Chapter 21

"You are NOT ... you apprehend suspects who may or may not have violated the law ... AS YOU SEE IT." said the Judge. "The LAW is the court ... Judge and Jury. We interpret the intent of the law through the evidence ... if you haven't done your job correctly ... the evidence may not be valid: The Poisoned Tree. Any evidence collected without due process is fruit of that tree and not admissible. Without evidence the case should be dismissed. IDENTIFY YOURSELF TO THE KID ... SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!! You can work it out from there." He turned to Daddy and said, "God ... he is a Bozo!!" (From Chapter 17)

While they were in a face-off ... the Fire Marshal and the Inspector finished their burger and fries at the Antler ... wiped hands on cloth towels ... no paper for the Antler ... and settled back for a smoke.

The Fire Marshal was from Ludington and the Inspector lived in Big Rapids. When the Inspector wasn't involved in Arson investigations, he taught 'Fire Fighting and Safety' at the Institute. His students loved him ... he was often gone.

The Marshal was born and raised in Ludington ... got a job with the fire department and rose through the ranks until he was Chief. He retired and took the job of Area Fire Marshal. The pair were fishing and hunting buddies ... had been for years. The Inspector had permission to hunt all over the northern half of lower Michigan and the Marshal knew all the good spots for muskelunge, northern pike and whitefish.

When they smoked, the Inspector was a pipe man and the Marshal smoked Camels.

"Them sticks are going to be the death of you."

"That pipe stinks."

They laughed and settled down to business. It was arson ... no doubt ... but was it murder, suicide or 'Death by Misadventure?' A fancy term for fuck up.

"We're going to have to wait on the coroner. Did you call him?" That was said one to the other and at the same time.

"No ... I thought you did." They both voiced the opinion. The call was made ... it was long distance.

Oceania County wasn't big enough or had enough doctors to have a resident coroner ... most of the western shore couldn't keep doctors past retirement ... and retired was what most coroners were.

Western Michigan doctors started out thinking they were doing the area a service ... that lasted two winters. By the time a decent doctor had made a pile he hot footed it to sunnier climes. Lake effect snow was no joke ... a man could die out in it ... and some had. No ... Oceania, Mason, Newaygo and Lake counties shared a coroner ... and he lived in Big Rapids.

Things have been known to get really busy for the coroner when the winds of November blow. The Armistice Day storm of 1940 sent a passel of customers for the coroner when three ships went down within sight of the Pentwater breakwater.

The Minch and the Davock settled within a few hundred yards of each other just south and west of the lighthouse and safety while the Novadoc went ashore on Jupiter Beach.