“Hmmm. I hadn’t thought of it like that. It is a lot to ask of him. You might be right.” Kate smiled to herself and hurried to the bathroom.
She had a quick shower, partially blow-dried her hair and put a little make-up on. Then she slipped into her skinny jeans and a white long-sleeved knit tee, taking her black leather jacket for the ride to the airport, figuring Boise would be much warmer than drizzly Seattle would. She had packed her small suitcase in case they ended up staying overnight.
Just then, Suki called out that Ryan had arrived. Kate met him at the door and they left quickly, not wanting to miss their flight.
They hurried the half block to where Ryan had found a prime parking space on the street. As they walked toward his Land Rover, he turned to her. “Listen, I wasn’t sure if I should say anything but when I was coming up, I noticed that guy. The one with the navy blue ball cap, he was leaning against the far corner of the building.”
“You’re kidding?”
“No. At first, I wondered if that was him, but when he turned and saw I had seen him, he peeled away from the building and went down the street in the opposite direction. I didn’t have time to follow him,” he apologized.
“Don’t worry, Ryan. I’ll let Patel and Porter know. That guy is turning up just a little too often.”
Chapter 9
Ryan and Kate dashed to the airport and made it in time to catch their flight. The traffic on the 405 wasn’t too bad, and they were able to nab a choice parking spot in the long-term parking area.
They retrieved their boarding passes from the kiosk. Both Kate and Ryan took their small suitcases on board instead of checking them, so that they could breeze through the security line.
Once on board, they squeezed into their seats on the small commuter aircraft. Kate was unusually quiet, nervously awaiting take-off. Ryan surely noticed her fidgeting—crossing her arms, then uncrossing them, looking at her watch, shifting in her seat. Her eyes were moist with fear and apprehension.
The plane began to taxi on the runway. As the engines went into full thrust, Kate laid her head back, closed her eyes and gripped the armrests. Once the aircraft leveled out, she released her grasp and let out a long sigh.
“You okay?” Ryan asked.
“I’ll be fine,” she replied.
Ryan kept light conversation going, talking about the weather and his work. It relaxed her a bit. However, the closer the plane got to Boise, the less talkative Kate became. She felt tense again and kept drifting off, lost in thought.
Ryan must have sensed her anxiety because he reached over and took her hand in his. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked tenderly.
“You’re doing it,” she responded.
He reached over, with the slightest touch of his index finger, and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She met his eyes for a moment, managing a little smile, then turned and looked out the window.
He seemed to want to talk with her, get her mind on something else, but small talk seemed frivolous right now.
Ryan looked relieved when the captain’s voice came over the loud speaker instructing the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for final descent. He looked down and seemed to realize he was still holding her hand—she had not tried to let go.
As soon as the plane was on the ground and taxied up to its gate, Ryan and Kate grabbed their carry-ons, disembarked and hastily made their way to one of the car rental counters.
After picking up the car, a white Honda Accord, they drove straight to the police headquarters.
Ryan pulled into the parking lot, turned the engine off and started to reach for the door. Kate placed her hand on his forearm to stop him. He looked surprised, glancing at her hand, and then into her watery eyes.
“Have I told you how much I appreciate you coming with me?”
“Only two or three times,” Ryan replied with a little grin.
“Well, I just want to make sure you know,” she said, doing her best to manage a little smile.
“I do.”
She released her hand from his arm, and they got out of the car. They briskly walked into the police station and spoke with the receptionist working the front desk. Kate explained to her who she was and why she was there.
“Yes, they’re expecting you, Miss McAllister. And who are you, sir?”
“My name is Ryan Wilson. I’m a friend of Kate’s—I mean, Miss McAllister’s.”
“All right, then. Let me call an officer to take you to see the Medical Examiner.”
She picked up the phone. In a matter of minutes, a female officer appeared. “Just follow me,” she said, “and I’ll show you where to go.”
A couple of detectives were standing, talking outside the door to the morgue as they approached. Their conversation ceased when they looked at the trio coming.
“Miss McAllister,” the officer said, “this is Detective Gilbert and Detective Franklin. They’ll take you inside.” The female officer nodded at her colleagues and then left.
“And you are...?” Franklin asked, looking at Ryan.
“I’m Ryan Wilson. I’m a friend of Kate’s. I’m here for moral support. I hope you don’t mind.”
“That’s fine, probably a good idea. Let’s go inside,” the detective said.
He pulled open the glass door for them and Kate went through first. She was already a bundle of nerves, and the medicinal and chemical smells made her stomach clench. The County Medical Examiner was already inside the morgue, waiting for Kate to arrive.
“Doc, this is Kate McAllister,” said Detective Gilbert.
Dr. Wagner was a tall, bulky man with a pronounced curvature of the spine, obvious under his white coat, and a full head of gray hair.
“Yes, I’ve been expecting you, dear,” Dr. Wagner said, peering over the top of his wire-rimmed glasses. “So sorry to have to make you do this, but we need to find out who this young woman is. The body is over here,” he said, pointing to the deceased, covered by a large white cloth, lying on a cold metal gurney. “I’ll pull back the sheet when you’re ready. Just give the word.”
