Page 16 of Hell Hath No Fury

Emma turned back. “No. Have you?”

Fran shook her head. “Sorry.” She climbed to her feet, picked up the metal detector, and walked away.

Emma and Matthias continued up the hill until she decided she had a good view of the overall site. She raised her camera and snapped more than a dozen shots. “They call this construction,” she muttered. “Looks more like destruction, if you ask me.”

Below them, Fran’s detector started screeching again. Emma glanced over to see her once again on her knees, digging. To Matthias, she said, “I think I have enough photos to prove my point to Nell. That is, if we can track her and Eric down.”

Before Matthias could respond, a scream pierced the morning air. Emma wheeled to see Fran on her feet, staggering backward. She spun but stopped when she spotted Emma and Matthias. “Help!” she shrieked. “I think I found a dead body!”

ChapterSix

“Stay back,” Matthias shouted to Emma as he launched down the hill toward Fran. In the distance, he saw all the workmen looking their way. He slowed his pace once he stepped off the pavement to trudge the last few yards through mud that clung to his boots. Grasping Fran by the shoulders, he forced her to look him in the eye. “Show me what you found.”

She pointed. “There. A belt buckle. With a person attached.”

“Do you have your phone with you?”

“Yes.”

“Call 911 and tell them where we are and what you found. Tell them an Erie City Police detective is at the scene.”

Fran scowled. “A detective? Where?” She looked around.

He stepped toward the hole she’d pointed at. “Right here,” he said over his shoulder. “I’m Detective Matthias Honeywell.”

“Oh.”

He noticed she wasn’t moving. “Phone,” he repeated. “Call 911.” For a second, he thought he should’ve asked Emma to do it, but Fran shook off her trance and pulled her phone from the pocket of her muddy cargo pants.

Matthias dropped to one knee next to the small hole Fran had dug. All that was visible was a brass buckle attached to a leather belt with a glimpse of denim beneath. With Eric missing, all Matthias could think was,Is this Emma’s friend? Or even worse, her sister?He desperately wanted to scrape away the dirt covering the body, to find out one way or the other, but he knew better.

“Detective?”

He looked up to find Fran standing beside him, holding out her phone.

“I told them you were a cop, and they want to speak with you.”

He took the phone and identified himself.

“Detective, the caller stated she found a dead body. Can you confirm?”

“Without risking disturbing evidence, I can’t begin to identify the victim, but there’s definitely a body here.”

“Okay. Thank you. I’ll dispatch police and forensics units to your location. I apologize for needing your confirmation, but we’ve dealt with Ms. Goodwin before, only to waste resources after she dug up someone’s dog wearing a collar.”

“Understood.”

“Can I ask you to keep the scene secured until police arrive?”

“Absolutely.” He ended the call and returned the phone. Rising to his feet, he told Fran, “We need to step back onto the road and not further trample the area.” He spotted Emma approaching on the road from uphill and several of the workmen approaching from downhill.

“I need to go home,” Fran said. She looked more like she needed to find a quiet place to throw up.

He eyed her. “Didn’t you say you worked in the Emergency Room?”

“Yes, in admissions. I do the paperwork. I don’t treat patients.”

“Well, I’m afraid you have to stay here and speak with the police when they arrive.”