in a crisis,â she asserted.
Jacobson didnât comment. Instead he asked if theyâd seen anyone else on the beach. They hadnât, Judith said. âBut,â she continued, âwe saw no blood. Where was he stabbed?â
âIn the chest,â Jacobson replied. âThree times. He bled out into the sand. You wouldnât have seen it. The EMTs didnât notice until they were pulling him out onto the gurney.â
Judith grimaced. âDid you find the weapon?â
He remained impassive. âNot yet.â
âI wonder,â Judith said, âif he died right away. He mustâve, if we saw no signs of a struggle, right?â
The officer frowned slightly. âYouâre unusually observant, Mrs. Flynn. I take it you didnât know Mr. Glover?â
Judith shook her head. âIâd actually seen him on the noon ferry. He looked vaguely familiar and I recalled he mightâve been pointed out to me on a previous visit. I never met him, though.â
âAnd you, Mrs. Jones?â he asked.
âNo. Same thingâa passing remark by our aunt and uncle.â
Jacobson studied his notes, frowning slightly before speaking again. âDid you see anyone or anything unusual after you left here?â
âWe didnât leave from here,â Judith replied. âWeâd been at Dick and Jane Sedgewicksâ house. Theyâre close friends of the Webers. Weâve known them fairly well over the years, too.â
He gave another nod. âIâll talk to them as well. Weâre questioning everyone in the development.â
âHow many deputies are here?â Judith asked.
âI have two working with me today.â He made as if to close the notebook, but stopped, glancing first at Judith and then at Renie. âDid you touch the body?â
âNo,â Judith said. âI thought we should take his pulse, but Renie pointed out that being facedown, Mr. Glover couldnât breathe and therefore he must be dead.â
Jacobson seemed puzzled. âAn odd reaction, donât you think?â
âWhy?â Renie demanded sharply.
The officer fixed her with a hard stare. âMost people donât assume someone lying on the ground is dead,â he stated with a hint of incredulity. âThey react by thinking the person is unconscious.â
Renie lifted her short chin. âTry logic. Itâs my cousinâs strong suit, by the way. I have some, too. It runs in the family. If someone is obviously unable to breathe unless heâs got a tube in the ground that goes all the way to Beijing, then heâs probably a goner.â
Jacobson and Renie staredâor glaredâat each other for what seemed to Judith like a long time. Finally, he closed the notebook and stood up. âThanks for your cooperation. Weâll be in touch.â He started for the door. âYouâre not going anywhere, are you? That is, outside of Obsession Shores.â
Judith struggled a bit getting up to her feet. âWe might go to the grocery store up at the junction or into Langton.â
âDonât. Weâll let you know when you can leave Obsession Shores.â
Jacobson opened the door and strode off.
A t least he didnât slam the damned thing behind him,â Judith said, closing the door. âAre we actual suspects ?â
âSounds like it,â Renie said, putting her feet up on the sofa. âIt wouldnât be the first time.â
âCoz!â Judith cried. âItâs one thing to find another corpse, but now I have to prove weâre innocent. That meansââ
âYou have to start sleuthing,â Renie finished for her. âGo ahead. Youâd do it anyway. I wonder if Auntie Vance has enough Pepsi? If she doesnât, that could be a problem.â
âFor you, â Judith snapped, pacing the living area. âI can drink water. I usually do. Itâs better for me