What?
That’s what I said.
East
You rented a cabin to a podcaster? You hate technology.
I do not. WTF are you even talking about dickface?
Phiny
Is she pretty?
Sage
She’s gorgeous.
It’s irrelevant.
Phiny
Does Fish like her?
Wade
It's never irrelevant when Kipp does something out of character.
Phiny
Our hermit brother approached a woman. This is historic.
You all suck.
CHAPTER 6
Hattie
Many law enforcement officers I met saw value in my work, but quite a few also looked down on it. I understood the reasons and prejudices behind their views. Media in general could easily backfire on officers, and they knew that all too well. They treated us all with extreme caution, especially these days when everyone had a phone in their pocket and technology was moving at the speed of light.
There was enormous pressure in the law enforcement field, and I’d always respected the job (mostly). Sure, I encountered plenty of jerks in the field, but when aren’t there bad apples in any profession?
My voice was supposed to level the playing field for the people who were forgotten. I really tried to pick my cases carefully. Either because they were cold and the local cops had already done their best, which meant they’d work with me, or they were cases police didn’t care about at all.Sometimes I chose them because I thought that if I found something, they might reconsider.
But it was a catch-22.
Police hated it when someone said they were ‘investigating’ something that had already been checked by a professional, and I understood. But that didn’t mean justice ended when they decided their case was closed or that they moved on.
The J & J Hourfunded itself. Advertisements and streams covered gas, food, and housing costs. It wasn’t exactly profitable, and it didn’t pay me a salary. Thankfully, I had solid investments from my previous career, and I also took on marketing work on the side. The podcast was a passion project, and even though both of my parents hated it, I wasn’t quite ready to give it up. There were times when the toll was high. Emotionally and physically.
Right now, I forced myself to add a little extra sway to my walk as I left Kipp and acted as if I didn’t care at all. If I’d had a regular job, then our coffee date might ended with a kiss, or maybe he’d ask for my phone number. My eyes pricked with tears, and that pissed me off. There had been disapproval in every line of his face, and it was hard to even unpack why it bothered me so much.
Back at my car, I booked a cabin through the sleek website and was impressed when I received an instant email with a ‘Welcome’ message. Snorting to myself after meeting Kipp and Sage, it was easy to see who had set itup. The message included a list of what was at the cabin, a door code, a map, and a very cute virtual click-on map of Wildwood Meadows. There was even a link to suggested activities and hiking trails. Adorable.
The cabins were about twenty minutes out of town, which meant that I had plenty of time to call my mother. She’d been leaving me increasingly agitated phone calls in the last few days. Our relationship since we’d lost Jane had been strained to say the least.
Angling my car out of town toward where the valley narrowed, and the trees started to thicken, I followed the ribbon of pavement that squeezed between the walls of green while dialing my mother.
“Josephine Harriet Harper, where the hell have you been?” she demanded on the first ring.
