All the Shiny Things: A Kate Reid Novel (Kate Reid Series Book 1) (18 page)

“I did in the beginning and I know he tried his best to step up and accept what happened, but ever since the chief said he wouldn’t reopen my case, Spencer’s expected me just to drop the whole thing. And, as far as he knows, I have.”

“I don’t like this, Kate. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t. We’re just going up to there to see if it jogs my memory at all. Chances are that it won’t. The therapy stopped working, so it’s really just a shot in the dark that this will. Then we’ll come home and that’ll be it. That’ll be the end of it.”

“And what if you remember more than you want to?”

“Then I’ll deal with it in my own way.” Katie knew she’d swayed her by the silence on the other end.

“Fine. You better call me when you get into town. Do you want me to go with you to the redwoods, you know, as a precaution?”

“Precaution? No, I’ll be fine. Like I said, I’m not going to hold my breath that anything will come of this, but I won’t know for sure until I get there. Detective Avery will be with me. He won’t let anything happen. I just need you to call me if Spencer contacts you. I doubt he will. He’ll try my cell first anyway. Look, it’s one day, then I’ll be back home.”

“All right; you call me when it’s over too, got it? If I don’t hear from you by the end of the day on Saturday, I’m coming to find you.”

Sam was genuinely concerned and Katie didn’t want to dismiss that. This was her best friend and she was asking something above and beyond anything she’d asked of her before. “Okay, okay. I’ve got to go. I’ll call you Friday night when we get in.”

“You make sure Officer Friendly keeps his hands off of you, too.”

“Please. That’s the last thing I have to worry about. The guy thinks of me like I’m his little sister. I’ll talk to you later, Sam. Bye.”

THE REDWOOD VIOLET

11

K
atie stood in
line at airport security, keeping an eye out for Marshall. She hadn’t heard from him since his text at lunch confirming he would arrive around 5:30, giving them plenty of time before the flight that was scheduled to leave at 7:00.

She glanced at her watch, 5:45 and no sign of him. Just as she approached the front of the line and was taking off her shoes, she heard an incoming text message.
“Look behind you.”
Katie looked back and saw Marshall waving his hand in the air. He was at the back of the line. She smiled, relieved that he had shown up. The man standing behind Katie pointed toward the TSA guard, who was asking her to step forward.

After getting through security, she waited for Marshall at the gate. Their flight was about to board when he finally made it through.

“Took you long enough,” Katie said.

“Yeah, I know; I got held up at the station.”

“Flight 2389 to Sacramento is now boarding.”

“Looks like I made it right on time.” Marshall grinned.

It was going to be a long commute. Probably 10:00 before they would arrive in Trinidad. It was just south of there, along Highway 101, where she had been found.

Katie sat in the window seat, watching the ground fall farther and farther away as the plane climbed higher. Flying hadn’t gotten any easier for her, though it had become more frequent as of late.

“Can I ask what you told Spencer about this weekend? I gathered you weren’t completely honest with him,” Marshall said.

“I’ve already gotten enough grief from my friend Sam about this; I don’t need to hear it from you too.”

“Sorry. I was just asking. It’s none of my business.”

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t snap at you like that. You’re the one who’s helping me. It’s just that I knew he wouldn’t want me to do this, so I told him I was visiting Sam for the weekend; that she was going to help me shop for a wedding dress.”

Marshall groaned.

“Yeah, I know. It was a shitty thing to do. But this has put a huge strain on our relationship and I just didn’t want to make matters worse. In the end, he would have grudgingly supported this, but honestly, I just didn’t want to fight about it anymore.”

“Lying always makes things worse, Kate, no matter what the reason behind it. If it was me, I’d want to know. It doesn’t sound like you’ve given him enough credit. I can’t imagine what this must feel like for him; watching the love of his life go through what you’re going through and not be able to do anything about it. I’d want to be involved every step of the way,” Marshall replied.

“Well, I’m not sure he would feel that way. He’s a good man, but I don’t think he expected such a test to our relationship. It has been hard for both of us.”

