Page 23 - Labelle Gramercy, Detective

Road Kill

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And so it was that two days later Labelle and I met Captain
Fassner outside the school parking lot after sixth period, around two-
fifteen. We exchanged peremptory greetings, then climbed into his
unmarked car. As far I could tell, our departure went unnoticed by
any students or faculty; I had kept our plans quiet and had counseled
Labelle to do the same.
It was obvious to me as we headed south toward the San Pajaro
nature preserve that the policeman was displeased with his role in
dispelling this teenage girl’s fantastic notions. He drove in silence,
leaving me no conversational opening. The very hairs on the back of
his neck prickled defiantly, reminding me of an outraged porcupine.
Labelle, sitting next to me in the back seat, also had nothing to say.
She was too busy studying a notebook she had brought along. Her
demeanor suggested a busy executive in a chauffeured limousine en
route to an important meeting.
As for me, I had nothing to say, anyway; I was just a chaperone,
along for the ride. The two of them would have to hold their own
dialogue, in a language I probably wouldn’t understand. I just wanted
Labelle to get it out of her system, to achieve some sort of closure to
the event and get on with her life. I’m sure she had no idea that she
was making it difficult for others to get on with their lives. Selfish?
Oblivious, more likely.
We pulled into the small unpaved parking area at the ranger
station. It was hot and dusty, and I had neglected to change my shoes
for hiking. Fassner immediately set off on one of the trails, Labelle at
his side. She really would have towered over the poor man had she
been wearing high heels. I could not keep up with them; she was
saying something about the sun not being at the same angle as they
passed over the crest of a ridge and vanished temporarily.
When I finally caught up with them I had removed my jacket.
They had stopped at a vantage point, evidently the one from which
the two girls had witnessed the tragedy.
“It’s a lot different this time of day,” Labelle said.
If that comment had any significance to the policeman, he did not
acknowledge it.

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