Free So sure of death by Dana Stabenow Page B

his eyes, his son in his chin.
    Molly, on the other hand, nearly sizzled with life: vital, vibrant, glowing with energy and enthusiasm. Blond curls exploded in ringlets past her shoulders, just begging for a man's hands to get tangled up in them. Bright blue eyes laughed straight at the camera, her daughter's pout made provocative reality on her full, redlipped mouth, and she was so lush in flesh that she seemed about to spill out of her fire-engine-red halter top and shorts. She radiated sexuality, a delicious, visceral sexuality that demanded recognition, adulation and especially satisfaction.
    Every male instinct in Liam sat up to attention. “Christ, he said involuntarily.
    “She was a looker, all right, a voice agreed, and Liam jumped and looked around to see Carl Andrew standing next to him, regarding the picture with appreciation. “A man'd have to hustle to keep up with that. He grinned. “But it'd sure be fun trying.
    “And how, Liam said, the trooper momentarily subverted by the man, and forgetting for the moment the necessity of establishing his air of authority. He pulled himself together and broke open the frame. On the back of the picture sprawling handwriting said, “Me, Kerry, Michael, David on board theScotch Misten route between Lanai and Maui. That's Skipper Chris Novak's knee. March, 1998.
    From fishing boat to sailboat. A busman's holiday. The Malones, it would seem, never liked to get very far from the water. Liam looked at the reverse side again for a moment before slipping it between the pages of his notebook.
    “What, you need a pinup or something? Andrew said, offended.
    “I'll need pictures of all the deceased, Liam said, setting the pieces of the frame down on the nightstand. “Sometimes a picture is all it takes to trigger someone's memory of events. He paused. “What was the brother's name? Jonathan, that's it. He worked as a deckhand on theMarybethia,and he lived here, right? Wonder why he didn't go to Hawaii with them.
    Andrew snorted. “He probably went to Vegas instead.
    Liam went downstairs. The rest of the council was standing around the living room, unwilling to make themselves too comfortable in a house where there was no host to ask them to sit down. “If the kids dead, who get the house? Halstensen was saying. He had his back to Liam, and continued, “Damn fine house, this. Good house for big family. When you get married up, Walter,gatcha,you should buy this house.
    Something in Larsgaard Junior's expression must have warned him, because he turned and saw Liam standing in the doorway. He didn't look embarrassed at being caught in a premature division of the spoils, he merely shut up in the presence of agussuk,and a stategussukat that. Liam didn't hold it against him, either the silence in the presence of the enemy or his practical disposition of the belongings of the dead. Housing, as he knew only too well, was a commodity in short supply, and this house, once the formalities were out of the way, wouldn't be on the market for longer than it took to accept an offer. Liam wished he could make one, and for a moment actually toyed with the idea.
    But that would have meant a twice-daily flying commute. He shuddered. No. It was bad enough that his job entailed responding by air to villages as far away as New Stoy and Togiak. He didn't need to add to his air time.
    He directed his attention from that ghastly prospect to the matter at hand. “What time was the fishing period in Kulukak yesterday?
    “Six to six, Ekwok said. “The tide was low at four-thirty, so everybody dropped their nets right at six.
    “Were you all out there?
    “Yes. We all fish this period.
    “You each have your own boat? Nods all around. “So, you were all in the Kulukak at six a.m. on yesterday, Monday morning. Did you see theMarybethia? You did. Had her nets in the water, did she? Did she fish the whole period?
    Ekwok scratched his chin and looked at the other men. “Well, it's not like we were