Page 16 of Nightshade

“Well, it got me out here, didn’t it? Sometimes the place you don’t want to be turns out to be the place you should be.”

“I agree. I’ve never wanted to leave here.”

“I’m getting that way myself.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“I’m going over to the harbormaster’s. You need me, get me over there.”

“Will do.”

Stilwell went out to the parking lot, and the first thing he saw was the open storage box on the back of his John Deere. He studied the cheap lock and saw that the box had been pried open. He checked the contents but nothing appeared to be missing. With his hands he was able to bend the metal tongue back into place so he could relock the box.

He got in the cart and started toward the pier. On the way he called Mercy and asked her if she had a number for Henry Gaston in her contacts file. Over the years working at the sub, Mercy had accumulated four index-card boxes containing contact information for residents of the island who’d had interactions with the sheriff’s department, whether for reporting or committing a crime. Stilwell assumed that Gaston would be in one of the boxes for the latter reason.

By the time he parked at the pier, Mercy had texted him a cell phone number for Gaston. Stilwell sat in the cart and made the call.

“Hello?”

“Nice try, Henry.”

“Who’s this?”

“Stilwell.”

“Stilwell? What are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about. You saw me put the saw handle in the lockbox on my cart. You tried to get it back.”

“No, I don’t know what you mean.”

“You were too late. I’d already put it in the evidence safe at the sub.”

“I’m tellin’ ya, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You still have until Wednesday to come see me. After that,it’ll be out of my hands. You’ll have to get yourself a good lawyer from overtown.”

That brought silence.

“You still there, Henry?” Stilwell asked.

“I’m hanging up,” Gaston said.

“I hope to see you.”

“Man, don’t even talk about me snitching. That could get me killed.”

Stilwell smiled. Gaston had made an admission of sorts. “All the more reason to come in,” he said.

“Never happen,” Gaston said.

Gaston disconnected. Stilwell called Mercy back.

“Mercy, what was Gaston in your cards for?” he asked.

“A couple disorderlies,” Mercy said. “Operating a vehicle while impaired, and in 2015 he got charged with receiving stolen property.”

“Conviction?”

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