Good Bones, page 8
Whiskers lifted his head. “Meow?”
“Not you.” She patted his head, anger fading. “No offense, but sitting alone with a cat on my lap is not how I hoped the evening would end. Jake and I hit it off so well, too. I really like him. More than I expected, but that protective streak is a pain in the rear.” She made a wry face. “Some psychologist I am. I should have seen that coming.”
Katherine brushed aside a pang of remorse. “Since I’m currently locked out, I’ll investigate on my own. Perhaps once I discover more information on Tina, I can convince Jake to let me into the house again.”
Tina… Rage, helplessness, horror, all the emotions from witnessing the vicious attack bubbled up inside Katherine again. No way in hell would she let a crime against that poor girl go unpunished.
Girl?
Katherine frowned. Funny… Even though the face in the mirror had been shrouded in mist, she could have sworn Jake’s ghost was older than a teenage girl.
She lifted Whiskers to the side, went to the desk, and opened a new patient file on her laptop.
“Tina No Last Name,” Katherine murmured. “Not a lot to go on.”
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. That’s not exactly true.
What did you see, Kathy? prodded her grandfather’s voice.
She typed her notes. The new patient was a teenager named Tina. She sat under the bleachers on the Sandy Shoals High School playing field. She wore sports clothes and had shoes with cleats—soccer or baseball. “No mitt or bat,” she muttered, “so soccer.” Her attacker also took her gold cross necklace. Was it a simple theft or more symbolic?
Katherine shivered. What happened to Tina? Was her body ever found? Was a family still wrapped in grief over her tragic disappearance? If not, a missing person’s report on a student from Sandy Shoals High must exist. If only she had Jake’s help…
Well, she didn’t. Katherine drummed her fingers on the table. A missing or dead girl named Tina…attended Sandy Shoals High School…attack occurred during the summer on school grounds.
“It’s a start,” she murmured.
An internet search for missing girls named Tina from Sandy Shoals didn’t yield a single hit. Next, she tried obituaries for Sandy Shoals High School students with equally disappointing results. Since the school had been built, a few teenage girls died from natural causes or accidents, but no one named Tina.
Katherine stretched the kinks from her shoulders and checked the time—nearly midnight. She had a calendar of living clients tomorrow and they deserved a clear-headed, wide-awake therapist as much as a ghost. She shut down the computer and went to bed.
****
Between patients, Katherine considered the problem of Tina’s identity. Occasionally, her thoughts also drifted to Jake, but she shoved them roughly away. If he was mad, so be it. She made a promise, and that was that. At the end of the day, Katherine had a flash of inspiration and headed to the public library. Her excitement rose when the librarian informed her they had copies of all the Sandy Shoals High School yearbooks in the reference room.
Sandy Shoals had built a succession of high schools over the past century, the newest twenty years old. Katherine’s glimpse of Tina’s modern clothing convinced her the girl wasn’t from the distant past, so she concentrated the search on students who attended since the most recent construction. Current enrollment was approximately three hundred seniors in each school year. The problem, Katherine soon realized, was Tina may not have been a senior. That meant combing pictures of underclassmen, too.
A handful of the books had girls named Tina, but the faces didn’t match, so Katherine worked backward from the present, scrupulously studying the picture of every female student. She only made it through three books before the library closed. The next day after her last patient’s appointment, she returned to carefully scrutinize another stack, but ended with the same frustrating results. Neither Tina’s face nor name came to light.
On Friday evening, Katherine slammed the last yearbook shut with disgust and shoved it back on the shelf…nothing. Tina wasn’t a student at Sandy Shoals. Why was she on the playing field? Katherine scowled. An image popped into her head of Jake Sumner with an I-told-you-so expression.
“Forget it,” she muttered. “I’m not begging for your help.”
She grabbed her purse, and on the way to the exit passed a teenage girl in a school uniform standing at a carrel of paperbacks. She wore a gold cross around her neck. Stitched over her shirt pocket was Saint Anne’s Catholic School. Katherine stopped in her tracks. “Excuse me, but is Saint Anne’s a local high school?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“In Sandy Shoals?”
