“How could you tell that his chest was blown away if he was facedown in the creek?

“We turned him over, Teddy said, and John groaned.

“You moved the body, Prince said.

“Yeah. Teddy looked from Prince to John, and appealed to Liam. “I mean, he was facedown in the creek. We couldnt leave him like that.

Prince penciled a note.

Liam spoke for the first time, his deep voice slow and authoritative, and both men jumped. “Where was the woman? The wife of the dead man? Rebecca Hanover?

“We didnt see her, Teddy said. “Is that her name? Rebecca? Thats kind of pretty.

“She wasnt anywhere around, John said. “We yelled for her, but she didnt show.

“Did you look in the cabin?

“Yes.

“Did you look around the grounds?

“Man, we just wanted out of there. We made sure the guy was dead, we looked for her, we yelled for her, we made the call, we left. Thats it.

* * *

Prince was all but wagging her tail when they walked into the post. “I got the shotguns on the first flight into Anchorage. I called the Crime Lab to be expecting them. Im betting the shot pattern from Teddys shotgun matches the one the M.E. finds on Hanovers chest.

“Teddy, huh? Liam said. “Why Teddy?

“Because hes the nervous one, she said promptly. “I can see him popping off without thinking. Plus, he had an eye on the wife.

“Yeah, Liam said, “but whyd they make the call?

Prince stared. “What?

“Why did they make the call? Liam repeated. “If they killed him, why call for help? Why draw attention to their crime?

After an uncertain moment, she suggested, “Maybe the shooting sobered them up. Maybe they figured if they called for help, we wouldnt be liking them for the shooting.

“Maybe, Liam said equably. “But in that case, wheres the wife?

“Theyve got the weapons, Prince said, unconvinced. “Theyve got a history of doing this kind of thing.

“Theyve got a history of harassment and destruction of private property, Liam corrected her, “not to mention chasing off Dagfinn Grants customers moose. Theyve never shot anyone.

“Teddy Engebretsen shot out the jukebox at Bills in May, Prince said.

“Shooting a jukebox is one thing, Liam said. “Shooting a person is another thing entirely.

“They were drunk, Prince reminded him.

“Yeah, Liam said, a little grimly. “They were that.

Prince went off to interview the Kvichak and Engebretsen families, to see if Teddy or John had confessed to anything in the four hours between their return and their arrest. Liam called the house to see if Wy was home. After five rings Jim picked up, out of breath. Liam grinned out the window. The morning fog would have burned off by ten, and the sun, he well knew, would be beating down on the deck in front of Wys living room. “Having a nice morning? he inquired solicitously.

“Up yours, Campbell, Jim said. In the background Liam could hear Bridget chuckling.