I met Pearson and C.C. at the station. I had swung by way of work and gave a brief and incomplete explanation of why I needed the condo key. With one eyebrow raised and questions in his eyes, my boss handed the key to me without comment.
I told C.C I had a safe place for us to stay fairly nearby and briefly described the office retreat to Detective Pearson . We would be only forty five minutes up the coast of Lake Michigan.
Pearson guided C.C. and me into his office. There he asked us about our plans.
“Where are you going, and what do I need to know?” He asked .
Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “Murder is not a game, no undertaking for non professionals. I will keep you posted on the investigation, and of course, I’ll need to inquire further about your history with the unfortunate young lady . I think you’re wise to leave your familiar haunts behind, and the work retreat you described should provide a good place to hold up. Now, that being said, I’ll follow you there , first to make certain no one else is following you and secondly to see if this place is secure enough to hide the only two people I know who can shed any light on what has happened. Don’t go home; Don’t pack a bag; and don’t call anyone before you leave. Most importantly, don’t lose me . I’ll try to stay close. About thirty minutes out of town we can find enough supplies for you to make it through the night. You’ll make a list , and I’ll bring whatever else you need back to you tomorrow. Are we clear?”
C.C. and I looked at each other and back to the detective to see if his question was rhetorical, for there was no doubt he was more interested in telling than asking at this moment.
He repeated, “ Are we clear?”
In unison we responded with a sincere, “Clear”.
I had no plan in mind, and Whatever had been in C.C’s plans was brought into question with Karla’s death.
“One thing, no two things inspector, where is there a wash room and a coffee machine?” I inquired. “Even coffee in a paper cup sounds good to me now.”
Wash room attended and paper cups in hand we met in the parking lot ready to embark on an adventure not of our choosing, but nevertheless, an adventure that would challenge our courage , our intelligence, and our cunning. There would be no routine ,no ordinary in the next several days.
