Watching Trin by Freya Barker
Chapter 15
Trin
“So? How’s country life?”
My friend’s warm laugh tells me enough.
“Lonely right now—Boone is off for a couple of days helping a neighbor drive a new herd home—but life is good despite the constant smell of manure.”
Hayden is a sheriff’s deputy I met working on a story about modern day cattle thieves, years back, and we became friends. She since met and married Boone Hatcher, a rugged rancher with a kind heart, who worships the ground she walks on. I’m really happy for her, she deserves everything she found and then some.
“What about you? Any hot mountain men knocking down your door already?” she asks, referring to the last conversation we had before I left to come home.
My mind is instantly filled with an image of Bodhi. Not exactly a mountain man with his mostly clean-shaven face and East Indian looks, but he definitely fits the hot label and a firefighter is nothing to sneeze at. I’m just not sure I’m ready to share him yet.
“I’ve only been here a couple of months,” I dodge the question. “I’ve hardly had time.”
“Of course,” she immediately responds with a hint of remorse. “How is your dad?”
“We’ve actually had to place him in a facility, just this past week.”
“Oh no, what happened?”
“The situation became difficult to manage here at home. He no longer knows who we are, became paranoid, and was convinced we were out to hurt him. For everyone’s safety this was the best option.”
“Ah man, that’s tough. I see some of what mental deterioration can do in my line of work and it ain’t pretty. Sorry you have to go through that.”
I smile even as tears well up. Hearing her voice feels like a warm hug.
“He’s better now. I went to see him this morning and although he didn’t recognize me, he seemed much more at peace there than he’d been at home. It was nice to see confirmation we made the right choice.”
“Good. And Tucker? Is he fifteen yet?”
“Two weeks, yeah. The kid had a rough start but it looks like he might be starting to settle.”
At least I’d like to think so. He’s still moody, but there haven’t been any angry outbursts, fights, or dangerous capers these past few days. I call that improvement.
“Rough start, like what?”
“Got in a fistfight at his new school. Then stole a raft with two other idiots in the middle of the night and decided to brave the rapids. Of course that didn’t go as planned, and they had to be rescued from the river by the fire department. Tuck got the worst of it. He got caught on something underwater, and Bodhi—one of the firefighters—had to pull him free. He had to spend a few days in the hospital.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah. He should be fine. Back in school already. It actually leads in to my reason for calling—other than to touch base of course.”
“Of course,” she confirms with a smile in her voice.
I give her the details on the wreck they salvaged and the body that was found. Then I fill her in on some of the findings the detective shared with Bodhi—who shared them with me over breakfast—and express my interest in doing a story on it.
“I’m hoping to connect with Detective VanDyken at some point but I’d prefer to do a little digging myself before I approach him.”
“Makes sense. He may be more likely to talk if you have something to contribute,” Hayden suggests. “It worked for you before.”
She’s referring to the way I’d been able to get her to talk to me years ago. I’d uncovered a possible location for some of the missing cattle and she’d been happy with the lead.
“Exactly. Or at least show I’ve been able to find out some of what he already knows on my own. Now I’m just getting my feet wet but I need a good place to start. The most obvious one would be the car. I know the make, I know it was a model pre-1994, and I know VanDyken was able to find out the license hasn’t been renewed since March 2001. What I don’t know is the name of the owner and I don’t have access to the DMV database.”
“Even with access, you could be looking at a long list of possibilities if you don’t have the VIN number,” she explains.
“True, but knowing the car model and approximate year, I’d be able to narrow it down. Then I could cross reference the list I’d have left with any old news reports of missing girls after March 2001.”
It’s quiet on the other side and I hear the rapid clicking, someone playing with a pen.
I hold my breath.
“Email still the same?”
“It is.”
“I’ll see what I can find.”
Grinning, I pump my fist while I try to keep my voice even.
“That would be amazing. Thanks so much.”
“Not making any promises.”
“I appreciate that.”
