Page 31 of Target Acquired
“Mom!” Micah ran toward his mother. As Cole got closer, he could see Micah was a miniature version of her with his dark hair and green eyes. She wrapped him in a tight hug while tears slipped down her pale cheeks.
She met Cole’s gaze. “Will there be charges?” she whispered.
“I can’t say for sure, but we’ll talk to the DA and explain everything. Micah didn’t realize what was going on. There was no malicious action on his end.”
She swiped away her tears, sucked in a breath, and nodded her thanks. “Can I take him home?”
“Sure.”
Once they were gone in her beat-up minivan, Cole returned to the warehouse to find Magic Man working on Buzz. “He’s okay?”
“Will be. Paramedics are headed this way.”
No sooner had he spoken the words than the door opened and the medics rushed in pushing a stretcher.
Cole walked to the door, aware of the action going on behind him but his gaze sweeping the area. Someone was out there who’d deliberately planned an ambush and tried to take out his team.
Someone who used a twelve-year-old kid.
Someone who was probably fuming that his plan had failed.
And maybe someone who was already formulating a new one?
SEVEN
LAKE CITY STATE HOSPITAL
AUGUST 1947
Eliza sat in front of Dr. King and sucked in a ragged breath. It was time to come clean and see what would happen. Where the truth led. It was time to see if this man was truly as compassionate and caring as he came across in their sessions or if it was all just an act to get her to cooperate.
He leaned forward. “What is it, Eliza? Have you finally remembered something?”
Did she dare tell him? “I . . . I . . . no.”
He frowned and settled back against his chair. “Well, that’s disappointing. I thought we might be getting somewhere.”
Eliza licked her lips. “I want to see my friend Betsy.”
His eyes lit up like she’d announced it was Christmas and he had a free vacation to Hawaii on the horizon. He hesitated, then rubbed his chin and set his clipboard and pen aside. “Tell me about Betsy.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Just . . . how did you meet?”
“We go to the same church, but we also went to high school together for a couple of years before the war. She’s two years behind me, which makes her twenty years old now. She still lives with her parents. Her two older brothers fought in the war and one died.” Sorrow clouded his eyes, but she continued. “So we share that common grief.”
All of her father’s money couldn’t stop her brother from enlisting and coming home in a pine box.
“Betsy worked in a textile plant helping make uniforms. Now that the war is over, we socialize and attend church together. Our families used to be very close, but since my brother died, my father has changed. He and I never really got along before all of that, but now I don’t even know who he is anymore.”
The doctor’s hand covered hers. “I’m so sorry. You’ve been through so much. And your friend as well.” His cheeks pinkened slightly when he referenced Betsy.
Eliza’s eyes widened. “You’re interested in courting her.”
The pink darkened to red and he sat back. “Don’t be daft. I’m fifteen years older than she is and I’ve only met her the one time.”
“Why does age matter or how many times you meet someone? When you know, you know. That’s how it was with my William too.” She’d told him about her fiancé.