Page 44 of The Whispering Girls
“If you would like for us to come back tomorrow we can. You need your rest.”
He shook his head. “No, we can talk.”
“I haven’t seen Officer Clark yet.”
He shook his head again. “Talked to him earlier.”
“Are you feeling better?” said Katie.
He nodded. “They gave me something to sleep.”
Katie pulled up a chair next to the bed. She glanced at McGaven, who still stood in the doorway giving them some space.
“I see,” she said. Looking around the room, everything seemed the way it should be. “Do you need anything?”
Chief Cooper grabbed her hand. “Thank you.”
Katie wasn’t sure what he meant.
“You and your partner have been gracious to take these cases. We…we…wouldn’t have been able to handle on our own…” He paused.
As Katie studied the chief, he appeared so much different than the first time they had met. Then, he was tall, commanding, and had a firm handshake. He had made it clear he was in charge and it was his town. Now, he looked thirty years older and weaker.
“We’re honored to be here to help in any way we can,” she said. “Is there anyone we can call for you? Or bring here?”
The chief squeezed her hand again. “No. Wife gone. No children.”
“Okay.”
“You need to look past people who don’t know Theresa or the other victim.”
She tried to figure out what he was trying to tell her. “Where should we look?”
His eyes closed for a couple of seconds and then fluttered open again. His pupils were dilated, indicating the sleeping pills or whatever medication he was given was working and most likely wouldn’t wear off for several hours. “Back at the…beginning…”
“Chief, we’ll come back in the morning and bring you some breakfast from the Sunrise Café.” She watched him focus on her. “Okay?”
“Be careful. Only investigate and interview when you are both together…” He slurred the last part.
Katie stood up and returned the chair. “Get some rest. We’ll see you in the morning.” She watched the chief fall back to sleep peacefully as the monitors kept in sync.
She met up with McGaven and they walked down the hallway.
“What’s going on?” he said.
“I’m not sure, but they’ve given him sedatives to sleep.”
“I could only hear part of what he was saying.”
“He…he warned us to be careful and to stay together.”
“Did he say why?”
“No. But he did say to go back to the beginning. And to look past people who don’t know Theresa or TJ.”
McGaven didn’t immediately answer.
Katie stopped walking.
