Page 21 of Babe's Bounty

I’ve been sitting in the waiting room for close to three hours before two police officers approached me. One looks to be in his fifties, while the other looks fresh out of the academy.

“Are you the one who brought in the girl and the woman?” The first officer asks. I glance at his badge. G. Wilson.

“Yes, I am,” I respond, standing so they aren’t towering over me. “Min Yan.”

“Excuse me?” The second officer asks. His badge reads M. Spalding.

“My name. Min Yan,” I tell him, trying hard not to smirk at the oddity of their names as partners.

“Oh, right,” Spalding says, writing it down in his notebook.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Wilson asks.

I give him the version of the story Kristi and I decided on. “I was driving on Sheridan when I saw two women. One was trying to carry the other. I pulled over to offer my help. That’s when I noticed both women were wearing only blankets. The younger of the two told me her name and said she needed help. The older woman was unconscious. I helped them both into the car and came here.”

“Do you know where they’d been?” Wilson asks.

“The younger girl, Kristi, said she’d been in the basement at the abandoned church. She didn’t remember how she got there. She was very upset, so I didn’t push her to tell me more.”

“St. Michael’s?” Spalding asks.

“I don’t remember the name. I glanced around and saw what looked to be a church, but I didn’t see a sign.”

“Where were you going?”

“Why does that matter?” I ask.

“Just want to get the facts straight,” Wilson says.

I almost lie, but then realize that they might run the license plate on the car I’m driving. “I was on my way to the auto shop on that street. The car I’m driving is their loaner.”

“Are you certain the girls weren’t coming out of the auto shop?” Spalding asks.

I stare at him in disbelief for several seconds before responding. “You think the girl confused a church with an auto shop? As far as I know, the auto shop doesn’t have a basement. Does the church?”

“Maybe she’s lying,” Spalding says with a shrug.

I glance at Wilson, who’s shaking his head at his younger partner.

“Why would she lie?” I press.

“Do you know who owns the auto shop? The Demon Dawgs. They’re a motorcycle gang and they’re dangerous. Maybe she claimed to escape from the church rather than risk them coming after her.”

“Club,” I correct. When he just looks at me, I continue. “I believe they are a motorcycle club. But that doesn’t matter. The girls weren’t near the auto shop. They were down the street in front of what looked like a church. Kristi says she escaped from the basement of a church. I’m not a cop, but I would think you should check out the church before shifting your investigation elsewhere.”

Spalding takes a step toward me, but Wilson slaps his hand against the guy’s chest. “Knock it off. We’ll check out both, but we’ll start with the church. Did the other woman say anything to you?”

“No. She never gained consciousness. But I’m sure once she does, she’ll confirm Kristi’s account that they were in a basement, not an auto shop.”

“She won’t be confirming anything,” Wilson says. “She died thirty minutes ago.”

Well shit.

The cops leave me after getting my contact information. Instead of giving the clubhouse, I give them the name of a hotel Babe and I passed on the way to the church. Pulling out my phone, I create a reservation just in case they decide to check. I then try calling Babe, but he doesn’t answer his phone.

“Miss?” I hear someone call out, but I don’t turn around until I feel a tap on my shoulder. Turning, I find the nurse who came outside to help me.

“Nurse Oswald,” I say. “How is Kristi doing?”