Katelyn paced the office, unable to settle the unease filtering through her mind. Gareth was not in, having gotten a call from Mitch. She checked her phone to see if she had missed a message, but it was as silent as the office. Sighing, she leaned back and squeezed her eyes shut, tired from looking at bank statements.

Jumping when her phone’s ring sounded out in the quiet, she grabbed it, pleased to see Gareth’s number. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Katelyn, I’ve been at The Dunes golf course with the police. An early morning golfer found a body. There’s been no official identification, but I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“Oh, shit,” she breathed, her mind racing to Eleanor. “What can I do?”

“I would have you come here but, honestly, it’s a zoo. Zac’s here with the ambulance to take the body in. The county coroner has been here. The whole area is now off limits as a crime site—”

“Who’s yelling in the background?”

“Roger Thorpe is having a shit-fit because the golf tournament tomorrow will have to be cancelled.”

Thinking of The Dunes’ manager, Katelyn knew he would be purple with frustration. Before she could ask anymore, Gareth said, “There’s really nothing to do except stay in the office and take care of things there. And keep going over Walter’s books. If this body is his, I’d like to have something to go on before it all ends up with the police, although I know Mitch’ll work well with us.”

“Okay, Gareth. I’ll take care of the office.”

“Thanks. And Katelyn? I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what?” she asked in confusion.

“I would have preferred to spend time after our first night together with you and not on a golf course with a dead man.”

Unable to stop the smile that curved her lips, Katelyn agreed. “Well, for the record, I’d rather be with you also. I’ll see you when you get back.” With that, they disconnected and her momentary mirth fled in the face of Eleanor possibly getting worse news than her husband was on a trip with a mistress.

* * *

Gareth stood to the side as Mitch and the rest of the Bayside Police Department moved about the area. Ginny walked over and stood next to him as the medical examiner gave Zac the okay to move the body.

“You think it’s Walter Berry?” she asked.

“From the pictures I’ve seen, I’d say yes.” Sucking in a deep breath, he shook his head. “God, I hate for his wife to have to come in to identify the body.”

“What do you think of her?” Ginny asked.

“Seems strong…and fragile all at the same time.”

Nodding, Ginny said, “Well, let’s hope the strong side comes out now.” Moving away, Gareth watched her make her way back over to the officers then he turned as more vehicles came into the area. Colt and another deputy from the North Heron Sheriff’s Department alighted from their SUVs and, with a nod to Gareth, headed to Mitch. Several minutes later Mitch and Colt walked over to Gareth.

“We’re fairly sure the body was Walter Berry but I’ll be going out to pick up his wife to take her for the identification,” Mitch said. Looking over, he added, “Do you want to be there also?”

Rubbing his chin, Gareth said, “I’m thinking yes, but Katelyn might be a better support for her.”

Mitch nodded his agreement, “I’ll give you a call when we’re ready.”

With that dismissal, Gareth walked back to his SUV to drive back to the office. Sighing as he pulled into a parking space, his gaze landed on the beautiful woman sitting at the desk in the reception area. Rubbing his chest, he closed his eyes for a moment, the previous night’s memories sliding through him. With a mental shake, he stepped out of the vehicle and smiled as Katelyn met him at the door.

* * *

North Heron’s Medical examiner, Dr. Warren stood outside the room with the body, his observant gaze on Eleanor’s pale face. Glad her hand was clasped in Katelyn’s, he said softly, “Mrs. Berry, normally this type of thing is done at the hospital where they use a camera from another room for identification purposes. We don’t have a camera here at this facility, but it’s my understanding that you want to identify the remains now, before we transport him to the hospital for further examination?”

A shaky nod met his question and Katelyn felt her fingers squished by Eleanor’s nervous hand.

“All right, then this is what we will do. I have taken pictures and have them here,” he explained, patting his lab coat pocket. “I will place them on the table and you will look at them closely. You may certainly keep Ms. MacFarlane in the room with us and, for legal purposes, Officer Spencer will remain with us as well.”

Katelyn glanced over to Ginny, sharing a tight-lipped grimace with her. She was glad for Ginny’s presence, not knowing how Eleanor would react.

Eleanor nodded jerkily once more and they stepped toward the table after Dr. Warren laid five photographs down, side by side. Before Katelyn had a chance to study them, she heard a gasp from Eleanor just before she cried, “No! Oh, no!”

Feeling Eleanor’s body slumping into hers, Katelyn tried to steady her, grateful as Ginny rushed forward to support Eleanor as well. Dr. Warren slid a chair behind Eleanor and they assisted her to sit.

