Page 94 of Last Girls Alive

“Iced tea,” said Katie.

“Sounds good,” said Dottie.

The server left.

“Well…” began Dottie.

Katie felt a heaviness of dread, but maybe she should have more female friends. The fact was she was more comfortable around men than women after so many years in the military and the police department.

“It’s been quite the transition coming from Fresno PD but I was up for the challenge when it was offered to me. I’ve been following the interesting cases of the Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department.”

Katie nodded politely.

“And of course, I know all about you.”

Katie tried not to gulp.

“When you came back to town after being released from the army and you found yourself in the middle of a missing persons case; and you find her grave after everyone had searched for her for almost five years, and you were trapped, and, well, I don’t need to tell you about it—you were there.”

Katie wasn’t sure how she was supposed to handle this conversation, so she nodded and agreed, keeping a smile on her face. With perfect timing, the iced teas were delivered. “What would you like to eat?” the server asked.

“Oh, I’ll have the Gypsy Burger with fries please,” the undersheriff said.

“Sounds great, I’ll have the same,” replied Katie. “Thank you.”

The blonde bombshell server took the menus and left to put in the orders.

“Your uncle told me that you two love getting together every month to have burgers and milkshakes,” she said.

“Yes, it’s been a tradition for us since I was young.” It pinched Katie a bit that her uncle told a new employee about their personal life, but she knew that there was more to this “girls’ lunch” than it appeared.

“That’s really nice,” she said, “and special.”

“We’re family. We only have each other left.” After losing her aunt in such a traumatic and tragic manner, she took their relationship very seriously.

“Well, he’s lucky to have you.” After sipping her iced tea, Dottie said, “Life is so very precious.”

“So,” Katie said. “Tell me about you. Are you married? Children?”

“Oh, no. I’m divorced for four years now. No children, I’m afraid to say.”

Katie politely nodded. “What made you want to move to such a rural area?”

“I’ve been here before and just fell in love with the area, and I needed the change from the city, high crime, and pollution.”

“It is amazing here. I never realized how much until I was gone for a while and then came back…”

“Oh, that’s right. You did two tours in the army?”

“Yes.”

“That must’ve been something.”

“Yes, it was definitely something,” she said.

“I don’t know how you do it,” she said, sipping her drink delicately through the straw. “You’ve seen more than most seasoned cops will in a lifetime.”

“I don’t know about that. Depends upon where they are working.”