Kate steeled herself for the possibility that it was Whitney’s lifeless body lying on the steel table. She breathed in slowly and leaned against Ryan for support. He sensed her need and put his arm around her shoulder.
“Okay, I’m ready,” she said.
Dr. Wagner pulled back the sheet, and Kate gasped. Her stomach lurched. The cold, pale, dead woman was about Whitney’s age with similar blonde hair. She had bruises around her neck and a deep wound on her forehead. At first glance, the similarity was disturbing. Kate thought for a panicked moment that it might be Whitney.
“Is it your sister?” Gilbert asked.
“No, it’s not.” Kate shook her head slightly. “It’s not Whitney.”
Overcome with relief, her knees went weak and she started to collapse. Ryan grabbed hold of her around the waist to help steady her.
“Why don’t you take her out, son? We’re done here,” the doctor suggested to Ryan, as he covered up the lifeless body.
“Okay, Kate, I’ve got you. Let’s get out of here.” With this arm still about her waist, he led her out of the morgue.
“Thanks, Ryan, I’ll be all right,” she said as she let him help her out of the room, regaining some strength in her legs. “It’s just very upsetting. I’m so glad it’s not my sister,” she said, looking up at Ryan through a blur of tears.
“Me, too,” he responded.
Then she turned and looked again at the covered body through the closed glass doors. “It’s just so sad, though. She’s not Whitney, but she was somebody’s daughter.”
* * * *
“Now what?” Kate asked Ryan, standing in front of the police station in the bright sunshine.
“I’ll have to check for return flights. I didn’t make any reservations because I didn’t know what we’d find and when we’d be returning.” He looked at his watch. “It’s almost three o’clock. There may still be an avai
lable flight back to Seattle tonight. Let me go online and check.”
“I need to sit down and get something to eat. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.” She felt weak. Her stomach had been in knots most of the day, and viewing the dead body had drained her emotionally.
“If I remember correctly, I think there’s a Starbucks or something not far from here,” Ryan said.
“That sounds good. A Chai latté and a slice of pumpkin bread would make me feel better.”
Ryan pushed the button on the car’s key fob to unlock their rental, and it beeped twice. He opened the passenger-side door for Kate and helped her in. Moving around to the driver’s side, he pulled the door open and slide behind the wheel.
Kate looked over at him, warmth enveloping her like a favorite blanket. She barely knew Ryan—it had only been two days—but he had stepped up and become her knight in shining armor. She normally liked to think of herself as strong and self-reliant, living on her own, running her own business, taking care of herself. Yet these last few days had thrown things at her that she had never had to deal with before. Ryan had been a godsend.
They drove into the parking lot of the coffee shop and stepped inside.
“Why don’t you go up and order something, and I’ll find us a table and start checking with the airlines,” Ryan suggested.
“All right. Can I get you anything?” Kate offered, as Ryan took a seat at one of the small tables.
“A bottle of water would be good. Thanks.”
“Okay,” Kate said, “I’ll be right back.
She went to the counter, leaving Ryan to go online to check the various airline schedules on his Smartphone. She wondered if there would be any seats left on any of the direct evening flights back to Seattle, with such short notice.
“Any luck?” she asked, setting his water down in front of him.
“No. Not any direct flights, anyway. I don’t really want to go to Las Vegas and Portland just so I can get back to Seattle by midnight tonight.”
“What should we do?”
“I have an idea,” Ryan said, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.
“What?” she asked suspiciously.
“I’m going to call my parents. We can stay at their house tonight and catch an early flight out in the morning.”
“They won’t mind?” Kate asked.
“Mind? Heck no,” he chuckled. “They’ve been hoping I’d come home with a nice girl for years.”
Kate laughed for the first time all day, and it felt good. Then, the realization that her sister was still missing settled over her and she got serious again.
“Do you think we should call Detective Patel, or Porter, and let them know the dead woman wasn’t my sister?”
“That’s a good idea. Why don’t you call them while I make these reservations real quick for the morning flights,” Ryan said, as he reviewed the screen on his phone, “and then I’ll call my folks.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
Kate dialed Porter’s cell number, and he picked up on the first ring.
“This is Detective Porter.”
“Detective, this is Kate McAllister.”
“Yes, hello, Kate.”
“I’m in Boise right now. I came down here to identify a body the police found yesterday. They thought it might be Whitney’s.”
“Yes, I heard you were going there.”
“But, it wasn’t Whitney.”
“Yes, I heard that, too. The Boise Police already called here and talked to Patel.”
“I’m glad it wasn’t Whitney. Hopefully that means she’s still alive, don’t you think?” Kate was desperate for an encouraging word.
“Let’s hope you’re right. We have the computer tech going through Whitney’s computer again, in case we missed anything. Although, right now nothing seems out of the ordinary. We’ve interviewed co-workers and friends from the information her roommate provided, but we haven’t turned up anything yet.”
“I’ll be back on an early morning flight, and you have my number. Please, Detective, call me if you have even the tiniest bit of news. Okay?” Kate was grasping for anything that would give her hope.
“Will do, Kate,” Porter assured her before hanging up.
