Page 6 of The Crimson Wolf
“Well, shit. What are you doing here?” She pulls her legs onto the park bench and turns to me. This girl has never met a stranger.
“I grew up here, but I’m here to investigate those bodies found in the clearing.”
She jumps to her feet. “Fuck yes! Finally, someone is going to do something about it. I’ve been coming to the police station every day to get those jackasses to make some moves, but they’re too chicken shit.”
“Do you know the people that were murdered?” I flip on my recorder in my pocket.
Her shoulders sag, and her eyes dart from left to right. “Yeah, they were people in my community.” I’ve known this girl for a total of five minutes, but I can tell she’s holding something back.
I nod. “I’m part of this community too. Well, I used to be. Those people don’t look familiar to me.”
“What’s your name?” she asks, sitting back down and leaning closer to me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around.”
“Red Hoodson. I look a little different than when I…”
“Hoodson?” she yells. “I knew your dad!”
“You did?” She looks about my age, and I was five when he died. Maybe she’s a few years older than me, though.
“Yeah, he was the old park ranger. I was just a kid, but I remember him.”
I nod. “Yeah, he was.”
“I’m so sorry to hear what happened to him.” The light from her eyes dim.
I exhale. “It’s alright. I was five when they died. I barely even knew them.”
She shakes her head, leaning back and looking at the park. “This town has a habit of letting bad things slide. I’m fucking sick of it.”
“Well, that’s why I’m here.” I lean closer, holding out my recorder. “Is there anything you can think of to help me put the pieces together?”
She looks nervously down at the recorder before meeting my eyes again. “What you need is to get that dick in there to do something about it.”
“Sergeant Brick?”
“That’s the one! He won’t even see me, and I know it’s just because I fucked two of his officers.”
I can’t help but laugh. “What?”
She smacks her lips and smiles. “What? It’s a small town. Who else am I supposed to fuck?”
I nod. “Touche.” I like this girl.
She looks down at her wristwatch. “Shit. I gotta get going. I’m working a double today.” She stands. “It was good to meet ya! Hopefully, I’ll see you around, and you can scare these dickwads into doing something about this.”
“Oh, I never got your name,” I call after her.
“Carmen! Carmen Badson.”
“Good to meet you!”
She salutes before turning and walking away.
Maybe this morning had been a waste, but at least I made a friend. Maybe making friends is the secret to getting answers around here.
5
Diners and Other Disasters
