Watcher in the Woods (Rockton #4)(59)

Finding someone in Rockton isn’t a matter of dialing a cell phone number. I know Dalton’s not “at work” in the station. I know he won’t be at home mid afternoon. Last I heard, he was going to talk to our neighbors. I’m heading to the bakery, where a couple of our neighbors work, when Sam catches up with me.

“Paul would like to talk to you,” he says.

I check my watch. “Where is he?”

“At the clinic. Your sister’s releasing him soon. She’d also like to speak to you.”

I sigh under my breath. I glance down the road, but there’s no sign of Dalton.

I swing into the clinic and collide with my sister, coming out backward. She jumps, her hands fluttering, and I realize she was backing out while pulling Kenny’s bed. With Kenny on it.

Before I can comment, she says, “Can’t you just walk, Casey?”

“Pretty sure that’s what I was doing,” I say.

“No, you were bouncing. As usual. Bounce, skip, sail . . . crashing into everything as you go.”

Kenny snickers. “Sorry, I’m trying to picture Casey bouncing.”

I look at him. “I was a very energetic kid. My sister has failed to realize I’m well past my bouncing and skipping stage in life.”

She gives me that frown, the one that says the words coming from my mouth don’t make sense. Not to her, anyway.

“Yes, I did kind of swing through the doorway,” I say. “And I did crash into you, April. Sorry. Do I dare ask what you’re doing with poor Kenny?”

“I said I’d love some fresh air,” Kenny says. “I didn’t mean I expected her to single-handedly wheel me out. I’ve objected. She told me to shut up.”

April blinks. “I most certainly did not—”

“She said, ‘Please stop.’ Talking, that is. Which is progress. Usually, she just makes this face, like the sound of my voice hurts her head.”

April’s face reddens. It takes me a moment to realize she’s blushing. “I do not—”

“Totally do,” Kenny says. “Anyway, I mentioned fresh air, and now she’s wheeling me onto the front porch, and since I can’t physically stop her, all I can do is protest, and she doesn’t like that. So I’m keeping quiet and letting myself be wheeled out.”

“He’s been stuck in a closet for two days,” she says. “That is not conducive to recuperation.”

I grab the end of the rolling bed and motion for her to take the head. We navigate through the doorway as I say, “It’s warm out, so you might as well stay here, Kenny, until Paul’s gone. Apparently, he needs to speak to me first.”

April opens her mouth. I cut her off with, “Yes, and so do you. I got the message. Everyone needs to speak to me.”

“I don’t think everyone does, Casey,” she says. “I realize you’re a very important person here, but an overinflated sense of self-importance—”

“—is not a problem Casey has,” Kenny says. His voice is low, gentle, but April still stiffens. He continues with, “Casey meant that it feels as if everyone needs to talk to her.”

I expect my sister to snap something back, but she only nods. She might even look a bit chagrined. I wave her inside and make sure Kenny’s comfortable before I follow. I close the door behind me. We’re in the tiny waiting room with the door to the exam room shut.

“Will I still be home by Tuesday?” she asks.

I swear under my breath. That makes her wince, but she says nothing.

“I know you need to get back,” I say. “Your job here is done. It’s just a little complicated with the marshal’s murder. But we did promise you. I’ll talk to Eric. He should at least be able to fly you to Dawson Monday morning, and you can catch a flight from there and be home for Tuesday. That gives us two more days.”

“It’s Sunday, Casey. Late Sunday afternoon.”

“What?” I think fast and then start cursing again. When she opens her mouth, I lift my hands. “I can do this. I’m really, really sorry. I will talk to Eric right now . . .” I glance at the closed door into the exam room. “Right after I talk to Paul. We’ll make the arrangements. There are more flights out of Whitehorse at this time of year. We’ll have you to Vancouver tomorrow night. I promise.”

I take a step toward the exam room.

Behind me, she says, softly, “Are they going to let me leave?”

I turn. “What?”

“I realize you snuck me in.” Her hands fly up to ward off my protests. “I knew that when I came, so I am not accusing you of anything. I . . . understand that I sometimes speak too bluntly, and what I do not intend as an accusation may sound like that. I have been told as much in the past, but with you, I fear I slip into old habits. Isabel has spoken to me about this, and I have enlisted Kenny’s assistance in reminding me of it.”

“Kenny?” I must look confused. Kenny is not the person I would ever expect my sister to reach out to for help. She points to the front porch, as if to remind me who Kenny is.

April continues, “As I was saying, I realized that I was being brought in secretly, so I am not complaining. But these people know about me now.” She pauses. “I acknowledge that is my fault . . . although, I might point out that I was not fully aware of the extent of the situation and the need for secrecy.”