Harry interjected. “And I want to know why he was unattended. Where have you been since his parents died? Why was he roaming the streets and why did he have to break in for food and shelter?”
The older woman gasped at Harry’s aggressive tone. “Break in?” she asked.
Harry nodded curtly.
The woman stared down at Taylor, who was playing with Paw. Tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t know.”
Harry raised a skeptical eyebrow, but before he could say anything, the woman raised her hand in a staying motion. “My daughter and son-in-law were in an accident. Their car ran off a bridge into a lake. Their bodies were recovered from the water.” She sobbed and turned around to compose herself.
Taylor, who had until then been ignoring the conversation, watched his supposed grandmother and frowned.
Paw, who I believed sensed the mood of the room, nudged Taylor to get his attention, trying to distract the boy from what his grandmother was revealing.
Taylor ignored Paw and said, “I don’t understand.”
His grandmother turned around, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “You were in the backseat, Taylor. At least that’s where we think you were. Your mom and dad must’ve been ejected from the car.” She placed her hand over her mouth as she stared at Taylor. “I mean your mom and dad fell out of the car, and you must’ve too.”
Taylor scowled. “You don’t have to sugarcoat it. You mean they got thrown from the car when we went in the water.” He stood up, grabbed Paw’s collar, and hurried past me. I turned to see Alma behind me, Taylor wrapped around her waist.
Taylor’s supposed grandmother stood with tears dripping down her cheeks. “After the accident, the rescue teams couldn’t find Taylor. They searched for days but found no body. When they gave up, my husband and I hired private divers to search for him in the lake. Our divers searched, but they too came up empty. I posted pictures of him on every online site that I could think of urging people with any information to let us know of his whereabouts. Every day there hasn’t been a moment that he hasn’t been on my mind.” She steadied her breathing, and when she spoke again, anger edged her words. “Don’t you dare imply that I don’t have his best welfare at heart. I love him. I don’t know why he was wandering on his own, but I will find out.”
Harry stood stoically, seemingly unmoved by her speech. “In light of your explanation, I will want all the information you can provide about the accident, who was involved, and the police and fire departments who assisted.”
When the woman began to protest, Harry held up a hand to stall her. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you. I need to go through proper channels.”
He looked to Alma, nonverbally communicating with her, for she nodded and then knelt in front of Taylor.
“Honey, do you recognize this lady?” She gestured to the older woman claiming to be his grandmother.
Taylor shrugged. “Kinda. I remember going to a farm with mom and dad.” He pointed to the older woman. “She was there. She let me pet her horse.”
The woman nodded. “That’s right. Her name is Fancy. Your mom used to ride her when she was young.” Tears streamed down the woman’s face.
“But mom is dead now,” Taylor said. He shuffled his feet and stared down at his toes.
Paw nudged him with his nose.
Taylor lay a hand on Paw’s head and said, “He’s soft. I always wanted a dog, but dad said we couldn’t have one because he was allergic.”
Taylor’s grandmother started toward us, but Ms. Peabody stepped into her path. “I need more information from you. I get the impression he doesn’t know you well, Mrs. Compton.”
The older woman sighed. “That’s because my daughter and I had been estranged. We had a huge argument a year ago and hadn’t seen each other since.” She sobbed into a tissue.
Ms. Peabody crossed her arms. “The boy is coming with me until I have proof.”
“No, he’s not,” Mrs. Compton protested. “He’s my grandson and will go home with me.”
Taylor jumped to his feet. “I’m not going with either of you.” He turned on his heel and ran past Alma, shoving through the swinging gate before Barnes could catch him. Once again, poor Barnes stumbled, this time into Alma, and as they struggled to right themselves, they blocked the gate for Harry and Officer Heldman in their pursuit of Taylor. Paw simply barreled through everyone, knocking people over like pins in a bowling alley. He slammed through the swinging gate and ran after Taylor who pushed through the main doors to the outside, Paw hot on his heels. Ofc. Heldman was forced to steady the two women while Harry helped Alma to her feet, grumbling, “Got to get that gate fixed.”
