Everything She Saw

Death in the Afternoon

 "-and then she tells me to give me a week. Can you believe that, Sam?" I asked him. We were at the park, Sam was lounging on the grass. I was on a bench. He was listening to my recap of the week prior. "It's the end of the week. No contact from the girl."

"Sounds pretty serious. Did she sound like she was joking?" he asked. He was pulling blades of grass out of the ground.

"No, she sounded serious. But how could any of what she said be serious?"

"We live in Gotham."

"She said that too!"

"Smart girl," Sam said.

"Come on, Sam. Let's be serious. I'm dropping the story." My phone buzzed in my pocket as I said that. Sam stared up at me.

"Text or call?" he asked.

"Call, so shut up," I said, pulling it out. The number was unknown. "Hello?"

"It's Katie. I have information for you. You haven't dropped the case yet, have you?"

"Is it the girl?" Sam mouthed to me. I nodded to him.

"No, I haven't. Where are you calling from? It's hard to hear you."

"A payphone on Second. Can we meet somewhere?"

Why was she at a payphone? She had a phone, she made that clear. What was it with this girl and refusing to use her phone? Most girls her age were constantly on their phones. Katie didn't seem to be like that, though.

"Coffee shop near my building. I hope you're not wasting my time," I said to her. I couldn't believe I was doing this. I hung up on her.

"You're meeting her? Can I come?" Sam asked, getting off the ground.

"I don't care. She might, though. She didn't want Zoey with us, and I got the sense they were close," I said as I got off the bench. What I was doing was crazy. I hadn't done something this crazy with the last story.

Unless one counted visiting one of the worst serial killers of all time counted. Or having to sneak around a boyfriend who also ended up being a murderer. Or talking to the Batman because of the work.

So maybe this wasn't the craziest thing I'd done. It was getting close, though.

"How high are your hopes for this?" Sam asked as we crossed an intersection.

"Not high."

Katie was waiting outside of the coffee shop when Sam and I got there. She had a folder in her hand and a camera around her neck. I remembered she mentioned she was a photographer. She looked uncomfortable.

"You know you could have waited inside," I said when I got close to her.

"I didn't know if this was the right place or not."

She glanced warily at Sam. He stared back at her. I was confused.

"Does he have to listen to us?" she asked, still staring at him.

"I mean, what does-"

"I'll wait out here," Sam cut me off. What was going on?

"Ok?" I didn't understand what was going on between Katie and Sam. I followed Katie inside and she took a seat closest to the door.

"Everything ok?" I asked her.

"Just playing it safe," she answered. Why was everyone suddenly being so cryptic about everything?

"What do you have for me?"

"Pictures," she said. She gave me the folder. I raised an eyebrow at her, but she was unphased. I flipped through the pictures.