Read Online The Tamarack Murders by Patrick F. McManus - Free Book Online Page A

returned with four mugs and poured their coffees from a large black thermos, which he left on the table.
    Tully said to Beeker and Dance, “I’m sorry to take you fellows away from the pleasures of Slade’s, but I’m investigating a murder out on the mountain where you were hunting this morning. You must have left your rifles and hunting outfits in your cabin. Not a good idea if the cabin’s anywhere near Famine.”
    Beeker said, “Actually it’s quite a ways outside of Famine. There’s a spring nearby where we get drinking water, but it’s starting to ice up. We leave all our gear in the cabin. It’s remote enough, nobody should just be passing by.”
    â€œRemote is right,” Dance said. “We might shoot an elk right from our front porch. Grid told us you want to know if we saw anything when we were out on his place yesterday, right Sheriff?”
    â€œYeah, I need all the info I can get, Ed. Anything you can remember would be great.”
    Dance said, “It was plenty cold, I can tell you that. We got there just before all the ruckus started, sirens all over the place. Heard a shot, but figured it was another hunter.”
    Tully sipped his coffee. “You have any luck?”
    â€œNaw,” Beeker said. “Not with all that ruckus. I did see a herd of deer come over the top of the ridge right up by that rock knob. It looked for a while like they might wander right down toward us. When they heard the shot, they scampered off, and we never saw them again.”
    Tully thought for a moment. “You remember what time you heard the shot?”
    Dance looked at Beeker.
    â€œMust have been close to ten,” Beeker said. “I didn’t check my watch.”
    â€œThat’s about right.” Tully said. “What did you fellows do then?”
    â€œA whole lot of people started showing up, so we got out of there,” Beeker said.
    â€œWhat kind of vehicle were you driving?”
    â€œA pickup. An old Ford but it runs fine.”
    â€œWhere did you park it?”
    Beeker thought about this for a moment. “Grid had put a piece of orange flagging tape on a tree at the middle of his property and told us there was a wide spot to pull off fifty yards or so farther on. That’s where we parked, but when the ruckus started we walked down to the truck and drove back to Famine.”
    â€œYou see anything unusual?”
    â€œNaw. Just that herd of deer, if that’s unusual.”
    â€œYou have scopes on your rifles?” Tully asked.
    â€œOh, sure,” Beeker said. “That’s how I spotted the deer. I was scoping the ridge when the herd came over the top.”
    â€œWhere was that again?”
    Beeker thought for a moment. “Right up next to that knob.”
    Gridley looked at his watch. “Oh, no! I’m late. I’ve got somebody I have to meet. You fellows help the sheriff out with anything he wants to know, but I have to run.”
    Tully said, “Thanks for the help, Grid. It is getting late. But we’ve got our breakfasts coming. I guess we’ll have to share yours.”
    â€œSounds good to me,” Dance said.
    â€œMe too,” Beeker added. “I’m starving. You’re sure this is on the county, Sheriff?”
    â€œIndeed it is, Horace. It’s the county’s pleasure. If there’s one thing Blight County loves, it’s hunters. Everyone here hunts. I’m even a bit of a hunter myself. Every fall I fill my freezer up with venison. In recent years, it’s been mostly filled up by the generosity of my deputies. I give them time off to hunt. How long have you fellows been hunting elk?”
    â€œYears and years,” Beeker said. “Ever since we was kids.”
    â€œMostly big game?”
    â€œOh, yeah,” Dance said. “We love hunting big game.”
    Tully thought the cafe’s hash browns and scrambled eggs were about the best he’d