Colin turned to Dev. “You still up for calling this in and taking lead with the locals?”
“Sure thing.” He dug his phone from his cargo pocket. “I’ll start with 911, then ask to be dispatched to Abby or a detective.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Reid said.
Dev nodded, then made the call on speaker and tapped his foot. Colin watched Kelsey and Sierra test the heat of the floor, then stand back. Too hot? Probably.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher asked.
“I’m Devan Graham, a former Clackamas County Deputy,” he said. “I need to report a house fire and death.” His tonewas clear, sharp, and filled with confidence as he explained the situation. “The fire is nearly out. Smoking embers. The body visible in the rubble and obviously deceased.”
“Hold on.” The sound of fingers clicking over a computer keypad filled the air. “I have a fire crew on the way, but all of our deputies are dispatched on priority calls. You can expect one in twenty to twenty-five minutes. ”
Murder, if this was murder, was a priority in Colin’s book, but not in terms of saving lives, which dispatch had to consider. This victim was going nowhere, and they couldn’t effect a rescue, so the other calls had to remain top priority.
“We have reason to believe this fire is a case of arson,” Dev said. “And I was hoping you could dispatch me to the sheriff. I know she would like to get a heads-up as soon as possible.”
“I can’t do that, sir.”
“Abby and I are friends from college. Give her my name, and I’m sure she’ll talk to me.”
“Hold on.” The sound of those keys clicking again filled the cool night air. “I’ll connect you to the department.”
The phone rang, sounding through the still of the night. Colin shifted his attention back to Kelsey and Sierra. They’d moved further down the house rubble, but didn’t enter at this location either. Kelsey shone a high-powered flashlight beam on the body, and Sierra used her camera to snap copious pictures. They continued further down the building exterior and followed the same procedure.
“Sheriff Day.” The female voice came over Dev’s speaker. Her tone was deep and sleepy, like she might be off duty and had been woken.
“Hey, Abby,” Dev said. “Dev Graham.”
“Dev! Dispatch said it was you, and you were a former deputy, but I thought you were still with Clackamas County.”
“Nope. Recently hung up my badge to join the team at Shadow Lake Survival.”
“Right, I’ve heard of them. You train all the crazies in Armageddon prepping over there.” She laughed.
He joined her. “Something like that, yeah.”
“And you’re reporting a deceased individual caught in a potential arson fire?”
Dev gave a clear and succinct description of what they’d found minus mentioning Kelsey and Sierra along with what they were doing on scene. Nor did he mention he and the team were here to break and enter—Dev would never be that dumb—but said they were surveilling Kane Tarver.
“Please tell me you haven’t disturbed my scene.” Ah, yes, the territorial tone that Colin had expected.
“Come on, now, Abby.” Dev rolled his eyes. “You know me better than that.”
“That’s why I’m asking. Wouldn’t be unheard of if you went barreling into a fire to try to save someone.”
“No one to save.” Dev frowned. “He was long gone by the time we got here, and before you ask, we didnotgo into the house at all.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” Her sharp tone said she was used to others following her directives. “But I need you to remain on scene to give me an official statement. See that you don’t touch anything, and I mean anything, while you wait for our arrival.” She let out a long breath.
“Something wrong, Abbs?” Dev asked. “I mean other than someone might’ve been murdered on your watch.”
She groaned. “Way to point that out. But no, that’s not it. A murder investigation is the last thing I need when we’re already short-staffed. Hiring is a nightmare these days. Not many people want to go into the field, and a lot of the good ones are leaving like you did.”
“I’m sorry,” Dev said. “I get it. Clackamas is having the same problem. I felt guilty going.”
“You should.” She let out a long breath. “I didn’t mean that. It’s just with the recent distrust of law enforcement, especially here in the PNW, it’s hard to recruit.”