“Let’s just hope we can end this thing for you, Kate. You both deserve to get on with your lives and be happy.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

» » »

Katie was right on the money. It was ten o’clock when they checked in at the hotel, well more like a motel, really. Trinidad wasn’t exactly known for its five-star accommodations, but it was just for one night.

“Here’s your room key, Ms. Reid. And this one’s yours, Mr. Avery. You two have a pleasant night.”

They were both exhausted and headed straight to their rooms. The single-level motel sprawled out into a u-shape and in the center was a pool. It was a little hard to see in the dark, but Katie thought it looked a little worse for wear. The idea of stepping into it was the least appealing part of the journey so far.

“I’ve got to go this way,” Katie said, turning left at the end of the corridor.

“I’m over here, I think. I’ll catch up with you in the morning. You’ll be all right to get to your room?”

“I think I can handle it,” she grinned. “Good night, Marshall, and thank you for everything.”

“Good night.”

» » »

A bright morning and the two of them were already on the road. There was no time to waste.

“I think we’re getting close, Kate. Chief Wilson said you were found near milepost 620, just north of Westhaven.” Marshall pointed to a turnout just beyond the mile marker as he drove the rental car.

She had travelled this road before, but had never known of its significance. Katie grew chilled the closer they got.

Marshall pulled off the side of the road. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

The forest looked beautiful and peaceful as she stared into it, not at all like the distorted trees and sky and rocks her dreams portrayed. Still, this didn’t seem real. Her memory of the event was still so vague, so surreal that finally being here didn’t feel anything like she had expected.

Upon stepping out of the car, her shoe left an imprint in the damp earth. She expected a flood of memories to wash over her, but there was nothing.

In front of her was a metal guardrail, which she stepped over with ease, out ahead of Marshall. He was a few steps behind and she could hear twigs snapping with each step he took until he finally stood next to her.

Katie gazed out among the giant redwoods. The scent of the forest triggered a brief flash of something she hadn’t recalled before; the flowers, particularly the violets. The beautiful yellow flowers spread across the forest floor. It hardly looked like a place that held such deep, dark memories.

“Where would you like to start, Kate?”

“I don’t know. Let’s just go for a walk.”

They started into the woods in silence. The only sounds came from the animals that called this place home. The enormous trees were surrounded by flowers and shrubs. Katie was amazed by how much was able to grow in their shadow. Her dreams made the forest appear much more ominous. The jagged rocks sliced through her feet and the dead branches littered on the ground; black, as if they’d been burned in a fire.

It looked beautiful now. The birds chirped and butterflies flew around her legs.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here. It just looks like a forest. I couldn’t tell you if this was the place or not.” Katie threw her hands to her hips.

“I’ve got the map of the search area the chief emailed you. This should help point us in the right direction.”

Katie glanced at the grainy image. “My God; they searched everywhere, didn’t they?”

“It looks like it. They would have used dogs to pick up scents and probably analyzed the shoeprints as well. It’s a very remote location to have held you captive. I don’t see homes anywhere near here, nor did I on the drive up. Didn’t you say you thought you were being kept in a cellar or something?”

“I think so; I’m not sure. It could have been a basement or a storage area. I just remember that it was cold. My feet were cold when they touched the concrete floor.”

“It may have been in his home. He may have lived nearby, but I’m sure they would have checked out the locals. But then, you could have run for miles to get here. Can you remember anything else?”

Katie lowered herself to the ground, resting against a tree. She closed her eyes and imagined the dreams; running, falling, screaming, but still there was nothing new; nothing that gave her any clue as to the identity of the man.

She dropped her head into her hands. “What am I doing here? I don’t remember anything except for the nightmares. Why am I trying so hard to remember something so terrible?”

“So we can catch the bastard,” Marshall replied. “You and I aren’t all that different, you know. I knew that the moment I met you.” He sat down next to her. “Look Kate, I can’t imagine what this must be like for you, but I do know how much you want to be able to unlock your past.

