Water's Edge

Four

Seriously.

He wants me to call himState Patrolman MacDonald.

Not a chance.

This is going to be a long morning.

“Okay,” I tell him. “Is the rope still there, or did Deputy Davis have something of his own to climb down with?”

“He used the witness’s rope,” MacDonald says.

I was afraid of that. It’s too late to collect the rope. I follow the beaten-down grass path through a stand of huge big-leaf maples to a smaller fir where a climbing rope is tied off. The rope extends down the side of the cliff. I step out as far as I can but don’t see a body or my deputy. I return to the cars and MacDonald.

“Deputy Marsh will stay up here to wait for Crime Scene. Do you have crime scene tape?”

He nods.

“Can you help me out and string some along both sides of this road? We’ll need to search both sides for any evidence or tire marks.” I look directly at him.

He doesn’t say anything. He goes behind the car and opens the trunk.

“Unless you have hiking boots and work clothes in your handbag,” I tell my erstwhile deputy, Ronnie, “I want you to stay up here and take a statement from the witness.”

She looks down at her shoes. “Sorry. I thought we’d be staying in the office today. Tomorrow I’ll be better prepared, ma’am.”

Ma’am? Seriously?

“Don’t call me ‘ma’am,’” I tell her. “I’m Megan for today. Okay?”

“I’m really taking Mr. Boyd’s statement?” she asks.

“Might as well get your feet wet. I want you to write his name and personal information down. And get the license information.”

She takes a notebook and pen from inside her jacket. It was so tight fitting I didn’t see anywhere she could have hidden them. “And while you’re at it, search his car.”

“We don’t have a warrant. Is he a suspect?”

“No,” I lie again. “Just see if he’ll let you. If it makes you feel better, you can ask him to let you search his car while you’re taking the statement. If he says yes, it will be on the recording.”

She doesn’t look convinced.

“I’ve been at this awhile, Ronnie. Trust me.”

“I do. Trust you, I mean.”

Now, that’s a start.

“I’m going down to see what we have.” I go to Mac’s car, open the door, and ask Boyd, “Are you sure there’s no other way down there besides climbing?”

“I guess you could swim around.”

Smart-ass.

I return to Ronnie.

“Are you going to call Marine Patrol?” she asks.

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