Page 62 of The Fragile Ones

“Detective Scott, you could be in torn jeans and a raggedy T-shirt and still people would be smitten with you and not even notice what you’re wearing.”

Katie couldn’t help but smile, releasing the tension.

After one final straighten of her clothes, they walked into the hotel, the soft noise of a waterfall greeting them. For a moment, Katie found herself thinking about her own wedding.

They approached the front desk where a tall smiling woman greeted them.

“Welcome to Highland Sierra Hotel. How may I be of assistance?”

“Hi,” said Katie. “I’m Detective Scott and this is Deputy McGaven. We’re here to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Homestead.”

The clerk punched in a few keys. “Oh yes. They are here and expecting you…in the Sierra Conference Room.”

“Thank you,” said Katie. “Where would that be?”

“Take the elevator up to the fourth floor, make a right, and follow the signs until you reach the Sierra Conference.” She said everything with a permanent smile fixed on her face, her eyes casually glancing over Katie’s badge and gun.

“Great. Thank you,” said Katie.

McGaven smiled and nodded as they walked away to the elevator.

Once the doors eased shut and the car began to move, Katie turned to McGaven.

“Remind me again how we end up at nice hotels?”

McGaven chuckled. “And we’re brave enough to take an elevator.”

Katie remembered her daring climb out of a malfunctioning elevator working another case.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. This is a difficult interview, that’s all.”

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out, taking a right as instructed. The hallways were extra wide and the plush carpet felt spongy beneath their feet.

Katie slowed her pace, reading the gold signs on the door. Finally reaching Sierra, she paused before pushing open one side of the double doors. It revealed a large conference room that had been cleared of tables, except for one, where a striking couple sat waiting.

Katie entered with McGaven behind her.

“Mr. and Mrs. Homestead?” she said.

The man stood up, “Yes.”

“Hi, I’m Detective Katie Scott and this is Deputy Sean McGaven.”

“Detectives,” Mr. Homestead said, and extended his hand. He was tall with an athletic build and dark-blond hair.

“Nice to meet you both,” said Katie as she shook their hands.

“Please, take a seat,” said Mrs. Homestead. It took Katie by surprise to see her striking resemblance to Tessa—blonde hair with subtle curls around her face and a petite frame.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry for such a large room, but it was the only place we wouldn’t be interrupted,” said Mrs. Homestead. Katie couldn’t help but notice the two very expensive diamond rings she was wearing, and her perfectly manicured fingernails. She was dressed in a designer pantsuit. It was obvious the couple was affluent and she wondered why they hadn’t pursued the case further.

“We’re going to the medical examiner’s office tomorrow. Our friends have already told us that we shouldn’t, but we’ve decided to see her…” His voice trailed off.

“First,” Katie began, “on behalf of the Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department, we offer our sincerest condolences for your loss. I don’t claim to know how you’ve dealt with this terrible situation, but I hope that we can help with closure.” She cringed inside, thinking of the condition their daughter was in lying on a steel gurney. It would be something that the Homesteads would remember for the rest of their life.