“No ma’am, but it’s close—in Azalea Trace just over the county line.”
“A lot of local students go there?”
“Sure. Probably half my class.”
With growing excitement, Katherine chose a carrel by the window and logged into a library computer. After connecting with the internet, she searched for obituaries for missing persons from Azalea Trace, but no one with the name Tina came up. “Who the hell are you?” she muttered with mounting frustration.
She had no yearbook with pictures to peruse, but a quick search yielded the website for Saint Anne’s. The school printed the names of all graduating seniors by year going back to when the school was founded. Saint Anne’s was as old as Sandy Shoals High, but the graduating classes smaller. Katherine had just clicked open the page with the senior class from seven years before when an announcement over the PA system reminded patrons they had fifteen minutes until closing.
Katherine yawned. I’m beat. Call it a day. Her stomach gurgled loud enough for a passing librarian to raise an eyebrow. Red-faced, she moved the cursor to close the webpage and head for home when one name in the list of graduates jumped out at her…April Ortiz.
With growing excitement, Katherine logged off and rushed to her car. Before getting in, she fished the phone from her purse and dialed April’s number. “Hi, April. It’s Katherine. Want to have lunch tomorrow?”
“You must be psychic,” said April. “I was about to call you for the same thing. I’m lusting for a bacon cheeseburger from O’Brien’s Bistro. God, that’s pathetic. I need a man in my life. Twelve o’clock?”
“Twelve o’clock at O’Brien’s. Perfect, see you then.” Katherine hung up with a light heart. She didn’t have Tina’s identity yet, but may have taken one step closer to the truth.
****
With mounting exhilaration, Jake slipped from his hiding place behind a tree as the headlights from Katherine’s car disappeared. Camping outside her office after work on Tuesday had finally yielded results. Curious after their argument, he had followed her to the library. He snuck in and spied from the stacks as she diligently searched yearbooks.
Well, well.
Katherine must have a reason to think the ghost had attended Sandy Shoals, so she was not only female, but young. On Wednesday morning, Jake searched past and present police files for murder victims or missing children at the high school, but came up empty. On a chance the ghost was older, he double-checked teachers and administrators—nothing.
Jake drove past the library that evening and spotted Katherine’s car. He parked his truck on the other side of the lot and peeked through a window as she scoured more Sandy Shoals yearbooks. “She’s at it again,” he muttered. “How long you gonna stick with a dead end, Kathy?”
Apparently, Jake soon realized, until she got results because on Thursday her car parked in the same place. He debated whether to stop and tell Katherine the truth, but decided against it. Surely, she would get discouraged and give up the hunt soon.
Sure she will.
Doubt ate at Jake all day Friday. He arrived first at the library, parked the truck far from the building, and waited. A few minutes later, Katherine arrived. Man, she was stubborn. His fingers gripped the door handle. He should tell her she wasted her time. No Sandy Shoals students or staff had been murdered. The hand dropped to his lap. No. Wasting her time kept her out of danger—and the world was a dangerous place.
Jake crept to a window to spy on her. Katherine slammed the last book shut in obvious frustration. His lips twitched in a knowing smile. She just came to the same conclusion he reached days ago—Sandy Shoals High School was a bust. Katherine headed to the exit. She stopped short to speak to a girl in a Saint Anne’s shirt and then immediately sat back down at a public computer. Fortunately, the seat she chose was near another window.
Jake changed position and glimpsed enough of the screen to deduce where Katherine’s investigation led. As she rose to leave, he ran across the parking lot and hid behind a tree near her car. From there, eavesdropping on the phone conversation was simple. As Katherine’s car pulled away, Jake stepped from the shadows.
An uneasy thought crept into his mind. Katherine may be one step closer to the truth.