“I gotta be honest with you; what your parents did, keeping this from you. Well, let’s just say they made it much more difficult for you. Maybe if you had known earlier, you could have come to terms with it. But having found out because of some nightmares, seeking help from a therapist; I don’t know. I think this could have all been avoided, but nonetheless, here you are today. You want justice for yourself and all the other kids who were taken from their families, including Isabelle.

“Just do what you can here, and if you get something, great. If not, maybe this will be the final step in your acceptance of what happened. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop helping to find the other sons of bitches out there. In the short time I’ve known you, I’ve watched you blossom like these flowers.” He pulled a yellow flower from its stem. “What did you say this was? A violet?”

“A Redwood Violet,” Katie replied.

“That’s what you are. You’re able to bloom in the darkness and shadows, just like this flower. Like I said before, I’ll find a place for you in the department if you want. It isn’t easy, this line of work, but you can help others and yourself. Believe me, I know a little something about that.”

“I appreciate that, Marshall. Thank you.” Katie forced herself up off the ground. “Come on; let’s keep going. I’m not ready to give up just yet.”

“I didn’t think you were.”

They continued on the path, studying the map Chief Wilson sent over. They must have searched a two-mile radius. Everything looked the same. Tree after tree, passing a few empty trails along the way, spotting a few blackened twigs that sparked a momentary flash of recognition, but quickly faded.

“I’m sorry, Marshall. There’s nothing here. We’ve been walking around for two hours and I just can’t remember anything more.”

“That’s okay. I have a feeling, now that we’ve had a good look around that you probably weren’t here for too long. I suspect you were being held somewhere nearby, but we’d have to dig pretty deep and see where the chief’s investigation left off. You wanna get out of here?”

“Yeah, I’m done. I’d like to see the chief before we head back to the airport, if you don’t mind going out of our way a little.”

“Not at all; we’ve got plenty of time.”

Neither one said anything more during the forty-minute drive to Rio Dell.

This was the end, she thought. No more leads, no more memories. It was over. What a waste of energy. Marshall was right; she should put her time to better use and go to work with him. It wouldn’t be as a detective, of course. She didn’t have the background. But inside the department, there were plenty of opportunities for her to work alongside him.

“Here we are.” Marshall pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine.

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and hoped he hadn’t seen, but he must have because he quickly looked away.

Marshall stepped out of the car and waited for Katie. When they entered the station, Chief Wilson was at the front desk. He was expecting them.

“Well, how’d it go?” He directed his question to Katie.

“I’m sorry we troubled you, Chief. It didn’t help.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Katie. I wish there was more I could do for you, but as you know, my hands are tied.”

“I understand, Chief. Sorry to have taken up so much of your time with this already. I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

“If it’s all right with you, Katie; I’d like to have a quick word with Detective Avery.”

Katie looked at Marshall, suspicious of the Chief’s intentions. “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll wait in the car.”

After several minutes, Detective Avery emerged from the station and headed toward her. She watched him approach, his face revealed nothing of the conversation. When he got in, she expected him to tell her what the chief had wanted, but he said nothing, only started the engine and pulled away.

“You mind telling me what that was all about?” Katie soon realized he wasn’t going to divulge anything voluntarily.

Marshall stared at the road in silence, but Katie wasn’t about to let this go. Her eyes were burning a hole in the side of his head.

Finally, he spoke. “He thinks I wasted your time and that you have been through enough.”

“I see. Did you tell him that I wanted to come back here? That I wanted to try my damnedest to see if any of it would jog my memory?”

“Kate, he doesn’t want us to continue down this path out of fear we might find something he missed.”

“What do you mean? I don’t think he missed anything. I just wanted to go where they found me. Get some answers.”

“I know, and I know what it means to you to get answers. But I can see that it eats away at him, just like it does me when I want to solve a case, but it just doesn’t work out how you plan. He told me how difficult your investigation was. The other children involved. He believed the disappearances were linked, but just couldn’t get the proof.

“He spent so much time and resources his department didn’t have that eventually, after the media died off, his captain said that was enough, but he didn’t stop. It took its toll on his marriage, but he continued. It wasn’t until your mother told him she didn’t want to continue to relive it every time he had a hunch that he finally stopped.