Page 13 of The Whispering Girls
“Ugh…” Katie moved quickly to the kitchen area in her drenched socks and could see there was water coming from under the sink. She flung open the lower cabinet doors.
The pipes had burst.
SEVEN
Wednesday 0645 hours
Katie loaded her Jeep with her things and planned on having a nice big breakfast in town while figuring out what to do. She wasn’t sure if she should just return to Pine Valley or try to find somewhere else to stay nearby.
Katie had spoken with the cabin owners and they’d extended their apologies. There would be a maintenance crew coming in to take care of the house and the pipes, but unfortunately for Katie they wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon.
After locking the cabin door and leaving the key where instructed, Katie climbed into her Jeep. She paused a moment, staring at the cabin and then glancing around. The crime scene was still very much on her mind and the victim was still as disturbing to her as it had been the day before.
Cisco poked his head at her.
“All right, let’s go…”
Katie drove into town where there was a diner, the Sunrise Café, which had a large neon “open” sign in the window. Shepulled up next to several trucks and other vehicles. It appeared to be a popular morning place. She found a table by the window where she could keep an eye on her Jeep and Cisco, who was snoozing on a blanket on the back seat. She ordered a large coffee and the special “farmer’s breakfast,” which was a little bit of everything. Still feeling the chill throughout her body, she welcomed the hot coffee.
Looking around while waiting for her food, Katie noticed that several patrons stared at her. She wondered if she looked that out of place or if they just wondered who she was and why she was alone. She politely smiled back.
Katie decided to scroll through her phone to find any nearby vacation rentals but there were only small motels. It looked like she was going back to Pine Valley. She didn’t mind, but she did feel in a way that she was ignoring the homicide—it was a crucial phase of the investigation. Why did the victim look so much like the person who had found her? That haunted her. The images, crime scene, and investigation kept pulling her back in—it was who she was. But there was nothing she could do and it seemed the decision to leave Echo Forest had already been made for her.
The diner’s door opened, and Jack and a police officer Katie hadn’t seen before entered. A rush of cold air whipped through the diner. Jack immediately saw Katie. He walked over to her as she scrolled for other accommodations.
“Good morning,” he said.
Katie looked up and saw Jack with a big smile on his face. “I suppose it’s a good morning,” she said.
“Katie, this is Officer Bobby Clark.”
“Nice to meet you, Officer Clark,” she said.
“Ma’am,” he said and nodded. The officer went to get a couple of coffees to go. He had short dark hair and a well-trimmed beard, which was the opposite of his fellow officer from the crime scene.
“Aren’t you up bright and early for someone on vacation?” Jack asked.
“Not by choice.”
Jack frowned. “Everything okay?”
“My cabin’s pipes burst this morning.”
“Oh, no.”
“I’m contemplating whether to drive home to Pine Valley or to try to find a place to stay nearby.”
“Any prospects?” he said.
“Unfortunately not.” She put down her phone. “You both are welcome to join me.” Glancing around the diner, she thought it might keep people from staring if she was with the town’s vet and one of its police officers.
Officer Clark returned with a large coffee in hand. “Catch you later,” he said to Jack. “Nice to meet you,” he said to Katie. The officer left.
Jack pulled out a chair. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“No, please sit down.”
The waitress approached the table with Katie’s breakfast. Katie began to dig in immediately. She was hungry and figured the food would help give her the strength she needed today. Plus it was delicious.
