Page 97 of Vanish From Sight

“Why do I work here?” she asked before he could say it.

He nodded.

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I sometimes ask myself that at night until I look in my bank account or remember the past. Some might say I have daddy issues; others might think it was where I was always destined to be. I figured if I was going to get fucked, I might as well do it on my terms and get well compensated for it. At least here the men treat you with a degree of respect. Nothing less is tolerated.”

Noah nodded.

Callie, eager to get answers to questions, chimed in. Noah didn’t need to let her. She had as much right to ask as he did. He valued her approach. Had she not found that old police report, McKenzie might have walked out of there with little to go on.

“We have you listed as having seen Katherine on a fairly frequent basis. Far more than the other students. You mind sharing what that was about?”

She smiled and took a hard pull. “Client confidentiality means very little to cops.”

“It does when we have a dead woman.”

“Excuse me?”

“Katherine is dead.”

Isabella froze, her eyes drifting down to the floor before she took a hard pull on her cigarette. “How?”

“She was pulled from a lake.”

Isabella looked at a loss for words. She finished her cigarette and reached in for another. As she did, Noah noticed a small silver snub-nose.

“That yours?” Noah asked.

“I have a permit.”

“Why?”

“I work here.”

“You said they treat you with respect.”

“And they do. This is for those who forget. It’s not loaded,” she said. As she went to take it out and show them, Noah placed a hand on his service weapon.

“Probably best you don’t do that,” he said.

“I’m not dangerous. It’s never been fired.”

“May I?” Callie asked, before snapping on latex gloves and checking the gun. She wasn’t lying. It was empty. She handed it back.

“Why don’t you keep it loaded?” Callie asked.

“Scared of guns,” she said, placing it back inside.

Callie stifled a laugh.

“So?” Noah asked, prompting her to continue.

“I saw Katherine for anxiety, night terrors and just for someone to talk to because no one else would listen.”

“About?”

She took a deep breath and took out another cigarette, lighting the end and blowing out a plume of smoke. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Why not?”