I weaved around everyone and hurried through the gate and out the front door, leaving behind grumbling, raised voices, and chaos.
Once outside I hesitated, scanning the area for Taylor and Paw. The street was quiet, and I saw nothing of either boy or dog when I spotted a familiar sight. A paper whistled through the air and landed at my feet where I stood in the police department’s driveway.
“Oops. Sorry, Miss Clarissa.” The young man, with reddish hair and a freckled nose and cheeks, grinned at me and pulled out the next paper from his carrying sack. Larry Bates was an industrious ten-year-old who was always willing to work any odd job around town to make money. Daily he delivered Mark’s newspaper in the areas that required walking in town.
I smiled at him and ask inanely, “Did you happen to see them?” as if he would know who I meant.
“The young boy and Paw?” Larry interjected.
I nodded.
His grin widened and he pointed a finger across the street. “They went that way. Between the Salt and Campbell houses.”
“Thank you,” I called over my shoulder, waving back at him as I crossed the street and hurried after my dog and Taylor. I caught a glimpse over my shoulder of Barnes and Harry pushing through the glass doors of the police department.
Harry and Barnes caught up to me as I passed between the houses and stepped into the backyards. The Campbells’ backyard on my left was a neatly trimmed and manicured lawn with well-maintained decorative shrubs and flowerbeds. To my right was a wall of overgrown shrubs that belonged to the next-door neighbors.
Harry huffed for air. “Which… way?”
Barnes clapped him on the back. “You need to get in the gym more, Chief.”
Harry scowled at him.
I gazed around the Campbells’ backyard. “I don’t know. Larry said they went this way.”
I heard a shout from behind us and turned around.
“Chief!” Heldman stood on the pavement outside the police station waving to us. “You need to take this call.”
“Take a message.”
Heldman shook his head. “It’s about the boy.”
Harry grumbled under his breath but turned back toward Heldman and said over his shoulder, “Barnes, check out behind the Campbells. Clarissa wait here for me.”
At the back of the Campbells’ yard was a wooden fence taller than me. Barnes approached it at a jog and easily jumped up and bolted over it.
I shook my head, regretting my less-than-in-shape body, and turned back to face the police station, grumbling about Harry’s orders. He and Heldman reentered the police station, herding Mrs. Compton and Ms. Peabody back inside.
I turned my attention back to the Campbells’ yard and contemplated where Taylor and Paw could have disappeared to. I heard rustling at my back, but before I could turn around, a hand clamped over my mouth and I was pulled backwards into the shrubs, leaves and twigs scratching at my arms and legs.
Chapter 23
As I struggled against the viselike grip on my waist and mouth, a chuffing sound drew my attention. I knew that chuff. It was Paw. I was quickly released as a voice in my ear said, “Please don’t scream, Clarissa.”
I turned to a smiling Mark who smirked at me and reached over extracting a leaf from my hair.
I batted his hand away. “What are you thinking?”
Be
side Mark stood Taylor and Paw.
Taylor stood with his arms crossed while Paw stepped over and nudged me with his big head.
I rubbed his ears “Yes, big guy. I love you too.”
Mark held up a finger to his lips and peeked through the hedge. “Let’s go someplace where we can talk.”
“No, Harry will send out a search party if I’m not here when he gets back. Just what do you think you’re doing? Everybody will be frantic to find Taylor and Paw.”
Mark stepped back and crossed his arms. “Lillian and I were watching from my car. When we saw Taylor and Paw run across the street, Lillian practically pushed me out of the car to go and get them.
“I didn’t see your car.”
Mark frowned. “It’s right across from the police station.”
“No, it’s not.”
Taylor turned around and shushed both of us. He had been peering through the hedge. “He’s coming back.”
