Page 20 of The Woman Who Couldn't Scream
There was no need for the hushed conversations; Kateri’s pain meds had taken over. When she nodded off, as she occasionally did, Lacey would give her a nudge and Kateri would straighten up.
The sun had begun to set when at last Bergen came out, put his hand on Kateri’s shoulder and said, “Come on. We’re going to be a few more hours. I’ll take you to my house so you can catch some shut-eye.”
“I want to go to Rainbow’s.”
“Rainbow’s… house?”
“I have her keys. She wouldn’t mind.”
Bergen got that stern,I know better than youface that he wore so well. “John Terrance is out there. He probably did this.”
“That’s true. He is out there and he did probably do this. So I’m not going to put your wife and children in jeopardy.”
Bergen paused, and hisI knowface turned into hisDarn, I wish you hadn’t thought of thatface.
“Hard to argue that, isn’t it?” Kateri added, “After a day like today, I want to be alone.”
“I’d rather you weren’t.”
“Send a patrol by every half hour.”
“I’ll put someone on guard at Rainbow’s house.”
“Make yourself happy.” She allowed him to help her to her feet. “But Lacey is as good a guard as any you can set.”
He leaned down to pet her dog. “She knows who did this.”
“Yes. If only she could speak.” Kateri thought a minute. “I suppose she will somehow tell us when she spots the perp.”
“Another reason to keep her close.” He put Kateri and Lacey in his patrol car and as they drove the three blocks to Rainbow’s tiny corner house, he reported, “John Terrance—or whoever tossed the house—didn’t do much damage. A broken vase. Furniture upended. The back door was open. We think you interrupted him—the perp—and he fled.”
“Doesn’t sound like Terrance to me. He’s wily, but he wouldn’t run from a girl. Except if that girl had a chance of hurting him. Spiteful bully.”
“He had no idea how many officers you had called, so in his mind, he was running from overwhelming testosterone-driven odds.”
She laughed and as they turned the corner, she almost toppled sideways onto the console.
“Whoa, girl.” Bergen pushed on her shoulder.
She teetered back into a sitting position.
They pulled into Rainbow’s driveway.
Another patrol car pulled in behind them.
Bergen came around to help her out. “Sean Weston volunteered for the first shift. I think he’s bucking to get on full-time.”
She glanced back at her newest temporary officer.
He smiled—he had one of those square smiles that showed all his teeth—and gave her a thumbs-up.
“I hate a brown nose,” she muttered, then realized her mutter was a little too loud.
“You hired him.” Bergen held her arm.
“Good credentials.” They climbed the stairs to the front porch. “Glowing recommendation from the Carson City police chief.”
“So the chief either wanted desperately to get rid of Weston…”
