Page 15 of Inside Silence
“Nothing. Silly thoughts. Listen,” I abruptly change the direction of this conversation. “Did you have any luck getting anything more from the tenants at the Sterling’s cabins?”
I’d sent Hugo and KC out there this afternoon to follow up with a few of Wyatt’s neighbors we hadn’t been able to track down yet.
“The guy in cabin four was able to confirm Franklin left around three Friday afternoon. He remembers thinking it was odd the lights never seemed to come on next door that night.”
His chair creaks ominously when he leans back. A reminder we need more than just the ceiling replaced. I don’t think many improvements have been made to the office during my father’s tenure. He never saw the need. But things have slowly been falling apart, and I had been trying to squeeze the budget to find room for a few things—like new office furniture to replace some of the pieces being held together with duct tape—when the ceiling came down. I already had a few items on my wish list, but I may as well throw that out now.
Besides, I have my hands full with more important stuff at the moment.
“Good. Now if only the medical examiner would get back with a time of death so we have a timeline to work with.”
“Nothing yet?”
“No. He’s still waiting for dental records, and the tox screen has to come back before he can put his report together.”
I sigh deeply, frustrated things aren’t moving faster. We have so little to go on, and I’ve already spoken with Franklin Wyatt’s partner several times, working from the assumption he is the victim, just to keep the investigation going, but there hasn’t been a lot I can do anything with at this point.
Jeremy was able to tell me Franklin needed a mental health break and to do some soul-searching, which is why he was in a cabin in the woods by himself. He’d been burning out, working long hours, dealing with employee conflicts, and other bank-related issues that had him questioning whether or not he should just quit. His struggles started having an impact on his personal life, which is why Jeremy suggested he take a short sabbatical to get his head together and figure out what he wanted to do.
Normally, I’d be calling around, questioning a few of his coworkers to see if there was anything there worth looking into, but I can’t do that until his identity is confirmed.
It’s a hurry up and wait situation, which is sadly not uncommon in law enforcement.
“It’s already closing in on six,” Hugo points out. “More than likely you won’t get anything until tomorrow. Why don’t you head home? You’ve been going full steam all weekend.”
He’s not wrong. I’ve only been home to shower and roll into bed for a couple of hours of sleep before returning to the office. There isn’t a whole lot I can do here I can’t do at home, and Lloyd McCormick and Warren Burns are on duty tonight. If anything happens, I’ll get a call.
“Fine,” I concede, getting to my feet.
Hugo follows suit.
“I’ll walk out with you.”
I call a general goodnight to whoever is left in the office as I cross the lobby. Hugo holds open the door for me, and I walk outside, turning right toward the parking lot.
An engine revs as I step off the curb to get to my vehicle, and I snap my head around to see a black F-150 approach at a fair clip from the back of the lot. When the truck slows marginally as it passes by, I notice Jeff Sanchuk behind the wheel, his eyes on me.
“He’s not happy,” Hugo observes behind me.
I snort. “I think that’s an understatement, but he brought this on himself. I’m hoping a good night’s sleep will bring him to the right decision. But either way, he’s gone. I can’t afford loose cannons in my department, which reminds me, I should start looking for a new deputy. I wouldn’t mind a female to cut down on all this testosterone flying around.”
“Do what you gotta do, but in the meantime you may wanna watch your back.”
I turn and toss Hugo a tired smile.
“Yeah, I know.”
Nate
* * *
“These two okay?”
The butcher holds up two thick cut, nicely marbled striploin steaks.
“Perfect.”
I’d planned a stir fry for dinner tonight but in my rush to get out the door this morning, I forgot to get the chicken out of the freezer. Then I had to drive into Spokane this afternoon for more supplies and thanks to an accident just south of Colbert on the way back, I only now got back to town.
