closer look. “I’m no expert, but I think this is old.”
“We’ve had some storms here lately. Maybe the shifting sands led to an old grave being uncovered,” Blaine said.
“Hence the name Cemetery Island?” I questioned as another strong wind swept around me.
“Bird’s Nest Island has a much better ring to it, doesn’t it?” Blaine said with a weak laugh. “The birds love this place.”
So do dead people, apparently.
I tried to sound more clueless than I actually was as I responded. “I think in situations like these, you’re supposed to call the medical examiner. He or she will come to investigate. No one should touch these in the meantime.”
Riley chuckled and put his free arm around my shoulders. “That’s my wife. Always reading mystery novels. She sounds like she’s done this before, doesn’t she?”
I cringed and removed his arm. I was just playing a role, I told myself. It had nothing to do with how my body responded to him. How every part of me seemed to come alive.
But the real issue right now was that I needed to act more clueless and less like a former medical legal death investigator.
“I’ll call the sheriff and get someone to come out,” Blaine said, her face pale. “That sounds like a good idea.”
“I’ll get Angelina somewhere she can sit down,” Riley said. “Gabby, will you be okay out here?”
I nodded, practically wanting to do cartwheels. Nothing sounded better than being alone with this skeleton for a few minutes. “Yes. Someone should stay with these bones.”
I glanced in the distance as they lumbered down the trail. A large stone building appeared out of the fog. It almost looked like a castle: imposing, eerie, with walls that could tell tales of days from the past.
But I wasn’t nearly as interested in the building as I was this hand. I desperately wanted to brush away the granules of sand and see what else I could find. But instead of disturbing the scene, I simply leaned in closer.
There was nothing left on the bones, which indicated they had been there for a while. The phalanges almost looked brittle as they reached from the ground. They were dry and yellow with age.
At once, I wondered what had happened to this person. Had he or she received a decent burial that had somehow been unearthed? Or was this person left here by someone who didn’t want to be discovered? Just what kind of secrets did this island hold?
“I was told to come out here and relieve you.”
I jumped at the gruff voice. When I looked up, I saw a man I hadn’t met before. He wore a black outfit, the kind chefs wore on cooking shows, and had chin-length dark hair that had been heavily gelled away from his face. He was probably in his mid-twenties. The nasty-looking scar across his cheek made me wonder about his history.
I quickly stood and brushed the sand from my jeans. Play it cool, Gabby. Play it cool. “I don’t mind staying.”
The man stared at me, his eyes absent of any emotion. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a guest here. You should go get comfortable. I’ll wait for the authorities to arrive.”
I offered my hand, trying to buy some more time. “I’m Gabby.”
He didn’t extend his hand in return. He only nodded and crossed his arms. “I’m Steve.” He barely moved his lips as he said his name.
“I really don’t mind staying. You look like you have other things you need to be doing.” I pointed to his uniform. “Kitcheny types of things.”
“I’m a food artist,” he seethed.
“Of course. I was going to say that next.”
“I was told to do this, so I will.” He said the words with that I’m-an-angry-bird expression.
I wanted to argue, but I knew that would only look suspicious. Any normal guest wouldn’t want to wait here with a dead body. With reluctance, I took one last glance at the hand—the one reaching out for my help—and stepped away.
But the image of those bones wouldn’t leave my thoughts.
CHAPTER 9
As