Green Desert - Chapter 4.6.4 - Sétıpímo

I flipped on the siren and the dashboard red-and-green lights as I turned out of the station parking lot. Main Street was almost empty, as usual for late afternoon. Drivers got out my way and I raced down the street at seventy kilometers per hour.

Eyes on the road, I turned on the radio, picked up the microphone. “Dispatch? This is Detective Marıdarı. Has Deputy Laparıpasamı checked in yet?”

A blat of static came out the speaker, followed by a scratch voice. “Yes. Deputy Laparıpasamı is at the Kılímo residence. The state patrol are there, too, he said.” Another blat of static.

“Thank you.” I hung up the microphone.

With the state patrol there, maybe he and Nulıpésha didn’t need my help. But I sure wanted to be there when they brought in Zhudıro. I hoped nothing serious was going on, but nothing else explained the delay.

I passed the last gas station. I never remembered how far out the Kılímos lived. It was like they didn’t want to associate with anyone. No, that wasn’t fair. Vata played bridge with Hérına and the girls every week.

I saw their small stucco house off the road ahead of me. Enough cars sat in the driveway and along the road, it looked like the bridge game was here today. I turned left into the driveway, right at the Channel Six News.