Page 11 of The Catcher
“They can only suspend you for thirty days without pay for an offense,” Declan elaborated. “And since his offense was a bit of a he-said, he-said scenario, all they have on him is the destruction of a camera in the interview room.”
“But I heard you were there,” Callie interjected, recalling the rumors that had circulated about Declan’s involvement.
“Was I?” Declan replied coyly, a mischievous glint in his eye.
She grinned at his response. “Look,” he continued, “Sutherland and I didn’t see eye to eye when I arrived. I made some foolish decisions. Egotistical, he would say. However, he had my back when he could have thrown me under the bus. I figured the least I could do was the same.”
“That’s admirable,” Callie acknowledged, impressed by Declan’s loyalty.
“I like to think so,” Declan replied with a grin before it faded. “Is that the victim?” he asked, nodding towards the body.
“Yeah. A damn shame. Just a teen,” Callie replied somberly.
“You mind if I...” Declan began, seeking her permission to approach the scene.
“Knock your socks off. I’m just waiting to hear back on some information,” Callie replied, grateful for the opportunity to work alongside someone who showed genuine respect for her involvement after dealing with that arrogant prick from DEC.
As Jake busied himself with the radio, Callie’s curiosity led her to the area Jake had indicated as the rough location where the couple had reported smelling the body. With each step, the forest floor crunched softly beneath her boots.
Her keen eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in the scattered footprints and the tangled undergrowth. Amidst the natural debris, she spotted a small object camouflaged against the forest floor, just a few feet from a tree. Callie’s heart quickened as she approached.
Crouching down, she reached out and carefully retrieved the object, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation. It was a container, nondescript in appearance but undoubtedly significant. Glancing over her shoulder to ensure Jake wasn’t watching, she opened it, her breath catching in her throat as she peered inside.
“Ah, I see you found it,” Jake’s voice broke through the stillness, his footsteps approaching from behind.
Callie glanced up at him briefly before returning her attention to the container. She sifted through the items inside, her fingers grazing over each one as she searched for clues. Nestled among the trinkets and knickknacks, she spotted it — a lock of blonde hair shimmering faintly in the dappled sunlight.
“Hey, uh, Jake,” Callie interrupted, her voice low with urgency. “Do we have a description of the Matthews girl?”
“Yeah, blonde, green eyes, roughly five foot nine, was last seen...” Jake began to reply, his words trailing off as Callie held up the lock of hair for him to see.
“Do you think this is hers?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she awaited his response.
3
Noah sat inside the small fishing boat moored at the end of the long wooden dock, his fingers wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. The boat belonged to his only neighbor, Ed Baxter, a retired handyman who often spent his days tinkering with various projects. Noah had offered to lend a hand with some repairs, finding solace in the simple act of manual labor.
“Hand me the hammer,” Ed asked.
He passed it to him.
That morning the fall air was crisp and cool, and a light mist was hanging over the surface of High Peaks Lake, veiling the three islands covered by forest.
Noah and Ed were bundled up against the chill, their breath visible as they worked.
“Where was I?” Ed asked.
“The camera I smashed.”
“Yeah, big deal. It’s not like they don’t have another ten out back. That asshole was lucky you didn’t crack him withit. No, the problem is this generation,” Ed remarked, his voice gruff with frustration as he hammered a loose nail back into place. “They’ve got no backbone. They get offended by everything. They want their cake, and they want to eat it too.”
“And how does that apply to my situation?”
“Well, the way I see it, if they can your ass, good riddance to them. They’d probably be doing you a favor.”
“How so?”
“Wakey, wakey, Noah, look around you. We live in the land of tourism. This town is a goldmine that draws in over a million a year. Spring, summer, fall, winter, we’ve got it all.”
