Pretty Broken Dolls by Jennifer Chase
Chapter Twenty-Two
Saturday 1330 hours
Katie was due to meet with her Uncle Wayne. They would usually meet for lunch once a month to catch up without the backdrop of the sheriff’s department. They typically would go to a restaurant or an art exhibit, but today had decided to have a nice quiet lunch at her uncle’s condo. Katie knew that the transition of moving into a condo from the home he had shared with his late wife was something that took getting used to. It was nice to take some time and enjoy the views.
She stood on the balcony and waited for her uncle to finish preparing the meal. More than anything, she needed family and something to distract her from the current events. It was the healthy thing to do. She had waited to tell him about the incident at K9 training.
Cisco had found a comfortable place on the couch inside and seemed content after a morning of training.
Katie stared out at the eighteen-hole golf course beside her uncle’s condo. The view from the balcony was beautiful, with the golf course spread beneath it and the countryside and trees around it.
At first, when her uncle decided to sell his big house in the country after his wife was murdered, Katie didn’t know if this type of setting would make him happy. But looking around, she felt now that it seemed to fit him.
Uncle Wayne’s three-bedroom condo was spacious, with plenty of room for his hobbies, guests, and any comfort he would need. He could entertain if he wanted and it simplified his life, which was what he needed.
“Okay,” he said as he carried out two plates and two bowls.
“Oh wow,” said Katie. She eyed the gooey grilled-cheese sandwiches and bowls of vegetable soup, and sat down at the small bistro table. “This was always my favorite when I was a kid—actually, it still is.” She laughed.
Taking his seat across from his niece, the sheriff said, “I know you’ve had a full week and it just seemed like the right meal to have today.”
“Uncle Wayne, you always know how to make me feel better.”
“It’s tough sometimes at work because I want to be your uncle when certain things happen, but I’m the sheriff and that’s the way I have to act.”
“I know.”
“I get the feeling you have something either to tell me or ask me.”
Katie took a bite of the sandwich. “Yum, just as I remembered it.”
Her uncle eyed her seriously, waiting for an answer.
“It’s this…” she began and stopped.
“Is it work or Chad?”
“Actually, it’s both, but let’s start with work because I’m not ready to talk about Chad yet.” She stirred her soup and paused. “I don’t understand this case.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s a bit unorthodox, wouldn’t you say?”
“I don’t know about that. Departments and agencies overlap and help each other all the time—especially with high-profile and serial cases.”
Katie stared at her uncle, trying to decipher if he was keeping something back from her. She tried to explain from another angle. “Why would the state need help from us—me, especially? I mean, they have so many people at their disposal, including use of the FBI profilers.”
“I think it’s important that we can help. So if we can, then we do. I would have never agreed to take on these cases if I thought there was something not right.”
Katie wasn’t completely reassured but she couldn’t back up her uneasiness with anything concrete. She decided not to push the issue. “Thanks, Uncle Wayne. I love being able to talk to you.”
“Me too. I love you, Katie.”
Katie smiled and tried to enjoy the rest of her visit. The conversation made her feel a little better but it still didn’t make her job any easier.
Katie feared for what was going to happen next, so she told her uncle about the incident at the K9 training center before he heard it from someone else.
He listened intently, not interrupting, allowing Katie to finish.
“My take is that the shots have something to do with our case, like a warning.”
The sheriff hesitated. “I agree. And…”
“And what?” she said softly, knowing what he was going to say.
“And, it seems that your K9 connection with all these cases should be at the top of your list. You need to keep yourself safe, otherwise I will assign an officer to you.”
“You don’t need to do that. I’m fine. I have Cisco and my house has a top-of-the-line security system.”
“I will decide if you need more security or not. I don’t want you alone investigating without McGaven. Understood?”
Katie was about to protest but then, “Fine.”
“I mean it, Katie. The more you tell me about these cases, the more I think you need to take extra precautions.”