Page 15 of Crime Lab Cold Case (Pacific Northwest Forensics #2)

Natalie rubbed her arms. If the thought hadn’t occurred to her more than once, she would’ve laughed in Zane’s face. “How do you know that? Do you have proof?”

He took a gulp of beer from the can. “I don’t have proof.

How could I have proof? I was a kid, just like you.

But it was weird, right? I mean, you’d told them what happened in the forest, and they looked at her like a runaway.

We knew Katie. She was not runaway material.

The cops were so quick to jump on it. Then there was the evidence.

Where did it all go? They combed the forest and found jack? That’s hard to believe.”

Evidence. It always came back to the evidence. “Stuff like that happens all the time, Zane. In my line of work, I see it all the time. Mistakes happen. What else makes you think it was the cops? That’s a heavy accusation.”

“It was that Reynolds guy.”

“What?” The spot on her forehead where the airbag had hit her began throbbing. “Deputy Max Reynolds?”

“Yeah, I can’t stand that guy, even today, but back then he was always leering at Katie. She told me about it once.”

“She never told me that.” Natalie dragged a pillow into her lap and hugged it to her chest.

“Yeah, well.” Zane grinned, and Natalie remembered why Katie’d had such a crush on this guy. “She told me she didn’t want to tell you because she was afraid you’d say something to Reynolds and get in trouble. She said you were always so protective of her.”

“She said that?” Natalie’s nose tingled, and she rubbed the tip of it. “I guess so. I wish she would’ve told me about Reynolds, though. I think she did mention one time that she thought he was cute, but a lot of the girls felt the same way. But the rest? That’s creepy.”

“Anyway, when I saw you, and then someone told me you were some kind of cop here on an investigation, I knew I had to talk to you just in case you can use it.” As he rose from the chair, he crushed the empty can in one hand. “Whoa! What happened to you? Your arms are all bruised.”

“Had a run-in with an airbag.” She squared her sore shoulders. “Look, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone my identity. Sounds like small-town gossip really gets around.”

“It does.” He ran a finger over the seam of his lips. “I won’t say a word…as long as you let me know if you find out anything about Katie’s disappearance. I’m not gonna lie. That really messed me up for a while, you know?”

“I know.” She patted his arm. “Good to see you, Zane. You like nursing? Everything going well?”

“Nursing’s great, and my girlfriend and I are expecting a baby in about five months. We’re having a girl, and I gotta tell you, it makes me nervous around here.”

“Congratulations. You’ll be a great dad.” She ushered him out of the hotel room without ever agreeing to keep him posted on Katie’s case. He’d have to find out just like everyone else—and now, more than ever, she had every intention of solving that mystery.

* * *

The next morning , the rental-car company called her while she was finishing her makeup.

They fell all over themselves apologizing for the brake failure and had delivered a new car to the hotel, along with the key to the conference room, which she’d left on the car’s keychain.

She hadn’t even thought about that key last night—not that their thoughtfulness absolved the company from their total failure in providing a sufficient car.

The hotel desk had the keys, and the car was gratis. That would make the FBI happy.

Natalie tossed her phone on the bed and plucked a pair of low-heeled boots out of the closet, skipping her high heels for today. Her back and neck didn’t need any more stress.

She downed a couple of ibuprofen along with her breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Then she stopped by the front desk to pick up her keys to the new rental.

Her drive to the lab took longer than usual, as she kept tapping the brakes. The other drivers on the road were probably happy to see her make a turn and get out of their way.

On the way to her office, she stopped at the lunchroom to stash her leftover Indian food, which she’d have for lunch at her desk today. Next to the coffee machine, a plate of chocolate-chip cookies beckoned.

She lifted a mug from the tree, poured herself a cup of coffee, added lots of cream and dropped two cookies onto a paper plate. Nicole must’ve brought these in today.

As she turned with her coffee and plate in hand, she almost bumped into Dr. Butler. “Oops. Excuse me. Nearly dumped my coffee on your nice white lab coat.”

“My fault.” Dr. Butler pointed to the plate of cookies. “I heard Nicole brought in her famous chocolate-chip cookies, and I couldn’t get here fast enough.”

Natalie slurped some of her coffee to reduce the level. “I should have some free time this afternoon, Dr. Butler. Is today a good time to visit the DNA lab?”

“Call me Rachelle and today would be great. I think Dr. Volosin is coming back tomorrow, a little earlier than I expected.” Rachelle made a face.

