When they reached the parking lot across the road from the entrance to Three Sisters Islands Cad could see an overabundance of police vehicles. This must be big, thought Cad as he parked the car. He and Angie made their way to the foot-bridge that crosses over to the first of the tiny islands that make up the Three Sisters.
Bob stood looking at them as they approached, his hands jammed in the pockets of his sport coat. When they walked up to him it was Angie who spoke first.
“Hey Bob, how’ve you been while we were away?” then gave him a hug and a small peck on the cheek.
“Until this morning I was just fine, but now not so good.”
Cad asked, “What’s going on, did someone go in the river from here?”
“I wish it were that simple, but I don’t get calls from the mayor every time someone decides to swim the Falls. Do you two know who the DuBerry sisters are?”
“Sure,” said Angie. “They inherited the DuBerry Chemical fortune when their father died a couple of years ago.”
“Yeah, that’s right. The old man left everything to them and they have tried since then to keep a low profile in that big mansion on Mountain View Drive.”
“Okay, but what does all of that have to do with why you called us here?” said Cad.
“Did you happen to bring your camera gear with you?” asked Bob.
“Silly boy, he always has his cameras with him. They’re in the trunk of his car,” said Angie.
“Cad, I’m going to need you to go get one and then I’ll show you what this is all about.”
Cad shrugged, then trotted over to his car and opened the trunk. He grabbed a camera case, slung it over his shoulder, and then hurried back to Angie and Bob. Bob then turned and led them across the foot bridge to the first island. He walked off the path and into the trees near the water. There, lying on a large flat boulder was a woman dressed in a white wedding gown with her hands resting on her stomach, holding a bouquet of white lilies.
Cad and Angie stood in stunned silence staring at the woman and then turned to look at each other. Cad said, “I’m assuming since you were asking about the DuBerry sisters that this is one of them.”
“That would be a correct assumption,” said Bob. “I’m going to need you to do what you do best, photograph anything you see which may help us in this investigation.”
“Well, I guess that would explain why you gave me this,” said Cad as he flicked the badge that was clipped to his shirt.
“You are two for two,” said Bob.
Angie broke into the conversation and asked, “Which of the three sisters is this?”
“We don’t know yet and it really doesn’t matter at this point,” replied Bob.
“What do you mean it doesn’t matter,” said Angie with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“Just bear with me Angie, it will become clear to you real soon,” said Bob, and then sighed as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Cad slipped a flash unit on top of his camera for fill light. He circled the area taking photographs of the body from different angles then rejoined Angie and Bob by the footpath.
“Is there anything else you need me to shoot?”
“You have no idea,” said Bob as he made his way towards the bridge to the second island with Cad and Angie close behind. Cad looked at Angie with an expression that asked if she had any idea what was going on. She just looked at him and shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.
When they crossed the second bridge they went half-way up the path then turned to an area that dropped down into a slight depression and immediately saw the body. It was the same woman, or looked like the same woman, dressed in the same gown, holding the same flowers.
Cad looked back over his shoulder towards the first island then turned to face the body below him.
“Bob, I don’t like where this is going. Is this another of the DuBerry sisters?”
“I’m afraid it is,” replied Bob.
Cad looked then towards the third island and asked, “Are we going to find the third sister over there?” pointing in that direction.
“Bingo,” said Bob. “Now you know why I have the mayor calling me every fifteen minutes. My captain and the chief are trying to keep him off my back but he’s getting a lot of heat also.”
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