A Degree to Die For by Karis Walsh

Author:Karis Walsh [Walsh, Karis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2023-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Tig got to the restaurant a few minutes early and sat at a table near the back, fidgeting with her cup of jasmine tea as she waited. She and her friends hadn’t been here yet, but the place looked similar to many of the U District eateries. It was fairly small, which was typical since the main section of the business district only consisted of a few blocks along the western edge of campus, and space was at a premium. The décor was simple, which was also common in this high-rent area. The bottom half of the walls was covered with dark faux-wood wainscoting, and the top half was painted a rust color with the occasional picture or map making up the sparse decorations. Laminate covered tables and wooden ladder-back chairs were crammed together to seat as many people as possible. A few of the tables were empty, but most were filled with groups of students and locals.

Tig felt a hint of nervousness that was both exhilarating and worrisome at the same time. She was looking forward to spending time with Kent outside of the investigation, but she wasn’t quite sure what to expect since their conversations so far had mostly been connected to it. Sometimes indirectly, like when they had discussed Tig’s career prospects, but always within that context. She hoped they’d have enough to talk about that didn’t involve Chase Davies’s murder.

Those concerns fled from her mind the moment Kent walked into the restaurant. She had changed into black pants and a wine-colored sweater, and she looked surprisingly slim without her wool uniform and bulletproof vest. She draped a damp black jacket over the back of her chair and sat down.

“So, Libby was behind the front desk with Larson when I was leaving,” she said. “Behind the desk. I think my officers are planning to adopt her. You look beautiful, by the way, multi-colored bruises and all.”

Tig laughed, no longer worried about the potential issues with conversation now that Kent was here with her. They were going to be just fine. “I was thinking the same about you, but I don’t look any different than I did this afternoon.”

Kent shrugged. “I know, but I couldn’t say anything before, with Clare hanging about. It was very rude of her to tag along with us today, just because she’s my partner and we’re supposed to be handling this investigation together.”

“Third wheel,” Tig said with a shake of her head. “She has no shame.”

They paused to order their food, and then talk turned to the basic getting-to-know-you questions they had bypassed given the way they had met.

“Do you live near campus?”

Tig gestured vaguely in the direction behind her. “Just across the freeway. Wallingford.”

“I’m in Fremont,” Kent said, naming the adjacent neighborhood. “We’re close.”

For now. Tig hated that she heard those words ghosting after Kent’s comment. She wondered if Kent sensed them, too.

“I’d describe my house to you,” she continued, wanting to get her mind off the sad prospect of leaving Seattle.

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