Page 27 of Death of a Grill Master

“He runs a tight ship,” Earl said. “Not the warm and fuzzy kind Sergio ran. You showing up with homemade muffins for gossip hour? Those days are done.”

Hayley muttered, “He had you escort me out of the building like I was a door-to-door scam artist trying to sell reverse mortgages.”

Earl chuckled into his coffee.

“I’m serious,” she said. “The guy’s got a stick so far up his—”

“Hayley …” Earl warned, still chewing.

She dropped her voice. “Come on, you have to admit he’s off to a rocky start. No wonder Donnie was bawling.”

Earl’s expression sobered. “Poor guy. Donnie and I go way back. We joined the force together. It’s been ten years—he’s like a brother to me.”

“Have you seen him?”

“Every day. He’s not sleeping. Tilly says he’s barely eating. Guy gave everything he had to that job and just got tossed like an empty Dunkin’ cup on Route Three.”

Hayley’s heart softened. “Poor Donnie.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s gonna do next. No plan. No savings. He’s floundering.”

A moment of silence passed between them, broken only by the clink of forks and the laughter of the syrup-drunk girl two tables over.

“So,” Hayley said, stirring her coffee. “What can you tell me about the Desmond investigation?”

Earl leaned back in the booth. “Not much. Sergio passed the case to Maddox before he left, and Maddox’s keeping it locked down.”

“Any theories floating around?”

“Just what’s already public. Kylie says she and Hank got into it on the boat, she took the dinghy, and she swears when she left for shore he was still alive. Chase says they argued, too—over those photos.”

Hayley leaned in. “The ones of him and Kylie?”

Earl nodded. “According to Chase, Hank found out they were fooling around and was furious. But Chase was drunk. Doesn’t remember how the argument ended.”

Hayley shook her head. “Convenient.”

“The new chief thinks it ended with Chase pulling the trigger.”

“But it was Doug Marsh’s gun.”

“Exactly. Found in a cooler full of ribs and melted ice. No one’s clear how it got there.”

Hayley frowned. “And Kylie? Does Maddox believe she’s telling the truth?”

Earl took another bite, swallowed. “I don’t know about the new chief, but she kinda gave me the creeps. She came in voluntarily for more questioning. Sat there cool as a cucumber. Like she was glad Hank was gone. No tears, no regret. Honestly, it was like she’d already moved on, ready to plan her next Tinder date.”

Hayley stared into her mug. “So let’s say she’s lying. Or Chase is. Or Doug is.”

Earl looked up.

“But then again, let’s say they’re not. What if they’re all telling the truth?” Hayley asked. “What if they’re all innocent? What if Doug’s gun was stolen? What if Chase passed out before the shooting? What if Kylie did actually leave before it happened?”

Earl narrowed his eyes. “You’re suggesting a fourth person.”

“Someone we’re not looking at. Someone no one saw. What if someone else was on—or near—that boat? Someone who waited for the right moment?”

Earl leaned in, dropping his voice. “You got a theory?”