Katie nodded. She’d half hoped her mom would renege on watching Sam. As stupid as it sounded, she’d never been to a sleepover and didn’t know what to expect. How pathetic that she was only now going to experience one at twenty-seven.
“Can I bring anything for dinner?”
“It’s all taken care of.” Her mom paused in the process of running a feather duster over a collection of shampoo bottles. The frown lines crept back around her mouth. “But you might want to pick up a sketchbook for Sam.”
Katie’s mouth was dry. “What kind of stuff is he drawing?”
Her mom looked away. “Odd things. Shapes…trees.” She bit her lip. “But they’re all filled with tiny triangles and boxes.”
Noise.
“Like a pattern,” Katie whispered.
“Exactly.” Her mom set the feather duster down and turned to face her. “He said it’s because of the cloud.”
Chapter 2
Katie sorted through the afternoon mail, setting aside several envelopes for Eve to review later. She loved working for her friend as manager of the Parrish Hotel, but found it hard to concentrate on business.
The lobby was empty; all the departing guests checked out for the day, with those remaining scouring the town. There hadn’t been a reported sighting of the Mothman for months, but the mere idea of the creature’s existence kept visitors flocking to the hotel.
From her position behind the checkin counter, she cast a glance out the front windows. A nest of leaves had become snarled on the covered porch, huddled in a corner where they were shaded from the sun. Soon it would be too cold to linger outdoors, the change in weather signaling the need to store the high-backed rockers loved by guests for the season. The Halloween decorations—fat orange pumpkins, Indian corn, and dried cornstalks—could remain into mid-November.
She rubbed her eyes.
Frivolous thoughts, conjured to keep her mind off Jerome and her son’s sudden obsession with drawing. Maybe she couldn’t put her mind at ease about Sam, but at least she could get an update on Jerome.
Picking up the handset for the phone, she punched out the number for Ryan Flynn with her free hand. She and Ryan had grown increasingly friendly ever since Eve and Ryan’s older brother, Caden, started dating. If there was information to be had, Ryan would know.
The phone cycled through four rings before he answered.
“Sergeant Ryan Flynn.” His voice had a calming effect on her nerves, much as his presence often did.
“Hi, Ryan. It’s Katie.”
“Katie?” His tone brightened noticeably, losing some of its professional edge. “Nice to hear from you. I hope everything’s okay.”
“Fine.” She imagined a trace of concern crinkling his blue eyes. “I was hoping you could check on something for me.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“It’s about Jerome Kelly.” Briefly, she relayed her experience of the previous night. “I feel bad leaving him the way I did, even though I’m sure Deputy Brown is more than capable. I was hoping you’d know something…that Jerome made it home okay or that Deputy Brown took him to the hospital. I hate not knowing what became of him.”
“Deputy Brown?” An odd inflection colored Ryan’s words.
“Yes.”
“Of the Mason County Sheriff’s Department?”
“Yes.” Impatiently, Katie drummed her fingers on the counter. “Is there some kind of policy that won’t allow you to tell me?”
Ryan exhaled into the phone. “Katie, I know every deputy and officer in this department and there is no one named Brown.”
“But that’s not possible. He introduced himself and told me his name.”
“Maybe you heard him wrong.”
“No.” Pressing her fingertips to her forehead, she rubbed the spot just above her eyebrow. She’d been rattled because of Jerome, but she’d heard the deputy clearly.
“All right.” Ryan’s voice was softer as if he sensed her agitation. “What did he look like?”
“He…” Katie closed her eyes and concentrated, too embarrassed to admit she couldn’t remember. Several times since the incident she’d tried to recall his face and each time came up empty. “It was dark,” she said at last. “I didn’t get a good look at him, but I saw his car with the sheriff’s department seal on the side, and he told me his name.”
Silence reigned on the other end.
“You don’t believe me,” she accused.
“I didn’t say that. Maybe he’s a new hire. I’ll ask around.” A peace offering. An attempt to pacify her.
The effort was pathetically transparent. “I think I’ll call the hospital.” More annoyed at herself than him, she grew increasingly irritated she couldn’t recall a single feature of Brown’s face.
“I’ll call the hospital,” Ryan offered. More olive branches.
“I don’t mind.”
“I don’t, either.” He was back to sounding helpful, the Ryan she liked best. During their short time as friends, she’d known him to be stubbornly opinionated, but also courteous and charming.
“You have me curious about Brown,” Ryan continued. “And Jerome. I’ll do some checking and I’ll get back to you.”
“Thanks, Ryan. I’ll be here most of the afternoon; then I’m heading to my mom’s place for dinner. Tonight, I’ll be with Eve and Sarah.”
“The sleepover.” A grin crept into his voice.
“You know about it?”
“Caden told me.”
A sergeant with the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, Caden was scheduled to work the late shift, according to Eve. “Does he tell you everything?”
Ryan snorted. “Hardly. Anyway, I hope you girls enjoy yourselves. Do you want me to call you at Eve’s if I turn up news on Jerome?”
“Sure.” She’d sleep better if she knew Jerome hadn’t been sidelined by anything serious. “You’re a good friend, Ryan. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat sometime.”
“I’d like that.”
After she’d hung up, it occurred to her that he’d asked for a date in a roundabout way. Then again, maybe he just wanted to pick her brain about Deputy Brown and find out how a faceless, unknown officer could end up driving a Mason County patrol car.