Chapter 9
Katherine waited at the entrance to O’Brien’s. At twelve on the dot, April jogged across the street, out of breath. “Don’t tell me I’m late. I’m never late for a meal.”
“Right on time,” Katherine said cheerfully. They took a booth in the back. “How are things at the station?”
“I have news,” said April. “Parker toyed with changes to his show and opted for a call-in format. He figured it worked for Miss Harmony, so it’ll work for him. He wants to keep the first part of Chit Chat as conversation and then take questions from listeners for the second half.”
Katherine raised an eyebrow. “At 7:00 on Sunday morning?”
April snorted a laugh. “Yeah, I can hear it now. A frantic caller asks if anyone out there saw what he did after downing a dozen tequila shots Saturday night, where he left his pants, or who is the strange tattooed man in his bed? Actually, Parker’s show will move to Miss Harmony’s old Saturday time slot. I’m sure a few of your fans with tinfoil hats will follow.”
“Mine?” said Katherine, puzzled.
“Oh, didn’t I mention? Parker wants you as the first guest.” April nudged her in the side. “Can turn into a steady gig if you cure the nut jobs on the spot. After all, it worked for Miss Harmony.”
“Sorry, I don’t work as fast as a scam artist. Parker really wants me?”
“Yeah, but the show isn’t a done deal, yet. He still has to wrangle sponsors and stuff like that. I wasn’t supposed to blab his plans, but what the hell. Is it okay if I tell Parker you’re interested?”
“Sure, why not?” Katherine cleared her throat. “I have a question for you, too. Did you graduate from Saint Anne’s Catholic School?”
“Yup.” April winked. “Sorry to say, not many of Sister Angelica’s lessons in proper behavior for a young lady stuck. How did you know?”
“I saw your picture in a yearbook.” Katherine launched the fabrication she practiced all morning. “I have a new patient around your age. I can’t go into detail, of course, but believe an incident in the past affects her current mental health. A traumatic event may have happened to a girl at Saint Anne’s. I can’t get the patient to discuss specifics, so decided to dig up more information from a graduate.”
“Sure,” said April, “although the most traumatic thing I recall happening to anyone in my graduating class was not being asked to the prom.”
“This may have happened a few years earlier. The student’s name was Tina.”
April sat back in her seat. “Oh my God, I haven’t thought of her in years.”
“You know who I’m talking about?” said Katherine with mounting excitement.
“Sure. Margaret Delaney.” Her eyes held a wistful look. “We were friends.”
“Margaret?”
“Tina was her nickname,” said April. “She hated Margaret, said it was too old-fashioned. Her middle name was Christina, so the kids at school called her Tina. We were both on the girls’ soccer team.”
“Soccer team,” Katherine mused. “Did you ever play on the Sandy Shoals High School field?”
“Sure, all the time. We had regular games against their girls’ team during the season, but Sandy Shoals also hosted a soccer camp in the summer. All of us attended. As a matter of fact,” added April with a frown, “during camp before the start of junior year everything changed with Tina.”
Katherine leaned in. “What happened to her?”
“I’m not sure. Her home life was a mess. She and her mom didn’t get along one bit. We all suspected her mother was a drunk, but Tina refused to talk. She kept a lot to herself.”
“Her dad?”
“Never in the picture. Mom had a succession of boyfriends. Tina hated all of them.” A troubled look crossed April’s face.
“What is it?” asked Katherine.
“Tina stopped coming to soccer camp before it ended and she didn’t show for the first few days of school. I called, but her mom said she went to live with her grandmother out of state. Frankly, I figured life got too tough at home and was glad she left. Funny, though,” April mused, “Tina cut ties and never got in touch with any of us at school. Weird when I think back on it now. It’s as if she wanted a clean break.”
Katherine cleared her throat. “Is it possible something bad happened?”
“Like she ran away?” whispered April.
Or was murdered. Katherine bit her lip.
“I didn’t consider that,” moaned April. “Now I feel awful I didn’t press harder for answers from her mother—or even tried to get Tina to open up more. She must have kept a lot of stuff bottled inside.”
