This wasn’t an accident.It was time to stop pretending it might be.
I picked up my phone and called the county DA’s office.When I got through to the assistant district attorney handling the case, I said, “I’m reclassifying the Eddie Salcedo death as a homicide investigation.I have a suspect with motive, opportunity, and a witnessed threat against the victim.I’m requesting additional resources.”
There was a pause.“That’s a big shift.What’s changed?”
“The autopsy couldn’t rule out suspicious circumstances.The victim’s GPS was tampered with.I now have a person of interest who was on the water that night and who made threats against the victim’s life prior to his death.We’re treating it as a homicide.”
“All right.”She didn’t sound thrilled, but she didn’t push back.“I’ll get you what you need.Keep me updated.”
I hung up and leaned back in my chair, feeling a sense of relief mixed with anxiety.Eddie Salcedo’s death was officially a murder case.But this wasn’t the end, it was the beginning.There was a lot of work to do to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Eddie had been murdered.The town was going to find out now that the case was classified as a homicide, and when they did, Coral Cove would be rocked to the core.
* * *
It was after 10:00 p.m., and the station was mostly empty.Officer Hendricks was on night patrol, and Bree was at her desk finishing up some paperwork she’d stayed late to complete.The rest of the department had gone home hours ago.
My desk was covered in paperwork.The DA’s office had sent over the formal reclassification documents I’d requested, and I’d spent the last two hours filling them out.Eddie’s death was now officially a homicide investigation.That meant more resources, more scrutiny, and more pressure.It also meant the town was going to find out, probably by tomorrow, and everything would change.
I thought about texting Spencer but decided against it.It was too late at night, and he was probably sound asleep.Plus, I didn’t want to look clingy.We’d already talked through text once today.It might send the wrong message if I texted him again.We’d only spent one night together.We’d said we’d keep it casual.Casual meant not texting someone after 10:00 p.m.on a weeknight.Even if you really wanted to.
The dispatch radio on my desk crackled to life.I kept it on low when I was working late, mostly out of habit.Most nights it was nothing.Noise complaints.A car alarm.Maybe a fender bender on the coast road.The call that came in was a report of a hit and run on Tideline Road.A caller had reported a pedestrian in a ditch after being struck by a vehicle.EMTs were en route.I hoped the pedestrian was okay.Hendricks would handle it.
I went back to my paperwork.
Ten minutes passed.I heard Hendricks check in with dispatch, confirming he was on scene.EMTs had arrived.I caught fragments: male victim, being transported to Coral Cove Medical.Hit and run, vehicle fled the scene.No description of the vehicle.
I made a mental note to follow up in the morning.Hit and runs needed to be investigated even when they weren’t connected to anything.Leaving the scene of an accident was a crime.
I was signing the last of the reclassification forms when Bree appeared in my doorway.She had her jacket on and her bag over her shoulder, clearly about to head out.“Hey, boss, I’m heading home.You should too.You look beat.”
“I’m about to leave,” I said, closing my laptop.I winced, rubbing my shoulders.They were killing me from being hunched over my desk for hours.
She started to leave but turned back.“Oh, by the way, did you hear the hit and run call on Tideline?”
“Yeah, I caught some of it.Hendricks responded, right?”I stood, stretching my arms above my head.“Is the guy okay?”
I don’t think she heard my question, because she said, “You won’t believe who the victim was.”
“Who?”I asked distractedly, pulling on my jacket.
She gave a gruff laugh.“It was that reporter from the Beacon.Spencer Cross.”
“What?”I asked sharply, straightening.“Did you say Spencer Cross was the victim of the hit and run?”
She looked surprised at my agitated tone.“Uh, yeah.”
“Is he okay?”There was dread in the pit of my stomach as I waited for her to answer me.“What’s his condition?”
She blinked at me.“Hendricks said he was conscious when the EMTs got there, but pretty banged up.They took him to Coral Cove Medical.”She studied my face.“You okay, boss?”
“I’m fine,” I said in a strained voice.Relief washed through me that Spencer was alive.For a few horrible moments, I’d thought the worst.
She studied me, looking puzzled.“He was apparently walking home from the Rusty Anchor when a car struck him.Some woman found him in a ditch and called it in.”
My mouth was dry.“But there was no description of the vehicle that hit him, right?”
“The lady who found him didn’t see the car.”She grimaced.“Maybe Spencer did.Maybe he’ll be able to give a description.If he’s… conscious.”
Gritting my teeth, I grabbed my keys and turned off my desk lamp, moving to the door.“I think I’ll head over to the hospital and check on him.”