“But…” She leaves a pregnant pause for effect. “Since you seem to have no qualms using our friendship to gain favors, I think I’ll follow suit. Boone is on the road again, in a couple of weeks, stopping in at some cattle auctions and I’m starting to think I may take a trip of my own.”
I already know the direction this is taking and I’m all in favor.
“Tuck’s birthday is on October twenty-third,” I volunteer, my grin audible in my voice. “It would be awesome if you could be here for that. I’ll pick you up, drive you around, and you’ll stay here of course.”
“Of course,” she echoes. “That’s where the favor comes in. I’ll also want you to update me on your investigation, and I expect an introduction to that firefighter who has your breath go all funny when you happen to mention him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie, but it’s no use, Hayden clearly doesn’t believe me and starts laughing.
“We’ll see,” she teases. “Anyway, I’ve gotta get going but we’ll be in touch.”
“Say hi to Boone for me,” I manage before she ends the call.
I’m definitely in a better mood when I pull some vegetables from the fridge and get a head start on dinner. This morning had been a frustrating exercise trying to dig through twenty-odd-year-old missing persons cases to find one that might fit. But speaking with Hayden lifted my spirits. This whole week may not have started off great, but things are definitely looking up with the weekend closing in.
Only two more days until Sunday.
* * *
Bodhi
“Buying?”
Hog slides in the seat beside me. He leans over and turns one of the spec sheets the real estate agent gave me yesterday so he can see.
“Considering it.”
“Quite the place. Bit roomy for a single guy. Three bedrooms? Got plans you haven’t shared?”
Hog’s solid shoulder bumps mine.
“He’s sweet on my sister.”
Vic leans between us, checking out the listing I’d been studying when Hog butted in.
I groan. Any hopes of flying under the radar for a little bit while I pursue Trin goes right out the window. The ribbing will start, especially if Sumo picks up on it, and I don’t want to run any chance of Trin getting cold feet.
“Who’s Roadkill sweet on?” the man in question calls from the kitchen, where he’s supposed to be making dinner.
Fuck.
“Katrina, my sister,” Vic is very helpful providing.
“And here I thought you were being a good friend, helping Vic with her dad,” Sumo teases. “You were just trying to get cozy with the sister, you dog.”
“He’s already looking at houses,” Hog decides to pile on. “Not wasting any time.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years working with these guys, arguing only prolongs the torture. Instead I shrug and focus on Hog.
“That’s right. Wouldn’t wanna end up almost fifty with only livestock for company like some people I know.”
But the dig slides right off Hog’s broad back.
“Hey, don’t knock it. They keep you warm at night and the best thing is, they don’t talk back.”
“Oh God, you guys,” Vic whines, taking a step back from the table as she grinds the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I can’t handle the visuals.”
Cap, who’s been ignoring us from the other side of the large dining table so far, stands up and reaches over, grabbing the three listing sheets. I’m supposed to meet up with the agent tomorrow afternoon to check those out. I already know which one I favor.
“Looks like you want some land too? Two-and-a-half acres, three point eight, and here, this one is almost six acres.”
“Maybe he wants room for some livestock of his own,” Hog suggests, eliciting a loud, “Ewww,” from Vic.
“I’ll stick with a dog for now.”
“You should go see Annie, they have a pretty constant influx of rescues at the shelter.”
Sumo’s significant other is none other than Annabel Fiore, the actress, although she prefers going by Annie since she stepped away from the spotlight. These days she spends her time helping Sumo look after his teenage son, Bryce, and volunteering at the local rescue shelter.
“I might.”
“Is this the one you were looking at?” Cap asks, holding up the listing I like best out of all three.
“Yeah.”
“Nice.”
The exterior of the three-bedroom house is a mix of stone and wood, with an interesting roofline featuring a few quirky gables. All of the house is one floor with the exception of a bonus level over the master suite. The property is the smallest of the three at two-and-a-half acres, but the views are amazing.
