Roger
closed the passenger side door of Sarah's white SUV. He watched as
little bits of caked on dirt fell off the side of the vehicle and
onto the parking lot's cracked asphalt surface. He looked up at the
brick building, which was no larger than a house. A few strands dead
ivy clung to the walls. He followed Sarah up a short flight of worn
concrete stairs and into the police station. As the door swung shut
behind him, he heard a voice shout, “Hey Smith!”
Officer
Brady approached the pair. “I love that necklace. It really
brings out the green in your eyes!”
Sarah
touched the necklace and smiled. “Thank you! It was a gift from
my grandmother.”
Roger
clenched his jaw. Could this guy get any more obvious? And Sarah,
she was smarter than that. She wasn't really buying those cheap,
lines was she?
Officer
Brady turned his attention to Roger. Roger watched as Brady's eyes
quickly scanned over his body. “Hi, um...”
Roger
opened his mouth to answer.
“Deputy
Wilson,” Sarah interjected.
“Ah
yes, I remember now.” He turned back to Sarah. “Like I said
over the phone, you're welcome to search the files, but I don't think
you'll find anything exciting. Your time might be better spent with
me over at the hotel, or over at...” Brady broke eye contact with
them and looked down at the ground. “Well, you know, Johnson's
house. We could really use another pair of hands at either place.”
“I
don't expect we'll be here too long. After that we'll drop by the
crime scenes. I think our top priority right now should be to
determine whether these cases are isolated incidents or whether
they're part of a larger trend.”
“Okay.”
Officer Brady sighed. “Before I take off, can I talk to you in
private for a moment?”
Roger
watched as Officer Brady and Sarah walked into a nearby room.
Officer Brady closed the door behind them. Their silhouettes
appeared through the door's opaque glass window. Roger walked over
to the door and tried to listen in on the conversation. Was Officer
Brady really going to try making another move on her?
“I
know he's your friend, but you've put us in a real tight spot by
bringing him along. Leaving you here at the station is hard enough
to justify, but him too...” Officer Brady whispered.
“I
really need the extra pair of hands here.”
“If
you want, I can stay and help. It will hold back the
investigation...”
“No,
I don't want to be responsible for keeping you from your work. If it
makes you that uncomfortable, then he doesn't have to stay here and
help, but if he goes, then I go.”
Roger
grinned from ear to ear at hearing his friend's words. He knew he
could count on her.
“Fine.
If anything happens I'll...” The doorknob rattled as Officer
Brady set his hand on it.
Roger
moved away from the door and took up his former position. Moments
later, Officer Brady and Sarah exited the room.
“All
right, I reckon I'll be on my way now,” Officer Brady said, waving
the pair goodbye. “I'll see you two later. Stay out of trouble!”
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