“Oh, God. Oh, God, no,” Eleanor repeated, her mouth opening in gasps, as though no air was reaching her lungs.

The nurse stepped in and the medical staff attended to Eleanor for a few minutes, keeping her from fainting. Katelyn stood back with Ginny at her side as they silently watched the scene unfold. As Eleanor’s sob finally worked its way to the surface, Katelyn jerked, the woman’s raw emotion hitting her in the stomach. Feeling punched, she fought tears herself as Eleanor’s grief took over.

“Mrs. Berry, I just need to hear you identify the man in the pictures,” Dr. Warren said softly, his hand comforting on the back of her shoulders.

“Yes,” her voice croaked. “That’s my husband. That’s my Walter.”

Katelyn and Ginny moved to assist Eleanor from her seat as the doctor explained the next steps in the procedure. Katelyn saw Eleanor nodding but knew she was not actually hearing anything the doctor said. Her heart ached for the woman whose journey of grief was just beginning.

* * *

Ringing the doorbell, she waited a moment until it swung open, Eleanor greeting her wanly. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to come by to see how you were doing.”

Eleanor’s red-rimmed eyes filled with tears as she reached out to clasp Katelyn’s hand, pulling her forward. “Thank you…please come in.” Trying to force a smile to her lips, she followed Eleanor though the entrance foyer into the den, passing a formal living room. The den, in contrast, appeared to have been very much lived in. A plate with leftover pizza sat on the end table and the coffee table contained several half-empty cups and glasses.

Stopping suddenly, Eleanor turned quickly and, with a blush, said, “I’m so sorry. I’m seeing this room through the eyes of a visitor and realize how horrible it looks.”

“It’s fine,” Katelyn said. “In fact, I like to work while I’m talking, so maybe I can help.”

Eleanor gave an embarrassed nod and within a few minutes the two women had rinsed the dirty dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. Giving the kitchen counter a swipe with a clean, wet cloth, Katelyn observed Eleanor standing at the window staring into the back yard. Looking at the same view, Katelyn appreciated the landscaped yard that eventually ended at the dunes and the bay beyond.

“You have a lovely home here,” she said honestly.

Eleanor turned, her eyes blinking with tears, and offered a small smile. “Walter actually enjoyed yard work. We didn’t hire a landscaping company…we did it all ourselves.” Swallowing deeply, tears filled her eyes once more.

Pulling her into a hug, Katelyn felt Eleanor’s shoulders quake with silent sobs. Not speaking, but hoping to simply offer comfort, she stood for several minutes until Eleanor took a shuddering breath before lifting her face.

“I feel so guilty,” Eleanor admitted.

“Let’s go sit and talk a bit,” Katelyn suggested.

Once settled in the den, Eleanor said, “I thought the worst I was going to find out was that he had run off with another woman. I never…never…”

“Have the police told you anything?” Katelyn asked.

“Not much. I know they said that it appeared he had been brought to the golf course by boat…from the bay and then up into one of the many inlets around the courses.”

Katelyn immediately tried to envision where Walter’s body could have come from…and when…but without more information, her imaginings were halted. Reaching, out, she grasped Eleanor’s hand. “Do you have relatives who are coming? What can I do?”

Sighing, Eleanor replied, “I’ve got family coming in this afternoon. I can’t plan the funeral until the police release his…his...”

“I understand,” Katelyn rushed to say.

“Walter’s mother is still living and he has a brother. They’ll come when I have the arrangements made.”

“What can I do to help?”

Eleanor focused on Katelyn, shaking her head. “Oh, my dear, just being here is a help. And the cleaning you just did…it’s more than enough.”

As she walked Katelyn to the door, she said, “Will you and Mr. Harrison continue to find out what happened to Walter?”

Katelyn hesitated before answering. “Uh, well, it’s a police matter now, Eleanor. We’ll turn over our information to them for their investigation.”

“Oh,” Eleanor replied, her voice low. “I thought…well, I really hoped…”

“I’ll talk to Mr. Harrison and if the police would still like our assistance, then we’ll be more than happy to work with them.”

Eleanor’s face lifted for the first time that morning as she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please. I feel like a horrible wife, accusing my husband when he was actually…uh…” wiping her eyes hastily, “well, it would make me feel better if you kept working on finding out what happened.”

Squeezing her hand, Katelyn cautioned, “Eleanor, what we find might not make you happier.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Eleanor nodded. “I understand what you’re saying. You might find that he was having an affair. But I still want to know, and I think if he was, it might be tied to his death.”

With a final nod, Katelyn turned and slid into her car. Driving back to the office, she wondered what they would find…and if it really would give Eleanor peace.