I Bet on Losing Dogs - Patrick Jane

711 - Byzantium

 Kenzie stared blankly at the windshield, gripping the wheel so tightly that her palms grew red. Patrick never made it to the car. He really left.

She was so out of it, she barely noticed Cho climbing into the passenger seat. They sat in silence for a long time before Cho carefully placed his hand on top of hers. She slightly flinched.

"Let me drive," he said. Soft, yet strong demand.

She didn't question it. Kenzie got up from the car and switched seats. The engine roared. She leaned her head against the window as they drove off.

Cho pulled up in front of the house. There were only two cars parked in the driveway, but no Airstream. With her head down, she walked up to the front door, unlocked it, and went straight to her room, not saying anything. She slammed the door behind her and slid down onto the floor, letting everything out.

Nicole and Teresa looked up at Cho, confused. "What's going on?" Teresa asked.

"Where's Patrick?" asked Nicole.

♥️

Lilly had always been a smart girl. So, when she didn't see the Airstream sitting in front of the house, it didn't take long to put two and two together. Kenzie wrapped her arms around her daughter as she sobbed in her arms.

It seemed Biscuit could sense their distress. He tiptoped into the room and hopped onto the bed, letting out small whines. They'd stayed like this every night for the whole week.

♥️

Kenzie stood next to the damaged car with her hands on her hips. Standing next to her was a blond, white woman in a park ranger uniform.

"Morning, Kenzie."

She turned around to see Cho walking up to them. "Cho, uh, this is Park Ranger Jill Ayres," she explained. "She was the first person on the crime scene."

"Glad to have the FBI's help," said Ranger Jill.

"Who found them?"

"I did. I was doing my morning rounds. I saw the tire tracks going off the side."

"Any idea what they were doing out here?" Cho asked.

"Well, it's a nice view from the top of the hill. Kids come out here to park. Techs found 9mm casings at the top of the hill next to the tire tracks."

"So the shooting took place up there," Kenzie concluded. "They go the wrong way and end up down here."

"She try to make a run for it?" Jill suggested.

"There are drag marks from the car to the body, so the killer must have moved her," Cho explained. "Maybe he was searching for something."

"Maybe the killer tried to take the body up the hill and got to that steep part and realized it wasn't going to happen," said Kenzie.

"But why move her at all?" Jill asked.

"That's a good question. Thank you, Ranger. We'll be in touch."

Kenzie watched as the ranger walked up the hill. But then, she was met with silence. Silence that she hated. It wasn't comfortable silence because someone was missing. Her thumb instinctively pressed against her ring, biting back a sob. She immediately pushed the thought of him down.

She never said his name out loud. She barely thought it. Every time someone mentioned his name, she slightly flinched. The silence was immediately filled with the sounds of news vans pulling in and honking.