Page 65 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“You seem distracted. Is something going wrong with the investigation?”

He tapped on the top of his coffee cup. “Not wrong, just something off. I ran into Jude Carver yesterday.”

“Oh my goodness. What did he have to say?”

“He said that you were two-timing me with a firefighter.”

Hanna burst out laughing but stopped when she saw Nathan’s face. “You believed him?”

“Everyone in town knows that at one time you were tight with Jared Hodges. I’ve always felt that you’re not very honest with yourself about how you feel about him. Now you’re having lunch with him without saying anything to me?”

“Tight? Yeah, ten years ago. I thought we went through all this months ago when he first got back. He’s a friend, an old friend.” Anger kindled. Hanna didn’t like having to defend herself where Jared was concerned.

“So you just had a friendly lunch?”

“I didn’t have lunch with him. I had a short conversation with him. Carver must have been home. Honestly, I can’t understand why this is even an issue. Why are you upset about this?”

“What on earth did you have to talk to him about?”

“I don’t have to explain the conversations I have with other people to you. You still haven’t told me why this is even an issue.”

“I don’t like hearing from a lowlife that my girlfriend is seeing other men.”

“I can’t believe...” Her angry response was interrupted by the tone on Hanna’s radio as she was summoned to a call.

“Chief Keyes, respond to the east trailhead at Buckley Lake. Contact fire department personnel from Fire Station 2. More information is sent to your MDT.”

“10-4, I copy and I’m en route,” she answered with clenched teeth. “Nathan, I’m not sure I like this vibe I’m getting from you.”

“Vibe? Maybe I don’t like being on the fence. Makes me rethink things. Are we a couple, or are you playing the field?”

“If you don’t like hearing things from lowlifes, why is it so easy to believe them? Maybe I need to rethink things as well.”She left him at the table and stalked off to her vehicle. Casting a glance back at Nathan, she saw his head down as if he was deep in thought. Hanna hoped all this came simply from stress. Jealousy did not look attractive on anyone.

Once in the SUV, she started the engine and powered up the computer to read the additional information, working to calm down and concentrate on her job.

Reporting Party states that the lowering lake level revealed an old oil barrel. When the barrel was opened, the R/P discovered human remains.

That was why the information was not aired. Hanna could kiss Charlie, the daytime dispatcher. He always thought ahead. Because of that she doubted the scene would be crowded out by Marcus and his news crew.

Hanna was at the trailhead in five minutes. Asa was already there, and she saw five other men, one of whom was Jared. That gave Hanna pause. But she recovered when she realized that he was on duty. The fire station’s pumper was parked in the trailhead parking lot.

“What is it, Asa?”

“Body in a barrel. It’s been there for a long time.”

“Have you notified the coroner?”

He nodded. “Charlie’s on it. But it looks like there’s a second barrel.”

“Two?”

“Yeah, the second is stuck farther in the bottom. Bryce and Jared from Station 2 got in the water and checked it out. We could force it free, but it might break apart.”

“You’re thinking it might contain a body as well?”

“You never know.”

Hanna followed Asa out to where the barrel stood. She recognized everyone gathered around the area, the advantages of being chief of police in a small town. Her eyes settled on Jared. “Everyone here found the barrel?”

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