Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
Katie broke the speed limits as she made her way back to the Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department.
She quickly retrieved her laptop and files before leaving again in her Jeep.
It was beginning to get late and she decided staying at her uncle’s condo in case he came home would be best. She picked up Cisco and a few personal items and headed to the country club.
Her heart hoped her uncle would call her and it would all be a misunderstanding—a nightmare that wasn’t true.
Katie finally entered the condo. Cisco rushed in and was happily wagging his tail, looking from room to room for her uncle.
Katie was cautious as she stood at the entry, but everything looked the same and no one had been there since her previous visit.
She locked the door and put her stuff down on the kitchen counter and in the living room.
Her wet muddy clothes were in a bag. Exhausted and tired, she sat down on the sofa and Cisco joined her. He seemed interested in the bag.
“Yeah, you smell all that mud and water,” she said, petting the big dog. Her shoulder ached as well as her head. She realized she hadn’t eaten all day. Getting up slowly, she went to her uncle’s fridge. There were leftovers and some mixed-up chicken salad.
Katie opted for a chicken-salad sandwich and some fruit. Her phone buzzed. She was surprised it worked, but it must’ve dried out enough. There was a text from McGaven reminding her to rest and not investigate by herself. Partially chuckling, she responded that she was at her uncle’s condo.
Katie put the phone down on the counter and munched on her sandwich. She decided she’d look around, hoping it might give a clue as to where Uncle Wayne and Sydney had been going and perhaps why.
The kitchen had been cleaned up and there were no dishes in the sink.
There were two wine glasses set aside that hadn’t been put away yet.
She walked slowly through the rooms, taking notice of anything that seemed out of place—but everything seemed normal.
She did find some brochures about historic places, restaurants, and events in California, but there was nothing indicating where her uncle and Sydney had gone.
Frustrated and feeling helpless, she knew she had to wait—for the investigation at Griffin’s trailer and to hear from her uncle.
She decided to go through case paperwork.
It didn’t take long until her body crashed from the high adrenalin experience that day. Soon, Katie was asleep.
Katie had been deeply asleep on the sofa with a blanket and Cisco when there was a loud thump at the back door around midnight.
She sat up immediately. The room was dark.
She had forgotten to leave a light on. Slowly getting to her feet, she waited a moment for her eyes to adjust. There were lights on outside that helped the transition inside.
She picked up her Glock and slowly moved to the back door.
There was a thump again as the door handle jiggled. It definitely hadn’t been a sound from her dreams.
Katie waited another couple of seconds. “Who’s there?”
There was a silence. Cisco stayed close to Katie’s left leg.
“Katie?”
She pulled back the curtain. There was a tall man standing outside. Her uncle.
“Uncle Wayne…” Katie flung open the door. Her uncle stood there with a surprised look on his face, carrying an overnight bag. “Katie, what are you doing here?”
With overwhelming relief, Katie rushed her uncle and threw her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
“Of course I’m all right,” he said, looking slightly confused.
Katie walked into the kitchen and living room, turning on several lights.
The sheriff down put his overnight bag and looked at Katie. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”
“What’s happened?” he said. “Is McGaven okay? John?”
“Yes, we’re all okay, but…”
Her uncle’s demeanor turned more authoritative and rigid.
It was the official-police-officer way he became when dealing with serious situations.
His eyes became darker and more intense.
He was definitely ready to lead if he had to.
He was a true leader and he cared about people, especially the men and women of the department.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” she said.
“I had issues with it and I’m going to have to replace it. I got a throwaway one to check in with the department. And…”
“I thought you were coming home yesterday?” she said.
“We were, but I had trouble with my vehicle, so Sydney rented a car so she would be back for a meeting this morning.”
So somehow after Sydney had left she ran into someone who marked her for death…
“Katie, what’s going on?”
She sat down with her uncle and told him everything that happened by first stating that she and McGaven had been checking out Ian Griffin Jr.’s last known address.
She explained about the trailer ending up in the stream below and then finding the body of a woman who had ID in her purse saying she was Sydney Butler.
Preliminary examinations indicated it was indeed her.
While Katie was explaining all this, her uncle never interrupted her and he didn’t seem to react on hearing it was Sydney’s body that had been found. Katie remained quiet, waiting for him to say something.
The sheriff stood up, ran his hand through his military cut. It was the first time he’d showed some emotion.
“We’ll know more when the body is at the medical examiner’s office,” she said.
He nodded. “I knew there were some things not right…”
Katie had not expected this type of response.
“At first, I thought it was just cop suspicion, but it was more. She was too interested in my cases and especially your recent one.”
“About the Collinses’ bodies?”
He nodded.
“Is she related somehow—maybe family or a friend?”
“I don’t know. But I always had an uneasy feeling. I kept trying to ignore it, but—
I mean, she was beautiful, intelligent, and we had fun. What would a woman like that want with me?”
“Any woman would be lucky to have you,” Katie said. “But maybe you sensed some deception?”
“Maybe.” He looked at Katie with love and hugged her. “I’m so thankful you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. A little sore.” She tried to brush it off. The truth was she was really sore and would need more than aspirin to sleep through the night.
“I guess I better check in and let everyone know I’m here,” he said, looking sad.
“Uncle Wayne?”
He turned to face her.
“I really think you should come stay with me.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“We still don’t know what’s going on in these cases and now your friend is dead.
We have to get to the bottom of things. Please…
come stay with me and Cisco—at least for a few days.
The guest room is all made up and ready.
I have more security than you have here.
I know it’s late, but grab some things and let’s go. ”
The sheriff thought about it. “I’m too tired to argue. Let me pack quickly.”
Katie and the sheriff made the appropriate calls, even though it was late, as there were things that had to be organized. Then they headed back to Katie’s house with Cisco.
Katie made sure her uncle was safe and sleeping in the guest room.
She knew he would fill her in on more details of Sydney in the morning.
Cisco was tired from all the commotion and was also asleep in his favorite chair in Katie’s bedroom.
But Katie couldn’t sleep. She went outside with a blanket and sat on the porch swing.
It was chilly but the rain was gone. The events of the day seemed like a distant memory.
She and McGaven were meeting at the office in the morning to continue the investigation. Her thoughts were of the case. The shocking revelation of Sydney being a part of it seemed incredible, but she had to be. They had to find out who she really was and who or what she knew.
Katie got up and walked the perimeter of her backyard, making sure the fence, gate, and cameras were all how they should be.
She went to the little gate that opened into the back property acreage.
Something shiny caught her eye. Upon closer inspection, it was a chain with military dog tags, identification, belonging to Raymond Young.
She knew it was left there on purpose and ascertained that when she took the dog tags it meant she wanted to talk to him.
A primitive but effective form of communication, but it meant there was something else he needed to tell her.
At least she now knew he was home in his cabin and was hopefully doing okay.
She smiled and unhooked the chain, clutching it in her hand. There was a slight crack of a tree limb and it made her instantly think Buck was near. It helped add a sense of greater security and made her feel better. She headed back inside the house to get some sleep.
Katie knew there was still more to the Young brothers’ story to discover. She wished they’d stop holding back what it was. It had to be a big secret that still bonded them together. And perhaps it would help her finally solve this case.