City of the Lost (Rockton 1)

I lead him into a pocket of shadow. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Dalton says as he strides over. "As usual, he's just trying to get your attention. That right, Kenny?"

"No, sir. I've got a real tip for her."

"Yeah? You seem to have a lot of tips for Detective Butler. You never did that for me. I'm kinda hurt." He steps closer. "Stop trying to get her attention."

"What? No. I know you and her..." He clears his throat. "I know you wouldn't like that."

"Damn right I wouldn't. I don't appreciate you wasting my detective's time."

Which is not what Kenny meant at all. When two people of the opposite sex spend enough time together, people jump to conclusions. The only reason they aren't outright saying anything is that I'm spending a lot of time with two guys, and no one wants to guess which I'm sleeping with and risk pissing off the other. Anders thinks it's hilarious. I find it amusing. Dalton has no idea it's even happening.

"Give Casey the tip," Dalton says. "And if it's bullshit, you're on chopping duty next week."

"You're looking for Mick, right? Well, I saw him around eleven. I was leaving the shop after working on a piece Isabel wants. When I spotted Mick heading my way, I thought he was coming to give me shit because it's late. So I say hi. He says hi and keeps going, heading around the lumber shed."

"Lumber shed?" I say.

"It's where we store the lumber."

"She means why would he be going that way?" Dalton says. Then he turns to me. "No reason."

"Could he have been heading into the woods?"

"He wasn't," Kenny says. "I heard the back door open. He went in."

"Inside the lumber shed? What's in there besides wood?"

"Nothing," Kenny says. "Not even much wood. The guys are just starting to bring in logs for winter, so it's mostly empty space right now. But, uh, very private."

"Private...? Oh."

Kenny clears his throat. "I don't want to cause trouble. If I tell you that a woman went in there after Mick, and Isabel finds out I said it..."

"Then you didn't tell us," I say.

Confusion creases his features. Then he lets out a short laugh. "Oh, right. Ha. Okay. I didn't tell you."

"But if you did, who would you tell us it was?"

"I don't know. Female. Average height. Skinny. That's all I saw. Oh, and she was wearing dark clothes. Jacket to shoes. But I don't know if that's significant because, well, it's not unusual."

True, Dalton and I are both wearing dark boots, jeans, and a dark jacket. There isn't a lot of room to be fashion conscious out here.

I thank Kenny for his time. Dalton says, "Come by the station after nine tomorrow. If the tip panned out, I've got some credits for you. If it doesn't?"

"Chopping duty awaits?"

"You got it."

"I can't guarantee they're still there," Kenny says. "It's been three hours, and if they're still there, then I know why Isabel keeps Mick around." He laughs, a heh-heh chuckle, and then says to me, "Sorry."

I smile. "Agreed. I suspect they're only there if they fell asleep, which would explain why he didn't get his ass back home before Isabel returned."

Another chuckle. "Right, yeah, okay. See you guys later, then. Hope you find him."

FORTY-SEVEN