He dropped to the floor next to her, his hand going to the back of her neck, squeezing gently before nudging her out of the way, and said, “Hey, George. We’ve got the ambulance here to take a look at you.” George struggled to sit up, but Colt kept his hand on the older man’s shoulder and said, “No, no. Let’s just lay here and rest until we see how you’re doing.”
He looked over at Carrie when she whispered, “Jack?”
“He’s at the front door telling the paramedics where to come.”
She knew the paramedics did not need a child giving them directions, but she was so grateful that Colt understood that Jack was traumatized and needed something to focus on. More noise was heard on the stairway, and she looked up to see two paramedics, their hands full of cases and equipment. She let go of George’s hand and moved out of the way.
“George, do you know what happened?” Colt asked as another deputy came into the already crowded room.
George winced as the paramedics were checking him for any broken bones and he said, “I heard something in the hall. It sounded like something was knocked over in my bathroom, and when I opened my door to see what it was, I got hit. I thought it was damn squirrels getting in through the attic again until I got hit. I must have been out a long time because I don’t remember anything after that. When I opened my eyes, it was daylight, and Carrie was coming in.” His explanation seemed to take everything out of him, and Colt told him that he was going to be taking a trip to the hospital.
“Damn nuisance,” George complained, but Carrie could see on his face that he was in a lot of pain.
Because the duplex stairs were narrow, the paramedics placed George on a thin stretcher, strapped him in, and managed to get him down the stairs with little problem, considering he was slight of weight.
“There’s a mess in the bathroom,” Carrie said.
Colt’s eyes jumped to hers, and he asked, “Did you touch anything?”
Shaking her head, she said, “No. Something didn’t feel right. I just wanted to get a wet cloth for him, but I came out of there and sat with him instead.”
“Good thinking,” he said as two more deputies came up the stairs. Turning to her, he said, “Carrie, go downstairs and be with Jack. Take care of him and let us work here. If we need you, I’ll come next door and get you.”
Nodding, she started to walk out of the room when he reached out and caught her hand, giving her fingers a squeeze. As she looked at him, a comforting feeling settled in the room, and she felt that as long as Colt was there, he would take care of everything. She scooted by the other deputies, nodding at the ones she recognized, and headed down the stairs. Finding Jack on the porch, they stood together, her arm around him, and they watched as George was loaded into the ambulance. The sirens engaged again, and it pulled out of the driveway.
“Mom, is he going to be okay?” She heard his shaky voice and looked down at his pale face, nodding, “I think so, baby. I hope so. As soon as Colt lets us know that it’s okay, we’ll go to the hospital and check on George. Right now, let’s go back into our house and just wait. We need to stay out of their way, and Colt promised that he’d let us know what was going on.”
Jack sucked in a fortifying breath through his nose before letting it out slowly. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she watched as her son’s face morphed from child to young man. The sight nearly took her breath away.
He pulled gently on her arm, leading her back into their house. “You’re right, Mom. Let’s do as Colt says. If you want, I’ll fix you a cup of tea.”
At that, she blinked at the moisture gathering in her eyes.
11
Colt walked back into George’s bedroom, seeing Hunter and his partner, Detective Elizabeth Perez, talking to one of the deputies, Trevon. Moving into their huddle, he asked, “What have we got?”
“Pill bottles are gone from the bathroom. I’m going to check with Stuart’s Pharmacy in Baytown and Markham’s Pharmacy up the road to see where he got his prescriptions filled and what was taken,” Elizabeth said.
Trevon added, “Mark and I have been going through things downstairs, and we’ve got the fingerprint boys here. The victim isn’t a pack rat, but he’s got quite a bit of stuff around so it’s hard to tell what’s been moved and what has just been collected.”
“Family?”
“He’s got a son who lives in Pennsylvania. He, his wife, and kids visit a couple of times a year.”
Colt stood, rubbed his chin, and Hunter asked, “What are you thinking?”
“Well, I know that George keeps an eye on Jack when Carrie’s mom can’t watch him, so I figure Jack has been over here a lot.”
“You think he can identify what may or may not have been taken?” Elizabeth asked.
“Let me talk to him and then we’ll bring him over,” Colt said. He walked out of the room, down the stairs and back out the front door. Carrie was standing on the shared front porch, offering mugs of coffee to the detectives that were coming and going. Chuckling, he walked over and asked, “You always taking care of everyone?”
As soon as the words left his mouth and she turned her face up to his, he regretted the quip. Worry radiated from her eyes, creasing her brow. He pulled her in for a hug, unheeding of who might be around, and said, “Scared the fuck out of me, babe, when Jack called. I’m still trying to get my heart to stop pounding, but it’s gonna be okay.” He watched as she tried to smile, but it did not reach her eyes. “Let’s go inside.”
As soon as he entered Carrie’s side of the duplex, he could see Jack on his knees on the sofa, staring out the window at the activity. Jack jumped down, hurrying over, but Carrie reached out, tagged her son, and pulled his back to her front. Bending to kiss the top of her head, she whispered, “Give Sheriff Hudson a chance to tell us what he needs to before we ask too many questions.”
