Page 6 of A Deeper Darkness

Rote.

Eddie was dead.

Now they were all dead.

She managed to draw a breath.

You are normal. Nominal. Capable.

She resisted the urge to go to the sink and wash.

“Oh, God, Eleanor. How?”

“He was murdered, Sam. A carjacking, at the Navy Yard.”

“But he was always so careful….” The Donovan she knew was careful. Perhaps the latter Donovan wasn’t. Maybe he was careless, and took chances he shouldn’t have.

“Hewascareful. Susan, his wife, said he’d gotten called to work. But it was a safe area. Hasn’t had a shooting in years. He was shot in the head.”

Eleanor broke off with a sob.

“Eleanor…”

Sam heard a ragged breath, realized she was holding her own.

Oh, Donovan. What happened?

“I’m okay. It’s been a horrible couple of days, but I’m managing. I always knew this could happen when he was overseas. I never expected it once he was home safe. But, Sam, I have a favor to ask. I will understand completely if you say no. I can’t imagine it would be an easy thing.”

“What do you need, Eleanor? You know I’ll do anything I can.”

The older woman sighed, and spoke softly, as if imparting a terrible secret.

“I need you to come up here and redo his autopsy. I don’t believe the police are telling me the whole truth about what happened to my boy.”

Chapter Four

Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. Samantha Owens

Sam was surprised by how clinical her own voice sounded.

“I’m sure the medical examiner did everything right, Eleanor. The police in D.C., too—they see this all the time. I could look over the report—”

“No. Sam, listen to me. The police are saying this was a random shooting. They have no suspects. They aren’t closing the investigation, but they practically told me that finding his killer is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I don’t believe that, not for a second. Eddie was working on something. He was withdrawn, quiet, distracted. I don’t believe he was gunned down by some random drug dealer. I think he was deliberately ambushed and murdered.”

Sam sat at the kitchen table, her scotch forgotten on the counter.

“Eleanor. You have no proof. You can request a second autopsy from a private pathologist—that’s your right. But think about what you’re saying.”

“Think about whatyou’resaying, Sam. How could you even doubt me? That man was as edgy as a newborn foal. He was always on alert—that’s what made him such a good soldier. He saved too many lives to count because of that nervous edge. I can’t believe for a second that he’d let his guard down. He never has. The war changed him, Sam. He wasn’t the same man you knew.”

Eleanor’s voice softened. “If you can’t do it because of what happened, I truly understand. But something isn’t right here. Eddie was so aware, soon,all the time. I can’t imagine he’d allow himself to be ambushed by a thug.”

She’s right, Sam. You know that. Donovan was the cautious one. He was the one who held back when you were willing to plunge headlong off the cliff with him, run away and forget the world. He held back.

And now he was dead.