Silent Fall

detective would find a way to keep him here.
    "All right. I’ll stick around until we can clear this up."
    "Good. Now tell me again where you went last night after you left the bar."
    "We took the path in front of the lodge, and when it ended we went into the woods. We wound in and out of the trees, and when I woke up this morning I was about ten feet away from the edge of a rocky cliff."
    "Could you find it again?"
    "I don’t know," Dylan admitted, knowing his answer wasn’t going to help his cause. "I could try, but when I woke up I was still dazed, and I made a couple of wrong turns on my way back here, so it wasn’t like I took a straight shot back."
    "All right. We’ll see what we can find. And we’ll talk when you return from the hospital." Detective Richardson turned his attention to Catherine. "May I ask your name, ma’am?"
    Catherine gave him a startled look, appearing not at all pleased to be brought into the conversation. "Uh, it’s Catherine Hilliard," she said, stumbling a bit.
    "How are you acquainted with Mr. Sanders?"
    "My friend married his brother yesterday."
    "So you were at the wedding?"
    "Yes."
    "Did you speak to a Ms. Erica Layton?"
    "I don’t know the name," Catherine replied.
    "Ms. Layton left the bar with Mr. Sanders," the detective said. "We’re concerned about her welfare, and we need to find her as soon as possible."
    "I saw Dylan speaking with a woman at the bar, but I didn’t see them leave, and I wasn’t introduced to her," Catherine said.
    There was an edge to her voice, but Dylan admired her short, succinct answers. Most people rambled on when questioned by the police. But Catherine wasn’t giving away any more than she was asked. Nor did she appear eager to help the authorities. In fact, she looked like she was ready to bolt.
    Why was she so nervous? Did she have something to hide?
    "Thanks for your help." The detective gave Dylan another speculative look. "I’ll speak to you later, Mr. Sanders. Deputy Barnes is waiting out front. He’ll give you a ride."
    As the detective left, Dylan turned to Catherine and said on impulse, "Come with me to the hospital."
    "What? Why?" she asked in surprise. "You don’t need me for that."
    "I could use a friend."
    "We’re not exactly friends," she reminded him. "In fact, a minute ago you were accusing me of being involved in the trouble you’re in."
    "I didn’t mean it," he said quickly. He didn’t know why he wanted to keep Catherine near, but he did. "You’re the closest thing I have to an ally, and maybe you can help me figure out what’s going on."
    Her lips turned down in a frown, and her eyes were more than a little reluctant when she uttered the words, "I guess I could."
    "Good, let’s go," Dylan said, grabbing her hand before she could have a second thought.
    But as they left the lodge, heading toward the squad car, Catherine’s steps began to falter. She stopped walking completely and pulled her hand out of his.
    He glanced back at her, alarmed to see how pale her face had become. "What’s wrong?"
    "I can’t get in that car," she said, putting up a hand as if to ward him off.
    "The deputy is just giving us a ride. It’s not a big deal."
    "No, I can’t. I’ll meet you there." She shook her head as she backed away from him. "I can’t get into that car, Dylan. Don’t try to make me."
    "Are you having another vision?" he demanded. "Is the car going to crash? What? What do you see?"
    "I see blood, lots and lots of blood, and a little girl standing in the middle of it."
    He drew in a sharp breath. "Catherine, what are you talking about?"
    His question went unanswered as she turned and ran back toward the lodge. She’d been spooked by something, but a little girl in blood? What the hell...
    "What happened to your friend?" the deputy asked as he opened the back door of the car for Dylan.
    "She’ll meet us there."
    "Looks like you’re on your own then."
    "Yeah," Dylan muttered as he slid into the backseat.
    It wasn’t the first time he’d been on his own, nor was it the first time he’d been in a police car. That momentous occasion had occurred when he was seventeen years old. Back then he’d had Jake to bail him out. Back then he’d been a stupid, reckless kid. Back then he’d always known exactly what crime he’d committed. This time he was in the dark.
    He had no idea what Erica had