“That EMS truck outside earlier—everything okay?” Dolly’s voice carried the kind of concern that came from thirty years of knowing everyone’s business.
“Missing hikers. Search and rescue found them about an hour ago, both suffering from exposure. They’ll be fine, but it was touch and go for a while.” The man rubbed his forehead. “But that’s not the worst of it. They found a body up there too. Near the Wallace place.”
Hammer’s coffee mug stopped halfway to his lips.
“A body?” Dolly’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Who?”
“Tom Hendrick. Looks like he was shot.”
“Oh no, not Tom.” She covered her mouth.
“I know. The chief drove out personally to talk to his wife. Sierra Blackwood found him.”
“That poor woman. Hasn’t she been through enough?” Dolly shook her head. “You make sure you find the killer, Detective Martinelli.” She walked away.
The name, the entire conversation, hit Hammer like a physical blow. He set down his mug carefully, keeping his expression neutral. But was Sierra in trouble?
“Shot?” Saxon leaned forward slightly. “Hunting accident?”
Detective Martinelli glanced over at their table, seeming to notice them for the first time. “Sorry, didn’t mean to include you folks in police business. Just been a whopper of a day.”
“No problem,” Hammer said, his voice steady. “We couldn’t help but overhear. You said this happened up by the Wallace place?”
“You know the area?”
“Used to,” Hammer said, lifting a shoulder. “Haven’t been back in years, but I remember that old house up there. Surprised anyone was out that way.”
“Tom Hendrick was asking a lot of questions lately,” Dolly said, refilling Detective Martinelli’s coffee. “About mining rights and such.”
Detective Martinelli shot her a look. “Dolly?—”
“What? It’s true.” She gestured toward a corner booth with her coffee pot. “Tom and old Commissioner Elway used to sit right there every Thursday morning for years. Regular as clockwork. Last time they were in together—must have been two weeks before Elway died—Tom had worked himself into such a lather about those mining rights. Going on and on about mineral surveys and who was buying up water rights.” Her voice softened. “Poor Elway just sat there listening, the way he always did. Never said much, but you could tell he was taking it all in. Man had the patience of a saint.”
She paused, wiping her eyes with the corner of her apron. “Lord, I miss that man. Elway had a way of making everyone feel heard, you know? Never judged, never rushed anybody. Just listened.”
“Commissioner Elway retired about three years ago, didn’t he?” Detective Martinelli said gently.
“That’s right. Turned in his badge and said he was going to spend his golden years fishing and working his ranch.” Dolly’s voice grew heavy. “Then that ATV accident took him just like that. Found him out on his back forty with that machine rolled over on top of him. They said it was a heart attack that caused the crash, but…”
She trailed off, glancing around the diner as if she’d said too much.
“But what?” Hammer asked quietly, but he could barely hear over the thunder of his heartbeat.
“But nothing. Just old-man talk. Tom took Elway’s death real hard, that’s all. Said he’d lost his best friend and the only person around here who understood what was really going on.”
“What’s going on?” Hammer felt Saxon’s eyes on him, but kept his own gaze fixed on Detective Martinelli.
“And I’ll take that coffee to go, Dolly.” Martinelli stood up. Turned to Hammer. “You from around here?”
Sort of.
“Yes,” Mack said. “I’m Mack Jenkins. And this is my brother.” He held out his hand to the detective.
“Jenkins—”
“Yes,” Hammer said. “That Jenkins.”
Martinelli glanced at Rowan. “Then you’re the dead older son.”
