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“We’re all fine. Jack, she was hit in the head with the hatchet.”

Jack swore very quietly. “When?”

“It must have just happened. We all heard her scream and ran downstairs. I found her in the passage that leads from the library. We think Edwin Dolph is in the house.”

“No.” Jack sounded absolutely certain.

“No?”

“No. Dolph’s body was found late yesterday evening. The current carried it down to the rocks below the lighthouse at Half Moon Bay.”

Ellery could think of nothing to say. Half Moon Bay was all the way on the other side of the island.

Into his silence, Jack added, “It might be better not to share that information.”

“But everyone’s scared out of their wits. I can’t let them go on thinking—”

Jack said austerely, “Not everyone.”

Ellery swallowed. Right. Because if Dolph hadn’t murdered Chelsea, someone—one of Ellery’s oldest friends—had.

Which was absolutely unthinkable.

Jack interrupted these painful reflections. “Ellery, I’m sorry to do this to you, but I need to see the—Chelsea’s body.”

Ellery closed his eyes. Opened them. “Okay.”

“I’m not going to be able to get anybody out there for a few hours. The road to Captain’s Seat is still not passable.”

“Yes. I know.”

“I’m s— Also, you’re going to have to secure the crime scene.”

“Right.”

“But first—”

“Yes.” Ellery continued to the door to the interior passageway.

“I’m going to need photos from as many angles as you can get.” Jack sounded insanely normal, even prosaic. “But be careful where you step and don’t touch anything, don’t move anything.” He added, “Don’tremoveanything, either.”

Ellery understood why Jack might think he needed that extra cautioning, and he did not take offense.

“Mm-hm.”

Feeling more than a little queasy, he took as many photos as he could, until Jack said he thought he had enough.

“Good. You’re doing great.”

Ellery had no response.

“You’re not going to like this,” Jack said. “But I want you to very lightly touch her inner wrist to check for temperature. Do not move her, do not disturb the scene any more than you have to.”

“Yes.” Ellery gritted his teeth, knelt, and delicately touched Chelsea’s upturned wrist. “Sorry,” he murmured, and then jerked his hand back in shock. “She’scool.”

“How cool?” Jack sounded startled.

“N-N-noticeably cool. But itjusthappened.”