Chapter Four

Doc applied fresh gauze to the wound on Lori’s forehead. “You’ll heal just fine. Keep it dry and change it every day. I’ll be back to remove the sutures in a few days, but I’ll leave the necessary supplies for you to use in the meantime.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank Coop. If not for him you might not be with us.”

Lori put a hand to her mouth. The thought that someone wanted her dead still sent a jolt to her system. Who hated her that much? What had she done?

A shiver swept through her. Maybe amnesia was a good thing. Maybe she didn’t want to know.

“I don’t want to run, but I have office hours this morning.”

“How can I ever repay you?”

“Get well. That’s enough.”

The doctor left Lori’s bedroom in a hurry. Moments later a truck engine started up.

Thor padded into the room and sat next to her. She knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. “I wish I knew who I was, Thor. It’s the strangest feeling. I don’t know if I have parents, brothers, or sisters. If I do, they’ll miss me, won’t they?”

Thor gave a low bark.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I think you understand.”

“We think so, too,” Shorty said, as she walked into the room with a pad and pencil in her hand. “Thor is pretty darn smart. Let’s get to you. You need clothes that fit. If you give me your sizes I’ll run to the store and pick up a few things.”

“I’ll repay you when I can.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I really like Doc Louise.”

“She’s special.”

“Doc told me about Coop’s brothers. I didn’t understand what she meant when she said they weren’t blood brothers, but were brothers just the same. I’m confused.”

“I guess if you didn’t know us, anyone would be.”

“Will you tell me about them?” Lori got on the bed and propped herself up with pillows behind her head while Shorty sat in a chair next to her.

“My son and his wife were killed when Coop was a baby.” Her hand shook slightly at the memory. “Horrible car accident. Coop was barely two. My husband and I were his only relatives.” Sighing sadly at the memory, she continued, “I’m so glad we were here for him. My husband passed ten years ago—another terrible loss. Coop has been a blessing and a real joy since the day he came here.”

“And the other two?”

“Coop met Dirk when he started school. They became instant friends. Dirk lived with his mother a few miles from here in a rented house. His dad ran off and left them and she married again. Divorced again. Married again. Divorced a last time, but had a boyfriend. Dirk lived here more than at home. His mother didn’t seem to mind and I think her husband at the time, and her boyfriend later, were glad. One day, when the boys were in the fourth grade, she dropped by while they were at school. She was leaving and not coming back. She asked if we would keep Dirk. When I told her we would, she handed me a bag with Dirk’s clothes along with a small box of things she said he might want and left. When Dirk came home from school that day and I told him his mom was gone, he barely looked at the box before he asked Coop if he wanted to play basketball. The boys loved one another. Played. Fought. But no one had better jump on either of them because the other would dive in to defend him. He never heard from his mom again. I hated that. We didn’t want him to feel abandoned so we did our best to show him the same love as we did Coop. It wasn’t too much longer until we got a letter telling us she had died—cancer, I think. Yes, lung cancer. Smoked like a chimney.

“My husband and I wanted to adopt Dirk, only we had to find his dad to sign the papers, so we hired a PI. It took six months, but he signed without a single question. Dirk is my son.”

“So Dirk is your son and Coop your grandson?”

“Yep.”

“Amazing. The third son? How did he enter the picture?”

“Let’s continue this in the kitchen; you must be tired of staring at these walls.”

Lori loved the space with its wide counters, the stainless steel appliances. She opened the cabinet to see boxes of tea haphazardly thrown in a jumble on the shelf. Her heart fluttered in a low thrum of fear. Light-headed, she realized it was a fear of someone who would cause her pain if everything wasn’t pristine and in its proper place. How did she know this? It was only a feeling, but she did know she was right, and wondered who that person was. Even though her fear was of some unknown person who couldn’t possibly see the mess right now, she would straighten and sort soon. Going to the stove, she made another cup of tea before they sat at the table. “I’m fascinated. Tell me more.”

“Matt is an entirely different story. The boys met Matthew Montgomery in middle school. He went to a fancy private school while my two went to the public school. They met by chance when their teams played against each other at a basketball game. Matt was the best player on his team. It was a toss-up between Dirk and Coop who was best. For some reason, the kids at the private school didn’t like Matt. Whether it was because his family had more money than anyone else, or because he was so good at everything he did, I don’t know. It didn’t take but five minutes into the game for Coop and Dirk to figure it out. One of the boys on Matt’s team tripped him and made it look like an accident. Coop saw them give Matt the elbow when the referee was looking the other way—other things that made my boys madder than two wildcats.

“After the game, which, by the way, my boys won, they went to introduce themselves to the youngster. I’ll never forget what they told him. Remember, they were kids who caught on that another kid was being mistreated. A kid who was out of their league, so to speak.”

“What did they say?”

“They never mentioned the game or how they saw what was going on. They struck up a conversation and slipped in…’How would you like to go fishing this weekend? We have this pond full of catfish and wouldn’t mind the company.’” Shorty chuckled. “I wish I could have heard them.”

Lori was fascinated. Three unrelated boys who ended up being brothers. It was the stuff books were made of.

“You won’t believe what happened that Saturday?”

“Tell me.”

“Matt pulled up in this fancy car. His driver opened the back door. Matt stepped out in a pair of nicely pressed khaki slacks, a button-down shirt, and spit-shined loafers. The chauffeur handed him a brand new fishing pole. Matt had a smile on his face a mile wide.”

“His parents didn’t mind?”

“Pshaw His parents were never home. Matt lived with a houseful of maids, a driver, and a couple of groundskeepers.”

“How sad. Where were his parents?”

