Page 9 of Nightshade

Before Stilwell could answer, the mayor spoke.

“Wait a minute,” Allen said. “Wait just a minute. We’re not saying anything for publication yet. Sergeant Stilwell, I need to speak with you privately before any public statement is made.”

“Okay,” Stilwell said. “For now.”

“You need to go back up to the pier,” Allen said to McKey.

“This is a public dock, Mayor,” McKey said. “I have just as much right to be here as you do.”

“Whatever,” Allen said. “Sergeant, can you step over here?”

The two men walked to the opposite side of the floating dock, where they would not be overheard.

“Did you confirm a body is down there?” Allen whispered urgently.

“I did,” Stilwell whispered back.

“So what happens now? I don’t want that thing bobbing up on the surface in front of the Express. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to call out the homicide unit and dive team. It’s not going to come to the surface until we bring it up.”

“Homicide… are you saying this is a murder?”

“The body’s in some kind of a drawstring bag and weighted with an anchor and chain. That says homicide to me.”

Allen took a step closer to Stilwell and raised his whisper to an urgent tone: “Look, you need to understand something here. The ferries are full, and every ball in the harbor is reserved. This is our second-biggest weekend of the year, after July Fourth, and I don’t want this harbor turned into a crime scene circus.”

“I get it, Mr. Mayor. But we’re going to conduct the investigation that is warranted. We’ll do our best to shield the body recovery from the public. There are ways to do that. But if you’re suggesting we leave it down there till this place clears out Monday, you are—”

“Of course I’m not suggesting that. What I’m saying is that murder is bad for business. Be discreet. And don’t tell that reporteranything until he’s past deadline. He can put it in next week’s edition for all I care. Not tomorrow’s.”

“I’ll do what I can. Now I have to go make those calls.”

Stilwell stepped away and headed toward the gangway to the pier.

“And Sergeant?”

He turned.

“Yes?” he asked impatiently.

“I received a complaint about you this morning,” Allen said. “From one of our business owners. Oscar Terranova.”

“Really? That was fast.”

“You searched his business?”

“I had a warrant signed by Judge Harrell. It was all perfectly legal.”

“He said you were heavy-handed.”

“I don’t know what that means. I had a search warrant for the place. I searched it. Baby Head showed up afterward and he wasn’t happy. But that was it.”

“Okay, understood. Can I ask what it was about?”

“No, you can’t, Mayor. It’s an open investigation. I can’t talk about it.”

“I was born and raised on this island, Sergeant. I’ve been mayor for sixteen years. You’ll probably come and go like all the deputies assigned here before you. But I’ll be here. I love this place and I want to protect it. I don’t like surprises, especially when they may negatively affect the reputation of this beautiful island.”

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