Best part of this house is that the owners have already moved out and would welcome as short a closing as possible. That works for me as well, since I have to be out of the trailer by November first. It does mean I want to be able to move fast if I like the place, and will have to make a stop at the bank beforehand. I don’t expect it to be an issue—I have plenty saved up over the years, my credit rating is top-notch, and I have a steady income—but I’d rather be sure.
After dinner we spread out. Vic is helping Sumo in the kitchen with clean up while Cap, Hog, and I find a game on TV. Cheddar disappeared to the sleeping quarters to try and catch up on sleep.
“Planning to have a look at it?” Cap asks during a commercial break.
“The house? Yeah, tomorrow afternoon.”
“Want a second pair of eyes?”
Cap renovated his house a few years ago and would probably know what potential problems to look for better than I do.
“Wouldn’t mind that. Got time? I’m meeting up with the agent at two. I can swing by and grab you on the way, if you’re up for it.”
“…Engine 3, Medic 3, structure fire at thirty-four fifty-five on Main. Injuries reported…”
“Isn’t that the Pickled Egg?” Cheddar comments as he comes running from the sleeping quarters.
The restaurant is only open during the day—closing at three or four, something like that—and it’s coming up on nine now.
I hustle down the stairs and step into my turnout gear beside Hog, who’s already halfway into his.
Luckily at this time of night Main Avenue isn’t clogged up with traffic anymore and we make our way to the scene in mere minutes. There are two cars in the parking lot and as we pull, in a police cruiser does the same, coming from the other direction. Thick smoke appears to be coming from the rear of the building which is where Cap directs me.
“Roadkill, Hog, get in through the front. Vic, Cheddar, get a hose charged and ready.”
I’ve already got my oxygen tank strapped on and snatch a Halligan from the tool compartment. Hog slings a coil of rope over his shoulder and grabs the chocks.
“Do we know how many victims we’re looking for?” I slow down to ask Cap.
“Negative. Two cars out front, let’s assume there’s at least two.”
I give him a nod and we jog around the building to the front entrance. Wedging the Halligan beside the sub-par lock, I crank the door in seconds. Thick smoke comes pouring out as Hog bends down to shove a chock underneath to keep the door from shutting behind us. We both pull our masks down and I lead the way inside.
A red glow is visible from the direction of the kitchen but the smoke is heavy everywhere. Even with the door propped open to vent, it’s still hard to see.
“Fire Department, call out!” I yell inside my mask as I crouch down to scan the dining room.
I don’t see or hear anything, so take a few steps farther in and repeat the words.
“Check the office and bathrooms,” I tell Hog over my shoulder, pointing him toward the hallways.
I forge ahead toward the glow. The first thing I see when I push the swinging door open a crack are a pair of legs. The back half of the kitchen is engulfed, flames licking toward me across the ceiling. I grab the legs and pull the body toward me. Then I hit the radio.
“Got one unresponsive, coming out.”
The badly burned man groans as I hoist him over my shoulder and make my way through the restaurant. Just as I hit the cooler air outside, the radio crackles in my ear and Hog announces he’s coming out with a second victim.
Blue and Sumo are waiting with a stretcher as another ambulance pulls into the parking lot. As I step back to let them do their thing, I hear someone calling my name. When I turn, I see Jeannie rushing toward me.
“Oh my God, Bodhi. The restaurant…”
I can barely grab her as she darts past me, aiming for the door.
“Jeannie, you can’t go in there.”
She struggles to get away and I wrap my arms around her to hold on. Another engine crew shoves us aside to get a line into the restaurant and I lead Jeannie to what is now a trio of police cruisers. There I hand her off to one of the uniforms before I join Cap, who is barking orders.
Two hours later we roll into the station, everyone a bit subdued. Looks like the Pickled Egg won’t be open anytime soon, if they reopen at all. It’s always tough in this line of work when dealing with people on one of the worst days of their life. It’s especially difficult when they’re people you know.
Sleep won’t come easy for any of us tonight.