Julie Callaway was tall. Whether or not this was a good thing depended on her mood. Today it was bearable. Other days she prayed to be short or at least a reasonable place between the two. She knew she was pretty, although she'd always thought her long and straight brown hair only
made her pretty in a plain way, and it definitely made her look taller than she was.
To be pretty in a 'pretty' way, she'd have to cut her hair, pile on the makeup and dress more girlish. However Julie was also shy, and as much as she would love to be called beautiful, she was too shy to make herself beautiful for this would bring attention to herself she couldn't handle. Julie sighed. Life was complicated.
Outside, rain pelted hard against the concrete of the hotel parking lot. With every downward blow a puddle of water splashed an equal amount back into the air and this repeated in a wonderful cycle, much to Julie's chagrin.
Pulling on her light rain coat and guarding her hair by her hood, Julie swung open the front double doors and broke into a run. Her car was parked quite a long distance from the entrance in the employee parking lot so she knew she'd be soaked from head to toe when she reached her final destination.
And she was. Her hair dripped when she finally slid her slender body into her small blue Sedan and started it up, letting her windshield wipers run at full speed. Thankfully, the rain let up some once she began her short journey home. But as she pulled cautiously into her driveway, she cringed when she noticed that her father was already home, and he'd have some questions.
From the entryway, Julie could make out the intimidating silhouette of her father and she inhaled deeply as she let the rain sink in. Mr. Geoffrey Callaway sat perched at the kitchen table, his wide shoulders hunched over something Julie guessed resembled a coffee mug, and he didn't turn at the sound of the door.
Instead he yelled. "Julie! Come in here please," he instructed. His deep voice sounded softer than usual yet loud at the same time and it seemed to woft throughout all of the kitchen, living room, and foyer.
Julie winced knowing he'd probably tried to drink away the pain of what she'd done. Her mind had been so baffled she'd forgotten to think and forgotten to return the sacred papers, the sacred evidence. She swallowed hard.
"Yeah, Dad?" She said. Her voice was much softer when it measured up beside his and her own voice reminded her of a young child's, so high and fearful. She thought she sounded guilty.
"Sit down Julie."
Julie nodded and sat, weary of what was to come.
Mr. Callaway let his eyes meet Julie's own bashful green eyes, and he took a swig of his drink before continuing. It's coffee, Julie mentally noted and she thought it quite odd of her father to drink coffee at such a later hour. "Julie, before I left the office tonight, I went to your mother's office.... and uh, it was apparent that you'd been there." He swallowed uneasily.
"I'm sorry Dad."
"Well Julie, I understand what you do in there. Since the murder you've been absolutely intrigued at reading and sifting through all those papers of your mother's. But you've got a job to do at the Tulsa Resort, do you understand that?"
Julie nodded meakly and her father sucked in a long breath.
"Good. Now I won't have you going through all of that anymore. You left it all strewn about like you'd been a mad woman digging for dear life."
"But dad-"
"No more. You can't go in there anymore or I will have you fired. Understood?
Julie nodded. The blow had not been as hard as she'd expected, thank goodness. She was completely exhausted and she needed rest if she was going to serve breakfast in the morning at the cafe with a happy face.
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