Pushing him is only going to ramp up the tension in my vehicle, so I opt to let it go.Raising teenagers is like walking a minefield on a day-to-day basis.
I feel a little guilty at the relieved breath escaping me a few minutes later, when he darts out the passenger side door without a word, the moment I stop in front of his school.
Despite the coffee I had at home, I already feel like I need a damn nap.It’s been another restless night, constant worry about Remi keeping me awake, so the moment I walk into the station, I make a beeline for the dark sludge passing for coffee in the kitchen.It doesn’t taste great, but it sure packs the kind of punch I need this morning.
Brenda, the sheriff department’s office manager, is just coming out.
“Mornin’,” she returns my mumbled greeting as she cocks her thumb over her shoulder.“Fresh pot in there.”
“Bless your heart.”
I slip past her and inhale the fumes as I grab one of the department mugs off the shelf and fill it.I take my first sip before I turn around to find Brenda leaning against the doorway, her head tilted to one side as she scrutinizes me.
“Tough morning?”
Instantly my hand goes to my hair, which is already escaping the messy knot I turned it into after my shower.
“Is it that obvious?”
She grins.“You forget, I’ve got a couple of boys too.I recognize the look of exasperation on your face.Pretty sure I’ve worn that same expression from time to time.”
That’s right, I knew she had boys.I’ve been preoccupied getting us settled in, the boys ready for school, and myself up to speed at work, I haven’t really had the time to connect with people on a more personal level.Maybe that’s what I need for a better balance in my life.
“Exasperation, huh?Guess that describes my state pretty accurately this morning,” I return.“Any tips or suggestions are welcome; maybe over drinks some time?”
“Friday night my husband is taking the boys to Spokane to see the new Marvel movie on the big screen.Why don’t you pop by?I’ve got a fully stocked bar,” she adds with a wink.
“Sounds tempting,” I admit.“Let me check in with my hoodlums to see what they have going on that night.”
“Yeah, of course.See if it works.”
She starts walking away before she stops and turns.
“Oh, before I forget, I sent a copy of the forensics report you were waiting for to your email.It must’ve come in late last night.”
Finally.
About two weeks ago, a local hunter stumbled on to what looked to be a brand-new Ford Mustang abandoned on one of the old logging roads heading up Black Mountain.The vehicle had been deliberately covered with brush—clearly intended to hide it from view.When the hunter peered inside the window and noticed the passenger seat covered in blood, he immediately contacted us.
Judging from the sheer volume of blood, it looked like someone bled out in that vehicle, but we found no evidence of a body, just a few smeared prints on the inside of the door.A VIN search on the Mustang came back to a stolen vehicle from the upscale Spokane neighborhood of Rockwood.A blood test confirmed the blood to be human, but who it might have belonged to, as well as the whereabouts of the victim, has remained a mystery.
Hoping the forensics report will give me some guidance on this damn case I’ve been spinning my wheels on these past weeks, I rush to my desk.
Clem
“Go home,Kyle.I’ll finish it up.”
As glad as I am the new, young mechanic I hired on after reopening the garage does not seem averse to working longer hours, it’s already been a long-ass day and I’m fucking starving.
“You sure?”the scrawny, redheaded kid asks, poking his head out from under the hood of the Infinity he’s working on.
“Yep.Get out of here, it’s Friday night.I’ll see you in the morning.”
Tomorrow will be a busy day, but Manuel should be back, so there will be three of us to tackle the work.Manuel had a rare few days off to visit his ailing mother.One of only a few times he asked for time off since he started working for me over ten years ago.
Anyway, we’ll be at full strength tomorrow and should hopefully be able to clear out the back lot before next week.
I follow Kyle to the front and lower the massive bay door behind him, locking myself in for the night.