“Send me an email, Rachelle.” Natalie raised her cup to the doctor and went to her office.

When she reached the door of the conference room, she stood in front of it with her coffee cup in one hand, plate of cookies in the other and her bag hanging over her shoulder.

She was about to stoop down to place the cookies on the floor, when Jacob Reynolds came up the stairs.

“I’ll hold that for you.” He tucked some files under his arm and held out his hand for the plate.

“Thanks, Jacob.” Natalie handed him the plate and dug her keys out of her bag. She unlocked the door and bumped it open with her hip. “You can put those down on the desk and take one for yourself. I really don’t need two.”

“Thanks.” He swiped a cookie from the plate and took a bite that demolished half of it. With crumbs stuck to his chin, he asked, “Are there more in the lunchroom?”

“There are, but I think they’re going fast.” She tapped her own chin, but he didn’t understand her meaning. “I meant to ask you, Jacob. Is your dad still on the job? You mentioned he was a deputy for King County.”

Fourteen years ago, Jacob Reynolds would’ve been about six years old.

What was a married man with a young child doing leering after a teenager?

Maybe Zane had just been jealous. Reynolds could’ve just smiled at Katie at the fast-food place where she worked to send a teenage boy over the edge with despair.

But Zane had told her specifically that Katie had been bothered by the cop’s attention.

Was Katie right at the time? If Katie had told her about Reynolds, she probably would’ve gone off on the guy. She’d had no fear in those days…but those days were long gone.

Jacob finished chewing the second half of the cookie and swallowed it in a big gulp. “Yeah, my dad’s still a cop. He helps out with homicides, but he’s still on patrol. That’s how he got me a job here. He knows a lot of people at the lab. His partner was married to Nicole Meloan. He…”

“I heard what happened. Must’ve upset your father.”

“Yeah, Dad…well, cops don’t show too much emotion. He kept saying that Frankie never acted depressed around him. I think he felt kinda guilty that he didn’t see it.”

Join the club .

“I see you found the cookies,” Nicole said, as she stepped into the office and brushed her fingers against her chin.

Jacob got the hint this time and rubbed the crumbs from his chin as his face turned a bright red.

Natalie’s own face had warmed at the thought of Nicole catching her gossiping with the part-time gofer about her personal affairs. “I wanted to make sure I nabbed one this morning after missing out last night. Thanks again for dinner, Nicole.”

“Yeah, but now I feel bad after hearing what happened to you last night.”

Jacob took the opportunity to duck out of Natalie’s office with a quick wave.

Natalie touched the abrasion on her forehead. “Nothing to feel bad about. The brakes could’ve gone out on that car at any time.”

“I know, but it happened way out of town on my godforsaken little patch of land, and you went right into the forest. I can’t believe you’re at the office today.”

“The airbag saved me, just a few bruises.”

“Let me know if you need anything.”

Natalie picked up the cookie. “I think I’m covered.”

If Nicole had heard or been upset that Natalie had been discussing her husband with Jacob, she hadn’t shown it.

But now, Nicole would think her an office busybody if Natalie asked her about Max Reynolds.

She must’ve known her husband’s partner fairly well, although Frank must’ve been younger than Max.

Teens’ perception of adult age was notoriously bad, but Natalie figured Deputy Reynolds was in his early thirties at the time of Katie’s disappearance. She’d thought he was kind of cute, but old, at the time.

As she logged in to her laptop, she bit into the cookie and closed her eyes. People around here were not joking. This cookie was heaven.

The sugar and the second cup of coffee gave her a boost of energy, and she managed to complete the work on her databases outlining the evidence in all the cold cases, and any irregularities in that evidence.

The work this morning gave her the impetus to call her boss. She had to tell Jefferson about the car, anyway.

A few minutes later as she ended the phone call, Michael tapped on her open door. “I knew you’d show up. How are you feeling?”

She stretched her arms above her, linking her fingers. “A little stiff, but otherwise, okay. Just talked to my supervisor, and he’s happy with my work so far.”

“Your official work. Anything on the unofficial?” He’d lowered his voice, but her office door was still open.

“Had a surprise visitor last night after you left.” She put a finger to her lips. “Don’t want to discuss it here, though.”

“Lunch?”

“I brought in leftover Indian from last night at Nicole’s.” She dabbed at a cookie crumb on her plate and sucked it off her finger. “Do you think it’s a good idea for us to lunch together every day?”