“Luck?” Mo said with a snort. “What’s that?”
* * *
Hattie and Cass stood on the back porch, looking out toward the river. The view, with the exception of the container truck, was now almost unobstructed.
Milt and his driver had successfully managed to extricate the trailer and dumpster from the old septic tank, and now both were standing at the rear of the trailer, looking down into the pit.
“Coastal Construction called. They’re on their way with a Bobcat,” Cass said. “Originally I thought we’d just get them to knock down the rest of the oak tree, but now, I’m thinking maybe we get them to fill in that septic tank. There’s more than enough fill dirt on-site.”
“The sooner the better,” Hattie said. She pointed at the two men, who were now jumping up and down and waving their arms. “What’s with those two?”
“I don’t wanna know,” Cass said. “Can’t be good.”
The younger of the two men met Cass as she was walking down to check. He was breathless and wide-eyed.
“Ma’am? You need to come look. I think there’s a body in y’all’s septic tank.”
43
A Skeleton Crew
“Detective Mak?” Hattie Kavanaugh’s voice sounded frantic. “We just found a skeleton in the backyard.”
Makarawicz stood and walked out of his office. “At the beach house? Where?”
“In the old septic tank out in the backyard.”
“Listen to me, Hattie,” Makarowicz said. “Sit tight. Don’t touch anything. Get your people away from that septic tank. Don’t call anyone and tell them about this. I’m on my way.”
Makarowicz called dispatch and asked for a patrol unit to be dispatched to the house. Then he called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Chatham County coroner’s office to inform them that skeletal remains had been discovered at a residence at 1523 Chatham Avenue.
He hit the rarely used light-and-siren switch on his dashboard and sped toward the Creedmore house.
* * *
Makarowicz shut off the siren as he rounded the corner onto Chatham Avenue. No use drawing the neighbors’ attention to what was probably already a chaotic crime scene. He counted more than a dozen cars and trucks parked in the yard and driveway at the house.
Hattie Kavanaugh met him as soon as he stepped out of his car. Her television makeup was smeared, and she was pale and shaking. Her producer/director was with her.
“You okay?”
“Not really,” she said, her voice wobbly. “I think it’s Lanier, don’t you?”
“Let’s not jump the gun just yet,” he said. “But yeah, I think it’s likely her.”
“What happens now?” Mo Lopez asked. “I went ahead and had our crews clear out of the area, although, you know, we’ve all been tromping around out there for weeks now.”
“I’ve notified the GBI and the coroner’s office, and they’ll dispatch a crew to pick up the remains. There’ll be an autopsy, and then the coroner will make a legal determination on the identity of the remains through dental records and anything else they recover.”
“Have you got contact numbers for all your people who were here when the dumpster fell into the septic tank?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Mo said. “You want me to send them home?”
“First, let’s gather everyone up so I can have a word with ’em,” Mak said. “I’ve got a patrol car coming to keep out sightseers, but until they get here can you send someone up to the street to wave off any busybodies?”
“I’ll send my assistant, Gage,” Mo said. “And I’ll have everyone here in five minutes.”
* * *
The television crew and construction workers gathered around Makarowicz.
“Y’all know we’ve found some skeletal remains here today, and that’s serious business,” he said, his expression stern. “The area around that septic tank is a working crime scene. We don’t know whose body that is, but we’re gonna treat those remains with the utmost respect. And I’d appreciate it if y’all would keep this discovery private until further notice. That means no statements to the press, and nothing, especially photos, on social media. We’ll try to finish gathering evidence as quickly as we can so y’all can get back to work, but please be patient.”
Donnie, one of the carpenters, raised his hand. “Hey, uh, do you think the body is that woman whose wallet we found?”