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the landscape, it was easy to pick out everything along the way, from New
Bedford and Woods Hole, to Hyannis and Provincetown.
And then Martha s Vineyard rose across the sound, still green in late fall, as
we crossed over the whitecaps and watched the ferries plying their regular
routes to and from the mainland. I tried to turn my head and point out some of
the landmarks to Mike I always became so animated when we got close enough for
me to recognize the places that were such an indelible part of my emotional
life. The pilot banked and began her approach from the east, instead of from
 my end of the island, but she came in low over the shore with its exquisite
stretch of white beaches and a seemingly endless array of ponds, which looked
like fingers reaching out to the ocean to hold it in place and keep it lapping
onto the sand.
Mike didn t relax his grip until the plane had come to a complete stop next to
the small wooden terminal and the propellers were shut down.
The pilot unlatched her window and started to climb back out onto the wing.
 Thanks for flying with us& not that you have many choices, she chuckled.
 Going back with us tonight?
 Yes, thanks. See you later.
 You, too, Mr. Chapman. Wasn t it like awesome?
 Yeah, awesome, Mike responded.
 Looks like we ve got a greeting committee the Homicide Welcome Wagon,
I noted as I looked out my window, waiting for the other passengers to deplane
down the narrow steps.
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 That s Wally Flanders and one of his guys on the right, looks like a state
trooper in the uniform next to them but I don t know him and-
 Who s the one in the three-piece suit and the shades, thinks he s going
formal?
 Don t know him either, but I assume he s FBI, wouldn t you?
 Oh no, federal sissies? I forgot we d have to deal with them, too.
Only for you, blondie, a Cessna and a feeble in the same day. No wonder I feel
so nauseous.
 Hey, Alexandra, awful nice of you to come on up here, Wally greeted me as
Mike and I rounded the side of the terminal building.
 This here s Eb May hew I think you know him works with me in the office.
 Hi, Eb. I m Alex Cooper, this is Mike Chapman. I ve known your sister for
years, Eb used to baby-sit for my brothers kids when they vacationed here
every summer.
Detective Chapman s with the Homicide Squad in New York the D.A. has him with
me on the case.
 Finest kind, said Wally, with a cheeriness in his voice at this reunion
which made it hard to focus on the fact that we were all together because of a
murder.
 And this fella is Trooper Lumbert, he s with the state police. Been real
helpful up at your place. Keeps all them tourists away from Daggett s Pond,
all looking for souvenirs of Miss Lascar.
Finest kind. Then we got Special Agent Luther Waldron, sent up here by the
Federal Bureau. Real lucky to get him, never had a special agent on one of my
cases before.
I was too far away to kick Mike in the shins, but he was humming the theme
song from that old TV show and being fairly obnoxious:  Secret a-gent man,
secret a-gent man, they ve given you a number and taken  way your name.
Typical meeting between fed and NYPD cop, which was likely to take a bit of
the joy out of Wally s day.
We all shook hands and exchanged greetings while I asked Wally what he had
planned for the day.
 Actually, ma am, interrupted Agent Waldron,  I m in charge at this point, so
we ll be talking about my plans for the day, if you don t mind. I thought we d
all go up to your place. Show you the crime scene, then have you take us
through the house, tell us how you left it and whether there are any changes,
anything you might notice about the deceased s habits or belongings. Will that
be all right with you?
Mike had been trying to hold back but wasn t good for much longer.
 When are you going to bring us up to date on what you ve got so far?
Leads, clues, evidence, theories?
 Well, Mr. Chapman, my understanding is that you re here in an unofficial
capacity, sort of a shall-we-say hand holding function, for Ms. Cooper. I
don t think there s much I can tell you in the way of evidentiary
information.
 Hey, Luther, let me tell you something. I m here as a-  Forget it, Mike.
Give it a rest. I ll call Battaglia and we ll straighten this out. I m sure
Agent Waldron has his orders, just like we do.
Waldron turned to the three local investigators and suggested they go back [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]