Waking Up

"Jason!" I call out.

Somebody shakes my shoulder, and I sit bolt-upright.

"Easy, Mills," a state police lieutenant says. "It was just a dream."

I look around blearily. I'm at a crime scene. In the woods. Police tape droops between trees. State police set up spotlights as the sun goes down.

It comes flooding back. The grave that the bikers found. Hours of digging and combing the woods. Sitting in a chair for a break. Sleepy. Jason's bloody face...

"Sorry, must have dozed off. I haven't been sleeping much," I say.

"Not surprised, with stuff like this going on around here." He nods at the clearing where they found the first bodies. "Hey, still no sign of Chief Parker. The local media is asking for an update. Want to be there?"

"Uh. Sure."

• Pull it together, Mills...