Page 100 of The Whispering Girls

“Didn’t that seem like convenient timing?”

“I don’t know…well, maybe.”

Katie leaned back in her chair. There was something about Clark that made her want to believe him—but something was also off. “How long have you worked as an Echo Forest police officer?”

“I transferred from Redding about a year ago.”

That surprised Katie, but she didn’t show it. Merely glancing at McGaven, he seemed to pause at that too. “Why?” she said.

“Why come here? I got tired of my superiors in Redding. I wanted something more laid-back, where you feel like you’re a part of a real community—not the notion of us and them.”

Jack brought fresh coffee and mugs to the table. “It looks like it’s going to be a long night, or morning, however you look at it.”

Clark was the first to pour himself a cup and the others followed suit, taking their first sips.

“You do understand what an uncomfortable position we’ve been put in?” said Katie. “It’s like we’re rogue officers but we’re here to helpyou.”

“I understand…what…you’re saying…” Clark appeared as if he was going to get sick.

“You okay?” said Katie. Her voice sounded strange in her own head. She looked to McGaven and John and they were rubbing their foreheads…The room spun in a nauseating motion…Everything around her faded away… Katie managed to pick up her mug and throw it across the room where it hit a wall, shattering. The coffee slowly rolled down the barrier. Katie tried to say something and stand up, but she passed out and dropped to the floor.

Two hours later

Katie felt a nudge and then a lick to her face. She opened her eyes, trying to focus, she had a pounding headache. Looking up, Cisco was standing over her. His nose in her face. Her memory was foggy, but she remembered everything leading up to passing out. With effort, she rolled to her side, where she saw McGaven lying face down on the floor eight feet away.

“Gav,” she barely muttered.

He didn’t move.

Katie pushed herself up into a sitting position as Cisco ran circles around her. She remembered firing questions at Clark. She grabbed the chair to pull herself up to a standing position. It was exhausting. She looked around and didn’t see any sign of Clark, Jack, or John.

She was too weak to call out, so after steadying herself she moved to her partner. Dropping to her knees, she made sure McGaven was still breathing; he was, but very shallow. He seemed to be still under from whatever was in their coffee. Katie was angry that she had been drugged twice in one night. She was going to get to the bottom of things. No matter what.

Katie stood up as her head cleared. She retrieved her gun, which was thankfully still in her boot holster. There was asound of drawers opening and paperwork shuffling nearby. It was coming from one of the open doors. Making a hand gesture, she conveyed to Cisco to down and stay.

She readied her weapon and quietly inched her way toward the sound. Once she reached the doorway, she saw Officer Clark rummaging in Jack’s desk, pulling contents out of drawers and skimming through files. There were two bottles of water next to him.

“Stay right there,” she said. “Show me your hands.”

Clark froze and slowly turned his head toward Katie. “You don’t understand.”

“Don’t I?”

“I couldn’t say anything.”

“Of course not, you just fed me more lies and conjecture.” She moved closer, making sure he didn’t have immediate access to a weapon. “Where is Jack? Where is John? They’re both missing.”

“I’m going to reach into my pocket.”

“Stay right there!” When Katie yelled her head hurt worse than the worst hangover possible.

“Okay, let me stand up. In my back right pocket, pull out my wallet.”

Katie thought it might be a trick.

“I’m going to get up slowly.” Clark pushed back the chair and stood up, turning around facing away from her.

Katie approached, holding her ground and her weapon directed at him as she pulled the wallet. It revealed identification and an FBI badge. “FBI?” She was surprised. It was a legitimate badge.