Kate looked down at her phone. Where are you, Whitney?
Ryan had overheard the conversation. “I’m sure Raj and Will are doing all they can to find Whitney. There’s nothing more we can do right now, just wait.”
“You’re right,” she reluctantly agreed, as she tucked her phone in her pocket, “but waiting is just so darn hard.”
“I made the flight reservations for seven-thirty in the morning, so that’s taken care of,” he assured her. “Now, I’ll call my folks and let them know we’re coming over. They’ll be thrilled. I’m sure my mom will make a nice dinner for us, and you can kick your shoes off and relax.”
“That sounds really good right now,” Kate replied, rubbing her temple with a couple of fingers. She could feel a tension headache coming on. Then she reached across the small table, put her hand on his forearm and looked into his eyes tenderly. “I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t know what I would have done without your help, Ryan. I want you to know that.”
“Yes, I know that,” he said, putting his hand warmly over hers. “I also know that this thing with your sister is not over. So, once we get back to Seattle, if you still need me, I’ll be there.”
Chapter 10
Ryan hit speed-dial 1 on his phone. “It’s ringing,” he said.
Kate smiled and nodded.
“Hey, Mom. It’s Ryan.” He paused. “I’m in Boise. Yes, Mom, I know I was just here yesterday.” He looked at Kate and raised his eyebrows playfully. “I’m coming over in a few minutes, and I’ll explain it then.”
Kate watched contentedly as Ryan spoke with his mother.“Yes, everything is all right. Nothing you need to be troubled about. I’ll see you in a little while. Don’t worry, Mom.”
Kate smiled, wishing she still had a mother she could tell not to worry. She gazed wistfully at Ryan.
“Oh, and, Mom, I have a friend with me. We’ll need to spend the night. Is that okay?” Ryan asked.
Another pause. “Kate.” He winked at her. “Yes, Mom, a girl. But it’s not what you think. I’ll explain when we get there.”
“Yes, you can tell Dad. Bye, Mom. Love you.”
Ryan shut off his phone, stood up, and stuck it in his coat pocket. He was wearing a big smile.
Kate could tell from his side of the conversation that Ryan had a close relationship with his parents. The longer she was with this man, the more she liked him. She stared at him, with the beginning of a smile on her face and shook her head.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring at me.”
“I know.”
He raised a curious eyebrow. “Okay, then. Let’s go get in the car and head over to my folks’ place. It’s in the little burb of Eagle, just outside of town.”
Once in the car, Kate asked Ryan what his mother’s response was to him bringing a girl home.
“Just like I told you it would be—she was thrilled,” Ryan replied, navigating the Honda out of the parking lot.
“I enjoyed listening to you talk to your mom. It made me think of my own parents, and how much I miss them.”
“You said they died in an auto accident, didn’t you?”
“Yes, it was kind of a freak thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“The police weren’t sure what happened, so they called it an accident and closed the case. My mom and dad had taken the ferry from Seattle over to Bainbridge Island for the day and somehow their car ended up wrapped around a big tree off the main road to Poulsbo. The police report said they both died instantly.”
“No other cars were involved?”
“No. The police thought maybe they swerved to miss a motorcycle or an animal or something.” Kate’s throat grew tight an
d her bottom lip quivered. “No one really knows.” She turned her head to look out the window and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t want Ryan to see the tears that were filling her eyes—he’d seen enough of her tears already.
“I’m sorry, Kate. It must have been devastating for you and Whitney.”
“It was,” she replied, still staring out the window.
“I can’t even imagine losing my folks,” Ryan sympathized.
“I haven’t been back to Seattle since then—until this happened, that is.” She sat up straight, blinked back her tears and drew in a deep breath. “I couldn’t help my parents, but I hope I can help my sister. I can’t wait to fly back there in the morning.”
“I know you’re anxious, but there’s nothing we can do tonight. So, let’s have some dinner and try to relax. Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Okay. You’re right, that does sound good.”
“I know Raj will call if there’s any news,” he assured her.
Kate glanced at him and smiled to herself. He seemed to know just what to say and do to make her feel better. She was looking forward to meeting the people that raised this wonderful man, the parents who taught him values, taught him how to treat a woman. No wonder he wants a family of his own, she thought.
* * * *
Ryan drove through the small town of Eagle. Kate was pleasantly surprised by the quaint shops and upscale feel of the main street. They continued on the street leading out of town, which took them into a rural area.
“I didn’t know your Mom and Dad live in the country.”
“Yep. They live on a ten-acre horse property just up the road a little ways. Hey, do you like horses?”
“I do. I didn’t grow up around horses in Seattle, of course, but in California I have friends who have horses and I get to ride them occasionally.”
“I’ll have to show you ours.”
“I’d like that,” she replied.
“Here we are,” Ryan said as he turned in at the white vinyl fencing, pulling onto the long paved driveway leading back to the house. At the end of the driveway sat an older two-story farmhouse that looked like it had been remodeled recently. The house was painted a pale yellow with white trim and black shutters. The walkway leading up to the expansive front porch was bordered with small green shrubs and flowering plants. Beyond the farmhouse were several outbuildings and a large red barn.
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