Page 11 of If She Remembered
As they walked back to their car, Kate reflected on what they'd learned.Dr.Chen's perspective on Carol's situation was certainly relevant, but it also revealed potential biases that might have influenced her treatment approach.The information about the support group was particularly intriguing and might warrant further investigation.Then again, she knew they’d find the same hurdles with such a group—confidentiality and going on nothing more than the vague opinions of others.
"What did you think of her?"DeMarco asked as they reached the car.
"Professional, knowledgeable, but maybe a little too attached to her theoretical framework," Kate replied."A little cold, really.”
“Yeah.I thought so, too.Sort of frigid.”
“It gave us a decent peek into Carol’s life, though,” Kate added.“And it also gives us something of a clue to look into.”
“The support groups?”DeMarco asked.
“Maybe.”
But even then, both women knew it was a flimsy lead at best."Well, Kate… I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but you may as well go home.It's already 3:30, and let's face it… this case isn't going to be exciting enough to warrant pulling you away from your family."
Honestly, Kate felt the same way.But it was agony to think about walking away from a case with so many unanswered questions.But DeMarco was right.This wasn’t going to be a brain-buster at all.She should get back to her family and prove to Allen that shecouldbalance these two parts of her life.
“Yeah, I agree with that,” she said as they got into the car.“You mind taking me my car?And just be sure to keep me posted.I’d still like to know how it all turns out.”
“Yeah, of course.”
DeMarco started the car and pulled out into the afternoon traffic, light and not yet affected by the rush hour lag.Kate could already feel the sting of disappointment—of walking away from a case without officially solving it.But she knew it might very well also be the best way to force herself to walk away from a career that had somehow called her back after so long.
CHAPTER SIX
Kate pulled into her driveway just before 5:00, and when she stepped out of the car, she could smell something grilling from the backyard.Allen had apparently already gotten a start on dinner.The smell of it dismissed any lingering doubts she'd had about going home to a family meal instead of sticking it out at the field office with DeMarco.
As she entered through the front door, the savory smell of grilling chicken greeted her, along with the sound of Michael's cheerful babbling from the living room.Allen appeared in the hallway, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel and wearing the casual jeans and polo shirt he'd changed into after work.
"Perfect timing," he said, kissing her cheek."I just put the chicken on the grill.How was your day?"
"Interesting," Kate replied, setting down her purse and taking a moment to appreciate the domestic normalcy around her."How was yours?And how's our little guy been?"
"Good day at the office, no major crises.Michael's been an angel, though he insisted on helping me make his lunch earlier.Half the peanut butter ended up on the counter instead of the sandwich."
Kate smiled, feeling some of the day's tension begin to ease.She walked into the living room where Michael sat cross-legged on the carpet, completely absorbed in a coloring book.His tongue stuck out slightly in concentration as he carefully applied a blue crayon to what appeared to be a drawing of a dog in a field of flowers.
"Hi, sweetheart," Kate said, kneeling down beside him."What are you coloring?"
"Doggy!"Michael announced proudly, holding up the book to show her his work.The blue scribbles went well outside the lines, but his enthusiasm was infectious.
"That's a beautiful blue doggy," Kate said, ruffling his hair."Are you being good for Daddy?"
Michael nodded vigorously and returned to his coloring with renewed focus.Kate watched him for a moment, marveling at his ability to find complete contentment in such simple activities.She wondered how much longer before the obsession with screen would begin—something she’d read a ton about the moment he was born.
"Come help me with the salad," Allen called from the kitchen."I've got everything chopped, but I could use an extra pair of hands while I deal with the chicken."
Kate joined Allen in the kitchen, where he'd laid out an impressive array of salad ingredients on the counter.Cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, mixed greens, and chunks of fresh mozzarella were arranged in separate bowls, ready to be assembled.
"This looks wonderful," Kate said, reaching for the salad bowl."You've been busy."
"I figured after a day of investigating, you might appreciate something fresh and light."Allen moved to the sliding door that led to their small backyard patio, where their grill was sending up aromatic smoke."Chicken should be ready in about ten minutes."
Kate began assembling the salad, enjoying the meditative process of combining the colorful ingredients.The normalcy of the task was a welcome contrast to the day's more serious concerns about Carol Bennett's death and Jake's situation… though they still lurked at the back of her mind.
"So tell me about this case," Allen said, returning from checking the grill."You said it was local, which seemed promising for keeping you close to home."
"It is local, which is nice," Kate replied, tossing the salad ingredients together."But it's turning out to be a bit of a dud."