Jack nodded but immediately turned his face up to Colt, a mixture of boyish curiosity and adult concern crossing his young face.
Not wanting to tower over Jack, he said, “Can we sit a minute?”
Nodding, Carrie released Jack, and they walked over to the chair and sofa, Jack sitting near Colt.
“Okay, Jack, this is where we’re at. Someone broke into George’s house, and we can tell that they stole his medicine—”
“His medicine?” Jack asked, his face scrunched. “Why would someone want to do that?”
Colt shot a look toward Carrie, uncertain how much she wanted him to tell Jack, but he should have known that Carrie believed in honesty, even if she softened it.
She said, “Jack, the truth is that some people will steal anything. Anything that they think they can use or sell. Even though those were prescription drugs for George that he takes to keep him well, other people can use them to get high, or they can sell them to others.”
Jack looked at his mom, his face still scrunched, then asked, “So prescription drugs can be used like the drugs we learned about in school?”
Nodding, she said, “Yes, all drugs are…well, drugs. Some are legal, and doctors prescribe them to make us better. Most of the drugs you learned about in school are the ones that are not used by doctors, and those are considered illegal. But then, somebody can get hold of legal drugs and actually use them in an illegal way.”
Jack’s breath left his lungs in a rush, and he said, “That’s whacked! Stealing drugs from an old person who needs them to stay well…Mom, that’s just whacked.”
Carrie’s lips curved slightly, and she nodded again. “You got that right, Jack. Now that we’ve gotten that straight, why don’t we listen to see what Colt wants to tell us.”
He shot Carrie a quick grin, hoping she understood how much he admired how she was raising her son. Looking back at Jack, he said, “I know you’ve spent a lot of time in George’s place, and you know that his place is a little full.”
“George likes to keep things. He and I go through them a lot because he says he wants to save things for his grandkids and for me.�
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“That’s good. Because this is where I’m going to need your help if it’s okay with your mom. There’s nothing scary going on over at George’s house right now, but we need someone who knows what’s there to let us know what might be stolen.”
Eyes wide, Jack asked, “You need me to be like a detective?”
Nodding, Colt said, “Absolutely. As long as it’s okay with your mom.”
Jack jumped to his feet and said, “Oh, she won’t mind. This is all to help George and you, and other than Joe, you two are Mom’s favorite men.”
Colt’s gaze shot back over to Carrie, seeing her blue eyes widen impossibly and a blush rise over her face.
“Jack!”
Chuckling, Colt said, “Well, I’m mighty pleased that I’m on the list with Joe and George, two men I admire.” Seeing Carrie beginning to sputter, he stood and said, “Come with me, Jack, and we’ll go take a look at George’s place.”
He accompanied Jack next door, and they entered George’s living room. Elizabeth was correct when she said that George was not a hoarder, but he did have a lot of things. Besides the sofa, chair, coffee table, and end tables, several bookshelves were stuffed with magazines. Jack took a quick walk around the room, looking at everything. He moved to the empty coffee table and, twisting his head to look up at Colt, said, “George had a laptop.”
Colt glanced over at Elizabeth, seeing she was taking notes.
“It was kind of old, but he bought it at a pawn shop. I don’t think he used it much, but he liked to play around on it. He said it made him feel more connected to his grandkids to have a computer around.”
“Did he have a cell phone?” Colt asked.
Shaking his head, Jack said, “No. He hated the constant ringing of a phone, so he just had the old-fashioned kind that’s in his kitchen. We helped set him up an answering machine so that he could listen to the messages without having to talk to people right away.”
“That’s good,” Colt said. “Is there anything else you can see that might be missing? Anything else that George had that was of value?”
As soon as the word value left his mouth, Colt watched Jack’s eyes go wide, and he cried out, “The cards!”
Jack darted past Colt and ran up the stairs, passing Hunter in his haste. Colt, Hunter, and Elizabeth looked at each other before quickly following Jack into the second bedroom.
“Jack, what is it?” Colt asked, seeing Jack opening the closet door. There were several boxes stacked inside the closet, and Jack immediately went to the second one from the top, pulling it out. He knelt on the floor and jerked off the lid, then heaved a great sigh.
Colt knelt next to him and looked inside the box. It was filled with old baseball cards, and at a quick glance, Colt could see that many of them would be quite valuable based on their age and the player that was on the card.
Jack twisted his head around and looked at Colt, saying, “George and I go through these cards sometimes. He tells me all about the players, tells me about the ones he actually saw play and told me that of all the things he has in his house, this is the only true thing of value.”
He clapped Jack on the shoulder and gave a little squeeze. “Then when George gets out of the hospital, he’ll be happy to know these cards are safe and sound.”
“Do you think George would mind if Mom and I held onto these for him until he comes back? What if the thieves come again?”
Colt knew the odds of anyone coming back to George’s house were slim to none but could see that the events of the day were taking their toll on Jack. Nodding, he said, “Yeah, I think George would like you to make sure that they’re safe.” The two of them stood, and Colt lifted the box, carrying it back downstairs. Once in Carrie’s house again, he set it on their coffee table and said, “Jack would feel better if this was kept here until George comes home.”
