Page 18 of The Whispering Girls

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The call ended.

Katie sat and thought about her great losses. Uncle Wayne was her only family. Her parents had been killed in an auto accident when she wasn’t even a teen. With no brothers or sisters, she was on her own. Her family were her close friends and colleagues.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cisco snoring from the other chair. He was curled up tight with his big paws tucked in. She watched him peacefully sleep, his breath making his chest rise easily up and down.

Katie’s phone rang.

“Scott.”

“I miss my partner,” said McGaven from the other end.

Katie was relieved and happy to hear his voice. They had been partners working cold cases for a while and she couldn’t imagine working with anyone else. They knew each other’s moves, and their different personalities complemented one another.

“So I take it you’re up to speed with the situation,” she said.

“Yes, so far. And I’m not the least bit surprised you’d take on a homicide on your vacation. But what’s the deal with you staying at a veterinary hospital?”

Katie laughed. “I’m not staying at a vet’s hospital. There’s a beautiful lodge located on the second floor of the converted warehouse.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“When can you get here?”

“I’m finishing up some paperwork and I’ll be able to leave by the end of the day.”

Katie was pleased he would be arriving this evening. “Great.”

“Anything I need to bring?”

“Anything that would help with sorting out the investigation, and your laptop, of course.”

“So what’s the wildlife like there?”

Katie knew he meant the other cops and not the native animals. “There’re two police officers. The chief had a mild heart attack this morning, so he’ll be on the sidelines.”

“That still didn’t answer my question.”

“No complaints. They seem eager to help.”

“Hmmm. I guess I’ll have to wait until I meet them.”

“I’ll send you the location and entry codes. It takes about two hours to get here.”

“Ten-four.”

She was surprised he hadn’t directly asked about the crime scene. “Gav?” She took a deep breath.

“Yeah.”

“It’s a bad one,” she said.

“I know.” He remained quiet for a moment. “We’ve got this.”

Katie closed her eyes, trying not to picture the young woman hanging in the tree. “I know.”