“We’re just gonna take a few pictures,” Jerry says. “Just stand against the wall right there.”
I hold still, moving when they say, letting them photograph every inch of me.
“We’re gonna have to take your clothes and your boots,” Jerry says when they finish. “Taylor will get you something to wear.” The deputy flashes me a half smile, almost an apology, then walks out of the room. Jerry takes off his jacket and hangs it on the back of the metal chair across from me and then hits record on the little device that is already sitting on the table. I listen as he rattles off our names, the date, the time, and that he is questioning me about the double homicide near Grafton’s Pass.
“Did you find the brother?”
“Uh… I can’t comment on that at the moment. Let’s you start at the beginning. You just got back in town today? Yesterday.” The sun is still down, but it is definitely morning.
“Yeah, I was visiting some friends down in Los Angeles.”
“And we can contact them if we need to?”
I think for a moment, then answer truthfully. I am pretty sure the whole county knows about my annual pilgrimage, they just don’t know the particulars. “I was with an Evelyn Baker and some of our mutual friends. I’ll leave her contact information.”
“Good. So I've got one dead up at GPSite Five and one dead at your property and one in recovery. Tell me what happened.”
I tell Jerry everything from the moment I heard Claudia’s first scream, trying not to focus on the fact that Site Five is two miles from my house. Downhill.
“And how do you know the young lady's name?”
“I was trying to keep her talking in the truck. She told me. Your guy at the campsite should be her brother. At least that's what she said.”
We stop for a few moments when Taylor comes back with a pair sheriff’s department sweats, a t-shirt and a pair of fishing boots.
“The pants are probably a little short.”
“It's fine. And don't worry about the boots. I have sneakers in my truck.” I change and let him throw my thermals, my boots and my jacket into some evidence bags. “My phone might have some blood on it. It’s out in the truck.”
“Her blood?” Jerry asks.
“Yeah.”
“You hold on to it for now.” Jerry excuses Taylor with a nod and we continue.
“She said there are two of them.”
“Yeah she told them that at the hospital. One attacked her and one attacked her brother. We’re out looking for him now. We checked on Titus too. He wasn't amused but he's fine. We’ll let you back up there so you can get him soon.”
“But I can't stay there? At my house.”
Jerry shakes his head. “Jad and May-Bell are waiting for you. You can stay there until we clear the scene. What else can you tell me?”
Just then we hear a commotion outside of the room. Taylor throws open the door.
“Jer—they got him! He’s over at QER.”
“They shoot him?” Jerry grunts then stands and grabs his jacket.
“No. He was running across 70 and Will clipped him with the cruiser, but he's alive.”
“Good. Don't leave town, Shep.”
“I won't.” I watch Jerry as he stops the recording, then follow him back to the front of the station. The radio and the phone are going crazy. Outside I dig my beat-up running shoes out of the backseat and watch Jerry as he throws on his lights and bolts toward the hospital. I sit in my truck for a while, waiting for the sun to come up. Jerry still hasn’t come back by the time I figure I should move.
I take my time driving back up to my house, making a mental list of everything I need to take for at least the next few days. And I know even though I can’t stay at my place, I have to get Titus. Crime scene be damned. I’m stopped at the open gate to my property and a Sheriff’s deputy escorts me up the rest of the way on foot and follows me in my back door.
The whole front is taped off. There’s still a body in my yard. Titus is spooked, but happy to see me. I grab some clothes and some other shit like my toothbrush. My laptop and my camera are still packed. I grab both bags and my drives. Then I grab my dog.
