Page 40 of Race to Save Her

“Of course it worries me. But I trust you and your abilities. You also have McGaven and John. You are a great team. But sometimes…”

Katie looked at him. “Sometimes what?”

“I wished you would have become a kindergarten teacher instead,” he said and laughed.

“I don’t know… that could be scary with all those four- and five-year-olds…” she joked.

The sheriff looked at his watch.

“You have to go?”

“No, I was thinking we need a pizza.”

Katie and her uncle enjoyed their pizza and made sure the officer stationed outside Katie’s house received a couple of pieces. They didn’t talk about anything heavy, just lighthearted conversation as they got to know Midnight better.

The sheriff got up and went to the kitchen carrying the empty pizza box. Katie watched her uncle; she knew that she could trust him with anything, but it was still difficult to articulate.

“Katie, do you have something you want to talk about?” he said softly. He sounded more like her uncle instead of the county sheriff.

“I don’t know. Things have a way of working out.”

“They do, but sometimes it helps to talk about it.” He walked back to the sofa and sat down.

“There’s nothing wrong in the general sense. It’s just these cases with the body parts have me stressed and even a bit spooked.”

Her uncle listened and allowed Katie to get everything out in the open.

“And with Ames acting cagey and ditching me on the running trail.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, I haven’t turned in my report yet.”

“What do you mean, ditched you?” His eyes grew narrow and his pupils darkened.

“I don’t know if it was a joke, like a hazing, or he wanted to prove something… it just left me unsettled.”

“And angry,” he said.

“Yes. But I don’t know why he did it. I guess he hates me. But I’m trying to clear him as a person of interest.”

“Of course. Shall I call his superior?”

“No, please don’t. I want to take care of this myself. Maybe there’s a logical explanation.”

The sheriff smiled. “Always trying to see the best in people.”

“If I wanted to do that, I wouldn’t have become a police officer.” Katie watched Cisco sleep, his paws twitching from a nice dream.

“I’ll let you figure it out, but I want some answers.”

“Of course.”

“Anything else bothering you?”

“Not really. I’m glad Gav is back… and… I’m still worried you’ll transfer him to the detective division, robbery/homicide.”

She watched her uncle’s response, which was difficult to read sometimes. He had honed his skills well over the years.