After picking up journal and pen, she plumped pillows behind her back, opened the journal in her lap, and began to write.
Familiar with this routine, Robo relaxed down on his cushion.
This nightmare had been so vivid, it was easy to recall and record. She’d dreamed about that poor corpse they’d found on the ridge, but in her dream she’d watched the man burn, surrounded and consumed by flames.
Police officers were often exposed to horrific sights, and this one was right up there at the top of the list. It might take a while before she could put these images away where they wouldn’t come out to haunt her.
She recorded the details in her journal diligently, hoping that writing them down would help move them out of her head. She paused, her heart beating hard against the wall of her chest, her jaw clenched. Ever tuned-in to her emotions, Robo opened his eyes again and watched.
She drew a deep breath and tried to relax on the exhalation like Rainbow had taught her.
She thought for a few minutes, chewing on the end of her pen, but finally decided to give up. It was now a few minutes past five o’clock and time for her to get out of bed. She needed to pack supplies and make it to the station by six. She also needed to call Mama T to tell her that she might not be able to bring Riley over later, but she’d still try to make it on Tuesday to meet Doreen. Mama T would be awake by five thirty, so it wouldn’t be too early to call before work.
Yet, even as she made plans and headed for the shower, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the nightmare about the burning corpse felt so real. It felt like she’d been there in the mountains, watching it happen.
ELEVEN
Monday
On her way to work, Mattie’s cell phone rang, and caller ID told her it was another call from Willie’s girlfriend. She was glad to get this chance to connect before she headed into the mountains for the day, and she swiped to take the call. “This is Mattie.”
“Mattie, hi.” The caller’s voice held a note of relief. “This is Tamara Bennett, your brother’s girlfriend?”
“Yes, Tamara, hello. I got home too late last night to call you. I was out of cell phone range most of the day yesterday.”
“Oh … um … have you heard from Will lately?”
That was a strange question. Perhaps Tamara didn’t know that she and Willie called each other about once a week. “I talked to him a little over a week ago I guess.”
“Oh.” Disappointment colored the word. “I’m worried about him. I haven’t seen him since last Wednesday.”
This wasn’t what she expected to hear. Mattie squinted her eyes as she pulled into the station parking lot, noticing she was the last one on the team to arrive. An unfamiliar van sat parked among the staff vehicles. “He lives with you, right?”
“That’s right, but he didn’t come home Wednesday night and hasn’t come back since.”
“Has he ever done this before?”
“Never. I can always count on him to pick up my son, Elliott, at after-school care on Wednesdays, but he didn’t show.”
“And you tried reaching him at work?”
“They haven’t heard from him either.”
Mattie didn’t know what to think. She wanted to give her brother the benefit of the doubt, but the fact remained that he was an addict, and once an addict, always etcetera. “Has he started using again?”
Tamara released an audible breath. “That’s just it. Not that I know of, but he’s been acting strange lately. Secretive. And he’d been going out after dinner to meet an old friend, or at least that’s what he said.”
Bingo. Old friends could spell danger to someone with a drug addiction. “I can see why you’re worried. I’m sorry, Tamara, but I have to say it sounds like he might have fallen off the wagon.”
After a long pause, Tamara spoke again, this time sounding close to tears. “I thought he was more dedicated than that to staying clean. I didn’t see it coming. I filed a missing person report, but the police don’t seem to be taking it seriously. I guess because of his history.”
The loved ones were sometimes the last to believe there was a problem. But still this was Willie they were talking about. She wanted to believe in him, too. Besides, Tamara sounded like a nice person, and she seemed to trust that he was on the right track. “How can I help, Tamara?”
She paused. “Can you contact the police out here, tell them this is your brother that’s missing? Maybe they would take it more seriously hearing the concern come from another police officer.”
“I’d be happy to. Can you text me the phone number for the police department you’re dealing with? And did they give you a case number on the missing person report?”
“They did. I’ll text that, too. And, thank you, Mattie.”
“Of course. I’m glad you contacted me. If I hear from him, I’ll let you know.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Mattie ended the call, and soon heard her phone ping with the text message from Tamara. She guessed she shouldn’t be surprised at this turn of events, but she couldn’t help but feel disappointed in her brother.
She unloaded Robo, grabbed her two backpacks, and entered the station, going first to clock in and then heading for her office. Since Rainbow’s shift didn’t start until seven, Sam Corns still manned the front desk, his shiny bald head lowered over a manual that he was reading.
Mattie used the information from Tamara to call the Hollywood police station. The dispatcher told her that a Detective Hastings had been assigned to her brother’s case, but he hadn’t checked in yet. He forwarded her call to voice messaging, and Mattie spoke to the recorder, stating her law enforcement title along with her concerns and her relationship to the missing person. She left her cell phone number and asked for a call if anything turned up during the day, stating she’d be out of cell phone range but would look for his message by evening. Maybe that would at least spur some action. It wasn’t much, but it was all she could do at the moment.
She found the others in the briefing room, Stella and the sheriff seated at a front table along with a man that she assumed was the CBI agent from Denver. He stood when she entered, meeting her gaze with strong brown eyes that were so dark they were almost black. Though he was of medium height, his posture projected the illusion of someone taller. Built solid and muscular, he was probably a force to be reckoned with in a wrestling match, and his dark hair was cut close to his head.
His eyes flicked downward to take in Robo, but then moved right back up to lock onto hers in a way that indicated a propensity for keen observation. That, coupled with the hardened planes of his face, almost put Mattie off, but the instant he smiled, his entire set of features softened.
The sheriff was quick to stand and make introductions. “Good morning, Deputy Cobb. This is Special Agent Rick Lawson of the CBI. He’ll be helping us with our investigation.”
Mattie shook hands, not a bit surprised by the firmness of the man’s grip. “We’re going to need your expertise. Our victim’s body is badly damaged.”
“So I hear.” Rick’s intense, dark eyes moved to include the others. “I also hear that you’ve found some depressions in the area that warrant investigation.”
“We did.”
“Good eye. Did your dog hit on them?”
“No, but he’s not cadaver trained.”
His brow lifted slightly. “I heard he found your victim.”
“True, but he was working from a scent article. He’s trained for search and rescue, and he’s real good at it.”