Page 26 of The Killing Plains

“Grandma, you promised you’d be on time. Youpromised.” Satchel was crying again, though he’d stopped in the nurse’s station.

“I know, bud. It won’t happen again.” She stood and zipped his pack.

“Yes, it will.”

Colly didn’t respond. He was right. It was impossible to shield family from the effects of police work. She hadn’t even been able to keep hers alive.

“How was school today?”

Satchel sniffled. “The other kids stared at me.”

“Because you’re new.”

“Because I’m weird.”

Colly laid a hand on his shoulder. “C’mon, buddy. Let’s go.”

When they reached the cruiser, Satchel’s eyes widened. “Where’s our car?”

“We have to run an errand—then we’ll get our car and go home.”

Still sniffling, Satchel climbed uncertainly into the back seat but froze when he saw the young patrolwoman behind the wheel. Avery had been smoking, and though she’d rolled down the window, the car reeked of cigarettes. Colly was annoyed.

“Satchel, this is Avery. She’s helping with my investigation.”

Avery gave Satchel a curt nod through the partition. “Hey, dude.”

Satchel stared. “Your hair’s purple.”

“Yeah, well, your hat’s weird. I guess we’re even.”

Colly chewed angrily on her lip as she helped Satchel buckle his seatbelt. She hadn’t expected Avery to be good with children, but was it too much to ask for her not to make him cry again when he was just calming down?

To Colly’s surprise, however, Satchel wiped his nose on his sleeve and regarded Avery with interest. “I have to wear it for my solar urticaria.” He enunciated carefully, proud of the term.

“Cool.” Avery started the car.

Satchel looked pleased but was fighting not to show it.I’ll be damned, Colly thought, closing the rear door.

As they drove through town, her phone rang. “Hey, Russ, you at the site? I had to get Satchel, but we’re heading back.”

“Yeah, I’m here. Where’s this baseball cap you were talking about?”

“Behind the fireworks stand. It’s half-buried, but we trampled the grass pretty well. Shouldn’t be hard to find.”

“There’s trampled grass, all right. But that’s all. You’d better get here fast.” He hung up.

Why can’t men see what’s right in front of their noses?Colly wondered irritably. Randy had been maddening about it, always staring into the fridge, bellowing “There’s no mustard!” in a vaguely aggrieved and accusatory tone.

Colly glanced at Avery. “Let’s go. Hit it.”

Avery flicked a switch, and the siren wailed. From the back seat, Colly heard Satchel gasp with delight.

A short while later, they sped past the salvage yard and Digby’s Automotive, pulling to a stop behind Russ’s SUV, which was parked on the edge of the road near the fireworks stand.

“Wait in the car, Satchel.”

“It’ll be hot.”

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