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Ryanne couldn't recognize. As they
passed the middle of Main Street, there was endless countryside in sight behind
the shops. Fields, and a few farms flashed by next, and the smell of manure
strengthened and faded as they drove on past a small road side diner.
    Ryanne
had never heard of Dersten, and now she knew why. The welcome sign included the
town’s population of one thousand two hundred, and the closest city of Camden
they passed through reminded her of the ‘small towns’ she was used to back
home. They had been travelling north for so long that Ryanne wondered if they
were still in Ontario.
    After
roughly thirty more minutes of driving, and one wrong turn, they approached a
dirt road, and turned right down Maple Lane. There were only two houses on the
lane that sat on the left side half way down the road. The first, the one they
turned up the driveway to, was a small yellow bungalow. The second beside it
was three times the size, and a two story brick house. To the right grew
beautiful fields of golden wheat and many pine trees stood across the street.
    When
Ryanne saw one police cruiser on the road, and one in the driveway, and two
men, dressed in full police uniforms waiting for them, she knew they had
reached their destination. The older man, who looked at least sixty, wore a
Sheriffs hat right from the old westerns, and the younger, taller man with
short light brown hair, and aviators seemed to be looking right at her, though
the car windows were tinted.
    “Come
on Rye.” Aurina poked her head through Ryanne’s window, and out just as fast.
    Ryanne
noticed Aurina barely spoke on their nine hour drive. Of course, Ryanne knew
she was thinking about David, and their visit with
him, as well as their parents. Ryanne had been thinking about all that too, but
it wasn’t long before her thoughts turned to their future. She was picturing
tumble weeds rolling across main street when Aurina
brought her out of her day dream, and when she realized everyone was waiting on
her, she took a deep breath, and got out of the car.
     
    *******
    Finally
Max saw a black Ford Explorer come down the dirt road, first at a quick pace, and
then dead slow. Max smirked. City folk didn't want to get their vehicles all
dinged up; you could tell who was from the city by what they drove and the
speed at which they drove on the gravel roads. He stood almost at attention as
the car stopped behind the Chiefs, and the Chief seemed to relax even more,
leaning against the porch railing. The tinted back passenger window rolled down
and a small hand stuck out, feeling the breeze .
    Max
saw a well-dressed man and a short blonde woman wearing a pant suit step out of
the vehicle. The man opened the back door behind him. The first girl who
stepped out had shoulder length dark brown hair, and a tall lean figure. Max
thought she looked like a city business type with her collared long sleeve
white shirt, black dress pants, and high heels. He knew that one had to be
Aurina Patrick, the older sister, who worked as a Legal Assistant in Toronto.
    Max
waited to see Ryanne come out the other side as Chief Crawley met with the man
and woman, shaking their hands.
    "Chief
Crawley? Inspector Jones. We spoke over the phone last
night." Jones was well dressed and didn’t look much older than Max,
although dark circles surrounded his eyes. His hair seemed oily slick, with
lots of gel. Max shook his hand, admiring his suit. "This is Detective
Burrows."
    After
Max shook her hand, he saw Aurina go to her sister’s side of the car and duck
her head in. When Jones went to introduce the sisters, and realized they
weren't behind him, his face went red. "I guess there's going to be a little
adjustment period for them."
    "Don't
doubt it." Chief Crawley drawled. "Always is."
    Aurina
stepped back, and Ryanne got out of the car. Her long auburn hair blew in the
breeze, and she was nearly as tall as her sister, which somehow Max hadn't
expected. She was dressed more casually than