Mark and I bent down and peeked through the hedge in time to see officer Barnes land lightly on his feet on this side of the Campbell’s fence. Before Barnes took more than two steps, Harry hailed him from across the street, “Where’s Clarissa?”
Barnes looked around, scanning the area for me. “I don’t know.”
“Well, find her.” Harry glanced up and down the street, and I heard him grumble, “I told her to stay put. Now, where is she?”
I whispered to Mark, “Stay here.” I moved down the hedge and pushed my way through onto the other side.
Barnes and Harry hurried to join me.
“Find anything?” Barnes asked as he reached me first.
Harry called, “I told you to stay put.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Uncle Harry, I do not answer to commands.” I turned to Barnes. “Nope, didn’t see a thing. What about you?”
Barnes jerked his head once in the negative.
Harry grunted. “Barnes, get in your patrol car and search the area.”
Barnes hurried off to do Harry’s bidding. Once he was gone, Harry said, “You sure you didn’t see Taylor or Paw?”
“Wouldn’t I tell you if I did?”
“No. You wouldn’t.”
We stared each other down in a Mexican standoff until Harry sighed and threw up his hands in the air. “Alma admonished me to let you handle it, so I’m going to, but that boy better be back in my custody in the next two hours, or you are in big trouble young lady.”
I smiled, stretched up on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek. “Will do.”
Harry stared me down a few moments more then, grumbling under his breath, he turned around and headed back to the station.
I stayed where I was until he was out of sight and then a moment more, scanning the area. The coast was clear, but I noticed that there was no car on the street and no Lillian. That didn’t bode well.
Mark, Taylor, and Paw pushed through the hedge next to me.
I nodded to the street. “I don’t see your car.”
Mark pointed and started to say, “Right there—” he stepped a few feet forward and stood with his hands on his hips, scanning the area. “But…it was…right here.”
Taylor giggled. “Well, it’s not now.”
Mark turned on his heel and scowled at the boy. “Cars don’t just drive off.”
I tapped my chin. “They might if Lillian decided to drive.”
Mark paled. “Lillian doesn’t drive.”
Taylor, who was proving to be the voice of reason, said, “Then we better find her right away.”
Mark walked briskly past us, starting across the Campbells’ backyard. “Let’s get going.”
Taylor, Paw, and I followed him, keeping out of view of the police station, even though Harry could’ve seen Mark and Taylor when they pushed through the hedge if he had been watching at the door.
We crossed the Campbells’ backyard and skirted along their fence to the edge of their property by the sidewalk. The four of us slipped around to the other side of the fence to the side yard of the house next door. Paw followed along, his tail waving in the air, delighted to be with us and out for a walk. Mark trudged ahead, grumbling to himself with an occasional outburst such as “Better not wrecked my car” and “What was she thinking?”
This yard was overgrown with grass badly in need of cutting and a car sitting on blocks, paint chipped from its doors, and yet the house appeared to be inhabited, for pots of flowers sat on the back stoop and laundry hung on a wash line. No one appeared to be around for which I was thankful. Considering the dilapidated look of the yard, I could understand why the Campbells had erected a fence.
We crossed into another yard, this one manicured. With neatly trimmed hedges and short grass.
At the back of the property was a cluster of trees, and we ran into these because a light shown inside the house, and music could be heard from inside. I held tight to Paw’s leash as we wove through the trees and crossed into the final yard on this side of the block. Again, well-maintained but no signs of life from the house. A short chain-link fence separated the yard from the side street, and once we reached it, I saw Mark’s car parked on the street.
“Finally,” Mark said as he crawled over the fence.
Taylor leapt over as Paw sat with a dubious look on his face.
On the other side of the fence, Taylor patted his legs saying, “Come on, boy.”
Mark paused on his way to the car where Lillian had stepped out and stood with her hands on her hips, no doubt tapping her foot, although I couldn’t see for she was on the driver’s side staring across the hood of the car at us.
