What Happened in the Forest

Making Up

Mara walked into the diner and slid into the booth across from a nervous Mike. He kept glancing around the restaurant, obviously worried someone would see and tell the chief. That was probably why he had asked to meet her in the next town over.

Shit, just what was he about to show her?

"You still look like hell. Didn't you take a nap or something?" he asked, noticing she still had her sunglasses on.

Mara just stared at him and then silently put them up on her forehead. After Embry had left, she went through her notes again, but ended up breaking down into tears.

She told herself that it was because of exhaustion. Or maybe it was because her period was about to start. And that it had nothing to do with the fact that she had gotten into a fight with Embry and kicked him out. Even though there had been a piercing pain in her chest as soon as he had walked out the door.

She knew she looked horrible – the dark circles that were starting to form under her eyes didn't mesh well with the puffiness that set in after she had cried for about an hour.

"Christ, Mara," he said, staring at her.

"Don't worry about it," she snapped. "What do you have for me?"

She flagged down a waitress and ordered a coffee. Mike looked around and then pulled out a folder from his bag and slid it across the table. Mara opened it slightly, her eyes widening.

"Are these the crime scene photos?" she asked softly. Mike reached over and slammed the folder shut.

"Not here," he said. "And I will lose my job if the chief finds out I gave these to you."

Mara looked up at him and nodded, putting them into her bag.

"So why now?" she asked. Mike sighed.

"I told you. I've had my suspicions since the first death. Something just doesn't add up," he said. "But, the chief keeps insisting that it's an animal."

"Why have you waited until now to do something?" she asked, though she had to admit, now knowing he had his own suspicions, she could clearly see that every interaction with him up to this point made perfect sense.

He hadn't been hitting on her at all, just trying to help push her in the right direction.

"It's just me that thinks this. And I told you. I tried to meet with you to share what I thought earlier. Just you seemed a bit busy with the guys in La Push," he said.

The waitress returned with a coffee and Mara took it, waiting until she walked off to answer.

"Momentary distraction," she said, before taking a sip. Mike just stared at her. Mara squirmed under his gaze. "I thought they would give me something."

"Did they?" he asked.

"Just enough to make me think they're in on it," she said. "Well... not all of them, but some of them." Mike took a deep breath and let it out. "But it doesn't matter much. The SIB is in town looking into it. Whatever little information I was getting is sure to be cut off now. I just hope they get to the bottom of it."

Mike sat up, confused.

"SIB? I don't remember the chief saying anything about them," he said. Mara studied him, finding it strange that he didn't know.

Granted, even she had thought it was far too strange to run into them. They certainly were dressed far nicer than your usual law enforcement. And there was something about the redhead that looked familiar. Mara swore she had seen her before, but maybe it was through her work.