Ashes Never Lie (Sharpe & Walker) by Lee Goldberg

Author:Lee Goldberg [Goldberg, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2024-09-16T14:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Portable lights were set up around the perimeter of Oxley’s property so that Sharpe, Nan Baker, and the CSU technicians could collect evidence inside the house and also from the wide debris field outside.

While they did that, Emilia Lopez documented the position of the body, briefly examined it, and then had it bagged by her assistants and taken to their van for transport to the morgue.

A crowd of two dozen neighbors and reporters on the street strained to see any activity, but their view was blocked by the trees, a couple of which were blackened by flames. The spectators were prevented from getting any closer by several stone-faced deputies and a line of yellow crime scene tape strung around the entire property. Several local news choppers circled overhead, getting “breaking news” footage for the 11:00 p.m. telecasts.

Walker should have been diagramming the debris field or bagging the evidence Sharpe collected, but his partner took pity on him because of his injuries and told him to sit.

So he did. Walker sat on the tailgate of his truck with Eve, waiting for some leads they could pursue.

Duncan stood a few yards away, talking on his phone, working his own angles on the case.

Emilia Lopez approached Walker and Eve on her way to her van. “I’m done here. All I can tell you is that it appears the victim died from a gunshot wound to the head, but I won’t know for sure until I do the autopsy. The body has sustained a lot of damage from the explosion and the fire.”

“Can you establish his identity?” Eve asked.

“Nan found Oxley’s wallet, containing all of his ID, in the kitchen rubble,” Emilia said. “Remarkably, it was only singed around the edges.”

Walker wasn’t swayed by that, or that Oxley’s car was in the garage. “You could find the pope’s ID in the kitchen, but that wouldn’t mean the corpse is him.”

Eve said, “Can you perform some more of your magic and lift his prints?”

“I don’t know yet. We might have to rely on dental records, though he probably hasn’t sat in a dentist’s chair in decades. His teeth are a mess. I’m sure he smells better now than he did alive.”

“Oxley’s teeth were perfect,” Eve said. “And he didn’t smell bad.”

Walker looked past Emilia and spotted Special Agent Leyland marching over to them. “I can’t say the same for her.”

“I’m going before she tries to take this body away from me, too.” Emilia turned and made a beeline for her van.

Walker smiled cheerfully at Leyland. “It’s so good to see you again today. You bring so much joy into our lives. Every time you show up, birds chirp, squirrels break into song, and flowers spontaneously bloom.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“See?” Walker said to Eve. “Pure joy.”

“I’m investigating a homicide,” Eve said. “Come for some lessons?”

“Who was killed?” Leyland asked.

“Patrick Lopresti.”

“That was a suicide.”

“Yes and no,” Eve said. “He was having an extramarital affair with Justine Bryce, the object of Colin Oxley’s unrequited affections.

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