Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(13)

I sank into a chair opposite him and took a sip of my coffee. Just as I liked it. Black, one sugar.

Clark placed a stack of papers on his desk and gave me a careful look that put me on edge. “We’ve got a missing hiker out there.” He gestured at a map, indicating the miles of national forest that surrounded our town. “A girl from Seattle.”

Straightening, I placed my mug on the desk. A lead weight settled in my gut, reminding me of another missing girl all those years ago. I told myself that this was different, just a hiker lost in the woods. We’d find this girl. And she’d be alive. “Search and rescue been called?”

“They’ve been put on alert, but the search area is large. The young woman’s parents don’t know exactly where she was going hiking. Just some trail near Sutter Lake.”

“Hiking alone?”

“Yup.”

I groaned. When would these people learn? You never hiked alone, and you always told someone where you were going and when to expect you back.

Clark rubbed a hand over his jaw. “There’s not a lot we can do at the moment, but I wanted to make you aware of the situation.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Of course.” Clark continued to hold my gaze. Searching. Sending the same silent apology he always did whenever there was a case that hit too close to home.

Almost a decade had passed since the spring I’d lost Julie. Since she was taken from me. I still held out hope that a clue would appear or a witness would come forward. I went through the case file every year on the anniversary of her death, hoping that something would jump out at me that I hadn’t noticed before. It never did.

And it wasn’t for Clark’s lack of trying either. He’d done everything he could to find answers. To get justice for Julie. He hadn’t been able to. What Clark had done was light a fire in me to become a cop. He’d encouraged me every step of the way. “Take that anger and turn it into something productive,” he’d said. So, I had.

I shook myself from the memories pressing down on me and pushed from the chair. “I have some paperwork to wrap up, but let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Clark jerked up his chin as I headed out. “Will do.”

Pushing open the door to my office, I blew out a long breath. The ghosts were going to be running rampant today. I rounded my desk and sank into the chair. I punched a few keys on my keyboard to bring my computer to life, then just stared at the home screen, unable to force myself to descend into the dull world of police reports.

My phone buzzed on the desk, sending vibrations through the wood. I snatched it up.

Caitlin: Hey you. Want to get dinner tonight?

Guilt flared in my gut, but I tamped it down. Thinking about Julie didn’t mean I cared any less for Caitlin. Didn’t mean that I wouldn’t be able to love Caitlin one day. I just wasn’t there yet.

I typed out a reply.

Me: I’d love to. Pick you up at 6?

Moments later, my phone buzzed again.

Caitlin: I’ll be waiting. ;-)

I turned back to the boring-as-hell police reports. At least those didn’t make me feel like an asshole.





I took a pull on my beer as Caitlin gazed at me from across the table, her light brown hair curled to frame her heart-shaped face, her makeup perfect. I strained to feel something deeper for her, just a faint flicker of what I’d felt for Julie. It wouldn’t come.

Caitlin took a sip of her wine. “So, how was work?”

“It was good.” I glanced around the bustling restaurant. Folks from town and tourists I didn’t recognize filled the tables. “Mostly just catching up on never-ending paperwork.”

Caitlin’s mouth turned down. “That doesn’t sound like too much fun.”

I chuckled. “A lot of police work is boring. Still needs to get done.”

“So—” Caitlin’s words were cut off by the appearance of someone at our table.

Arthur Grigg was a staple in town. Seventy-eight years old and nosy as all get-out. “Walker, Caitlin,” he greeted, then turned to face me. “I heard there’s a missing hiker.”

“There is.” I eyed Caitlin from across the table. Her lips pressed together in a way that said she wasn’t too happy I had neglected to share this news with her.

Arthur huffed. “Well, what are you doing about it?”

“There’s not a lot we can do at the moment. Search and rescue is on standby, and we have an APB out on her vehicle. Other than that, our hands are tied.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. “You’re telling me there’s not one thing you could be doing for that girl? I’d think you of all people would want to be looking for her.”

My jaw tightened, and Caitlin sucked in a breath. “I’d love to be looking for her, but there are thousands of miles of forest around here. Where would I start, if I have no clue where she started?” My chest burned, and I fought against the urge to put the old guy in his place. I knew Arthur didn’t mean any harm, but his words cut deep.

“Well, you could at least put up some missing-person flyers.”

I wanted to ask what posters would do if the hiker was in the middle of the woods, but I resisted. “Tell you what, Arthur. Why don’t you come by the station tomorrow. I’ll print up some flyers, and you and the rest of the bridge club can help me put them up around town.”