Paws and Effect by Sofie Kelly Page A

“You didn’t know her, Kathleen, and I know this is the kind of thing people always say when someone dies, but she was special.”
    â€œI’m sorry I didn’t get to know her,” I said, feeling more than a little helpless in the face of both his and Marcus’s grief. “I liked what I did know. I’m so sorry.”
    He gave me what passed for a smile for him rightnow. “Thank you.” Then he turned to Marcus. “We have to find Travis. He can’t hear about this from a news report or from some stranger.”
    â€œI’m working on that,” Marcus said. “Do you know where he is?”
    John shook his head. “Like I said, he didn’t come back here last night. I got the maid to check his room. The bed hadn’t been slept in. I just assumed he’d stayed in town . . . like I thought Dani did.”
    Marcus’s phone buzzed then. He pulled it out. “It’s Hope,” he said. “She might have something.” He stepped just outside the door.
    â€œHope is Marcus’s partner,” I explained to John. “She’ll be in charge of the investigation. Don’t worry. She’ll find Travis.”
    John put a hand over his mouth for a moment. “I know what a jerk he was yesterday but he shouldn’t have to hear this from a police officer, a
stranger
.”
    I shook my head. “He won’t.”
    â€œI should go with him.” He meant go with Marcus to give Travis the news, I realized.
    â€œI think you probably can.” I hesitated, and then laid my hand on his arm for a moment, hoping there would be some comfort in the gesture.
    â€œIt wasn’t supposed to end like this,” John said, glancing toward the door. “We were supposed to be friends again. Why don’t things work out the way they’re supposed to?”
    He was talking to himself, not me, which was good, because I didn’t have any answers.
    Marcus came back in with the news that Travis was in Red Wing.
    â€œI’m going with you,” John said. He looked at me. “Kathleen, could you . . . explain to Maggie. Please tell her I’m sorry. And I was going to call Rebecca.” He made a helpless gesture with one hand.
    â€œI’ll take care of all of that,” I said. “Don’t even think about it.”
    Marcus put a hand on my shoulder and leaned down to kiss me. “I’ll call you or I’ll come in to the library when we get back. I don’t know how long this is going to take.”
    I nodded. “I wish this hadn’t happened.”
    â€œMe too,” he said.
    I’d driven my truck up to the Bluebird Motel. Marcus and John got into his SUV and turned in the direction of Red Wing and I headed back to town. I had my things so I just went to the library even though it was early. I parked at the far end of the lot, the way I usually did, and as I walked across the pavement to the front entrance I couldn’t help thinking that it felt wrong somehow that it was such a beautiful day given what had happened to Dani. Once I got inside I put on a pot of coffee and while I waited for it I called Maggie. This wasn’t something I could do in a text.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she said. “Is John okay? And Marcus?”
    I leaned against the counter. “They’re all right. Sad. Shocked.”
    â€œWhat can I do?”
    I sighed. “I don’t know. I have to call Rebecca, but other than that, I don’t think there is anything we can do. She was out there by herself, so there’ll be an investigation. Hope’s in charge given that Marcus knew Dani.”
    â€œWhat if Brady and I went out to Wisteria Hill? I could try to find that plant again. Brady knows that whole area, too.”
    â€œThat’s a good idea,” I said. I had no idea what effect Dani’s death would have on the work of the coalition of environmental groups. I