Mark shook an admonishing finger at Lillian but turned around and started to reach over the fence to help me with Paw, who I was trying to pull to his feet. Paw stood up and shook himself then ran back, tugging the leash from my hand. He turned, barreled toward me, and sailed over the fence, landing neatly on the other side.
I stood with my mouth hanging open.
Mark stretched out a hand to me. “Well, looks like he made it over after all.”
I accepted his assistance and scrambled over the fence. “Yes, Mark, he did.”
Lillian stepped around Mark’s car and casually opened the passenger door then climbed in.
Saber, who crouched on the dash, hopped down into her lap.
Taylor opened the back door for Paw to jump in and then scrambled in after him. Mark and I shared a long look. Then we shrugged, and while he went to the driver’s side, I climbed in the back with Taylor and Paw.
“Taylor, we can’t run away from our problems,” I said.
He stared down at Paw as he rubbed the dog’s ears. “But I’m scared. Mom and dad are gone, and I haven’t seen grandma in forever. She was nice then but what if she’s not now?”
Lillian turned around. “You won’t have to go with her if you don’t want to. And if you do, Mark and I will check on you.”
To my surprise, Mark didn’t argue but simply nodded his head in agreement.
“Taylor,” I said, “Can you give your grandma a chance?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
We pulled into the back lot of the Sheriff’s office, and parked. I opened my car door and Paw, who had been in the passenger seat, jumped across and out of the car. I slammed the door, and together, we walked around the side of the Sheriff’s office to the front.
Lillian walked ahead with Saber draped around her shoulders. “Taylor’s grandmother is here?”
“She was a little while ago.”
“Humph.”
She passed me and yanked open one of the glass doors as Mark reached my side.
“That woman is a force of nature.”
Paw tugged on his leash, pulling Taylor inside.
I turned for the door.
Mark stepped around me to the right and held the door open for me.
Lillian had already passed through the swinging gate to the back where raised voices argued.
Taylor stood in front of his grandmother, saying,
“I’m sorry.”
She knelt in front of him. “It’s okay. I’m sure you’re scared since we haven’t seen each other for a long time. I’m scared too. Maybe we can help each other?”
Taylor nodded. “Yeah.”
Ms. Peabody spoke. “Nevertheless, I need to have proof that you are his grandmother.”
“And I have provided that proof,” Mrs. Compton said.
Ms. Peabody shook her head. “It’s not enough.”
Harry stepped between the two women. He held up a hand, staying the conversation. “I have the accident report and the statements from the police officers who handled Taylor’s case. One of the officers is on his way to identify Mrs. Compton so that we can release Taylor to his grandmother.”
Ms. Peabody tapped her chin with one finger. “That should suffice, but I want to be here when the officer arrives. In the meantime, it’s my responsibility to look after the boy.”
From behind me a voice said, “He has been staying with Harry and me. The agency knows us, and I don’t see why he can’t spend a few more hours with us until the officer arrives.” My aunt Alma stared down Ms. Peabody.
“I’m hungry,” Taylor complained.
His grandmother stood with a protective arm around his shoulders and smoothed his hair back from his brow. “Of course, you are darling. We’ll get you something to eat.” She looked up at Ms. Peabody. “My grandson needs food.”
Before Mrs. Peabody could speak, Alma said, “We’ll go to Harriet’s. You, Taylor, and I can have a nice meal while we wait for officer Moore to arrive.”
Ms. Peabody objected. “The child needs to be in protective custody.”
Saber, who had been watching the conversation from Lillian’s shoulders, jumped down and ran to the boy, rubbing his chin against Taylor’s leg.
Meanwhile Lillian, with hands on hips, glared at the social worker. “I don’t know who she is,” she pointed at Mrs. Compton, “but Taylor does. That’s obvious to everyone. I see no harm in all of us going to lunch. Alma is an upstanding citizen and married to our chief of police, and I’m sure either Harry, or one of the officers, would happily accompany us.”
Canines and Crime Page 16