Katherine patted her arm. “Don’t blame yourself. You can’t expect a teenage girl to recognize signs of trouble.”
“Poor Tina,” said April with a sigh. “I hope wherever she ended up, she found a better life.”
Unconsciously, Katherine hand wadded the napkin into a ball.
“What is it?” said April kindly. “You seem upset.”
Katherine forced a grin. “I’m fine—here comes the food. I’m starved.” As they ate, Katherine steered the conversation from any further mention of Tina Delaney.
“This was fun,” said April as they walked out the door. “I’ll call you. Let’s have lunch again this week.”
“I’d like that—” Katherine stopped short. Jake Sumner lounged against her car.
April followed her gaze and her eyes instantly narrowed. “Who’s the guy? Crazy stalker patient?” She fumbled in her purse. “Say the word. I have pepper spray.”
“No, he’s a police detective. I’m consulting on a case for the force.”
“Oh.” April’s eyes twinkled. “In that case, damn, he’s cute.”
“We’re simply colleagues.”
“Married?”
“No.”
“Gay?”
Katherine chuckled. “My professional opinion is hell no.”
April jabbed her elbow playfully into Katherine’s side. “Then make a move, girl, but if you decide he isn’t a keeper toss him back in the pond and give me a shot. See ya!” April cut across the parking lot, calling out to Jake, “Be nice to my girl or you answer to me.” He regarded her with bemusement.
Katherine strolled across the lot. “Detective Sumner,” she said coolly. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you.”
“How did you know I was at O’Brien’s?”
“I overheard you at the library making plans. Enjoy your lunch date?”
She gaped at him. “You spied on me?”
“Yup,” he replied without a discernable smidgen of guilt. “For several evenings in fact as you scoured the library’s collection of Sandy Shoals yearbooks. After you got a lead on Saint Anne’s, I heard you mention April’s name on the phone and remembered her from the coffee shop the day I first saw you. April had mentioned she worked at the station. It didn’t take much investigation to discover her last name and the fact she was an alumna of Saint Anne’s.”
Katherine folded her arms. “We’ve already been through this. You know I can’t discuss—”
“Margaret Christina Delaney.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You have the ghost’s name? How?”
Jake casually examined his fingernails. “I’m a detective. I detect.”
Katherine glowered. “Did you come here to gloat? That’s not very professional.”
“Yeah, but it’s fun. Actually, I thought you might be interested in what I found. If not, I can leave…”
Katherine blew out her cheeks in exasperation. “Spill it and stop smirking.”
“When I realized you expanded your search to Azalea Trace, so did I. None of the murders matched, but I found an old missing person case on a teenage girl from Saint Anne’s filed by her mother. She was sixteen and a classmate of April Ortiz.”
“Tina,” Katherine mused, “that’s what her friends called her… The ghost used the same name. Hang on, April didn’t mention police involvement.”
“That’s because a day after her mother filed the report, she called back. Tina showed up at her grandmother’s house—and yes, the detective on the case investigated. Tina was alive and well, but didn’t wish to return to Azalea Trace because of ongoing family issues. Her mother decided to transfer custody.”
“Tina’s alive?” Katherine’s mind whirled.
“I can’t promise that. I couldn’t find a number and haven’t spoken to her, so I only know Tina was still breathing when she left Sandy Shoals. I’m checking obituaries, but haven’t come up with anything yet.” Jake regarded Katherine with a questioning look. “I have Tina’s old file in the truck. According to the DMV, her mother lives at the same address. It’s a short ride to Azalea Trace.”
Katherine startled. “Are you asking for my help?”
Jake shrugged. “The conversation is bound to be delicate since it may involve the never reported disappearance of a minor. I could use psychological insight on the mother. What do you say to a road trip? Or are you still determined to do this on your own?”
Katherine flashed a grin. “I’m in.”
“Good. Drop your car at the apartment and I’ll meet you out front.”