“Of course,” Carrie agreed, her eyes scanning Jack, and Colt could tell that she was concerned for her son. Turning her gaze back on him, she asked, “I’d like to go to the hospital as soon as you think we can.”
“We’re almost finished here, and the deputies will lock up when they’re done. I’d like to go with you, but I really need to get back to the station. Will you call me to let me know how he’s doing?” He did not need Carrie to call him to fill him in on George’s condition, considering that he could pick up the phone and call the hospital himself, but he would come up with any excuse to make sure she talked with him later that day.
“Of course, I’ll call. Um… do you want me to call the station?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No. My personal number should be in your phone since I gave it to Jack. Use that.”
Before he had a chance to say anything else, another detective called for him from outside. He placed his hand on Jack's shoulder, giving another squeeze, and said, “You did really good today, Bud. I’m proud of you.”
Jack beamed, a smile that hit him straight in the heart, then he looked up at Carrie, and her smile nearly knocked him over. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but instead, simply placed his hand on her back as he walked toward the front door.
“There will probably be some activity coming and going next door for a couple of hours. I know you had errands to run and want to go see George, but I’ll be back to check on you later.”
Her gaze held his, and she barely nodded before her eyes dropped to his lips. Deciding not to resist, he bent and once more placed a soft kiss on her slightly open lips. He battled the desire to pull her into his arms and take her lips in a kiss that was much more than just a light brush. But to give them the attention he wanted was going to take some time and a lot more privacy. Something he planned on doing just as soon as they could.
“Do you know how many bad scenarios could have come from last night?” the man asked, his voice vibrating with anger.
The two people he was talking to just stood, silent and stared back, their eyes wide.
“First, it was a duplex. Even if the old man had not heard anything, it was too risky that the neighbors would. Then he woke, and you hit him, which changes the situation from robbery to assault. But worst, he could possibly identify you.”
The other two people in the room avoided eye contact, shuffling their feet as the uncomfortable silence continued.
“This calls for severe measures. We need to make sure the old man is taken care of. Do you understand?”
They nodded, but both began to sweat profusely at the idea of what was being proposed.
“You’ll do exactly as I say. And I don’t expect any more screw-ups.”
12
Carrie bustled around the diner, breakfast always being a busy time. She looked up as Colt came in, throwing him a wide smile as he walked over to his stool at the counter. She poured him a cup of coffee and said, “Joe will have your food out in just a moment.”
Hurrying back to her tables, she carried plates, took orders, and poured coffee. She checked on Mr. Bradley, who appeared to be eating better today. Her attention was snagged by another older man, Mr. Jones, who often came in for coffee when he had tied one on the night before. Making sure his cup was filled with strong black coffee, she felt Colt’s eyes on her and turned around, seeing Colt twisted on the stool, a smile on his face as he watched her go about her job. Finally catching a moment’s break, she hurried behind the counter again.
“It looks crazy in here.”
Nodding, she smoothed her hand over her hair and said, “The vacationers are already hitting the road, and we’re a perfect stop for them.”
Joe yelled, “Order up!” and she turned to see Colt’s regular breakfast order on the shelf of the pass-through. She grabbed it and placed it in front of him, grimacing as she said, “I’ll be right back.” She hurried to take the check to one of her tables, did a pass through to see if anyone needed anything and then she came back. “Anything on George’s house?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No. These robberies are getting frustrating.” Takin
g a bite and chewing, he asked, “How’s George?”
“Yesterday, after Jack and I got finished with going to the bank and the grocery store, we went to the hospital and checked on him. He’s fine but fightin’ mad.”
Laughing, Colt said, “Yeah, I imagine he is.”
“Anyway, because he had a concussion and needs to get his medications, they wanted to keep him for two days. Tomorrow, I’ll go and pick him up and bring him home.”
“How’s Jack doing?” Colt asked, his gaze pinned on her.
Loving how Colt cared about her son, she said, “He’s a resilient kid. He’s upset for George but glad that he’ll be okay. I actually think Jack’s kind of excited that something happened right in our neighborhood, and he got to be involved. Yesterday he was at the middle school camp, and today he’s at the church camp.”
“I’m glad he’s got something to do during the summer.”
“Me too. When he was younger, Mom was often able to babysit, and George has always been a big help to keep an eye on him when I needed it. But Jack really wants to be around other kids, and he loves learning stuff.” Shrugging, she added, “But with the middle school camp being two afternoons a week and the church camp being on two different mornings, there’s a lot of running around for me, but I’m glad I can do it for him.”
She saw one of her customers walking to the cash register and turned to assist them, but BettyJo threw her hand up, winked at her and Colt, and said, “I’ve got it. You two keep chatting.”
She could feel blush heating her face and said, “Sorry.”
Chuckling, Colt said, “I think BettyJo’s a romantic at heart.” Holding her gaze, he added, “But I don’t mind. I’ll take every moment with you that I can get.”
She opened her mouth to reply but could not think of anything to say, continuing to blush instead. His eyes moved about her face, and she wondered if he was thinking about a kiss the way she was. Colt’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket.
Our Time (Baytown Boys Book 11) Page 9