“Jet-setters. They were in Europe one week—the Mediterranean the next. Matt seldom saw them. Anyway, the boys never did get to the pond. After they talked Matt into changing into a pair of Coop’s shorts, an old T-shirt, and a pair of worn sneakers, they practiced basketball. He changed immediately after and they went to their room to play computer games. The day was over all too soon. They begged the driver to bring him back the next day. You should have seen the chauffeur’s face beam. I think he knew how lonesome Matt was and was eager to see him have friends. Matt spent lots of nights and every weekend with the boys after that. He was a good kid. Quiet, loyal, and as honest as they come. He became my boy then and still is.”

“Did he ever use that rod and reel?”

“Are you kidding? As banged up as it is, he still does. Claims it’s magic. I guess in a way it was—it helped the three boys bond. I think their lives were destined to entwine.”

Shorty got a faraway look in her eyes.

Lori leaned back in her chair and sighed. “What a beautiful story. Are his parents still alive?”

“They were killed in Paris. According to Matt, they loved to take chances. I guess they took one too many. By then the boys were in college, right before they graduated, and joined the Navy.”

“Does he have any other family?”

“A cousin. But he seldom sees or talks to him. He tells me we are all the family he needs.”

“They’re fortunate to have you.”

“I’m the fortunate one. I could have lost them all.”

“What do you mean?”

Shorty shook her head. “That’s another story—their story, one for another time.” She patted Lori’s hand. “Now, I’m going to do a little shopping. You’ll be all right with Thor. He’ll keep you safe.”

“I’m sure he will.”

“Why don’t you take a little nap while I’m gone.”

Suddenly, Lori was tired. Definitely tired of her brain working overtime to figure out who she was. “I think I will.”

When Shorty walked out, Lori went back to her room and went to bed. Thor padded over and lay on the floor beside her.

She reached down and rubbed a hand down his back. “You do make me feel safe, you know.”

Thor let out a low growl.

Her thoughts were on three young boys who became brothers because of their love for one another.

“How beautiful,” she breathed. Did anyone love her? Did anyone miss her?

A chill settled around her heart.

Was it because she didn’t know, or because she did, and didn’t want to remember?

****

The Wong apartment was on the East side of town. The apartment complex had been there so long the bricks were starting to crumble. It hadn’t seen a can of paint in too many years. Only the poorest lived here. Coop parked a block away and walked to the rundown building. He didn’t want anyone to remember his pickup. There were few people about. No one looked his way and he wasn’t stopped as he walked up to the sisters’ door and knocked.

Sweat dripped down his back and across his forehead. He didn’t like doing this. Not surprised when there was no answer, he looked around. The hallway was clear, and there were no surveillance cameras. Using his picks he unlocked the door, went in, and shut it quietly behind him. It was dark inside. After making sure the blinds and drapes were pulled shut, he turned on a lamp. Except for a light covering of dust, everything was neat and clean, but sparsely furnished. A dim light showed a couch, table with a lamp, a TV so old it would be a miracle if it worked. He moved to the bedroom. A closet held several uniforms. The same type the women had worn on the surveillance tape. There were also a few dresses, pants, and jackets. All were second-hand quality.

He checked the pockets of their clothes. He was about to give up when he found a piece of paper with a phone number in a jacket pocket.

He put it in his billfold and continued his search.

In the small kitchen he saw a coffeepot on the counter. Nothing else. Opening the antique fridge, he realized there was little food in the house other than some ramen noodles in the cabinet. The sisters certainly didn’t live well. By all accounts they were at the poverty level. Even with minimum wage, there were two of them. They should do better than this.

After a thorough search, where he didn’t find anything to point him to their hiding place, he went out and locked the door. He looked around carefully in case anyone was watching before he went to his truck.

It had been a full day, but so far he’d found nothing that would lead to Christie’s abductors.

Unless the phone number gave him a clue, he’d batted zero.

He had to do better.

Taking the sisters’ photo as well as Harper’s, he scouted the area, stopped a few of the homeless to ask if they’d seen them. Yes, they’d seen the sisters, but not for a while. It was getting late when he was forced to quit. He had to get back for a training session.

He caught the traffic. It was an hour and a half before he pulled in at the training grounds. Sergeant Jeff Lonnigan was waiting at the pens. “Sorry I’m late. Traffic.”

“Not a problem. I’m enjoying this interlude.”

Coop chuckled. “Don’t blame you. You’ll probably go overseas when you get back.”

“Only the higher ups know that.”

“I remember those days.” He opened the pen. Kava walked out and went over to Jeff. “The two of you have bonded.”

“I hope so.”

So did Coop. Kava could very well save the soldier’s life. “Did you practice your German?” Instead of English, they gave the dogs their commands either by hand or using German. It made it more difficult for the enemy to understand the signals.

“Hardest thing I ever did, but check me out. I think I’m catching on.”

They moved to the training field. For the next hour Coop put both man and dog through their paces. Then stood back and watched as Jeff gave signal after signal—verbal and by gesture. Kava obeyed every one.

Coop called a halt. “After tomorrow I’ll give you your walking papers. You’ll be good to go.”

“I’m going to miss this place. I’m getting accustomed to the peace and quiet.”

Jeff put Kava back in his pen while Coop took Kuna out and headed back to the field. “See you tomorrow.”

Dirk arrived and helped finish the training and exercising.

“Any luck today?” Dirk asked when they were finished.

“One thing I need to check out, other than that, nothing. How about you?”

“I’m frustrated. I believe Harper’s wife when she tells me her husband would never leave her and the kids. I’ve checked with their neighbors and they have nothing but good things to say about him and his involvement with his family. So where is he? Is he hiding? Or dead?”

“Don’t give up. We’ll find out.”

When they finished, Dirk turned to go to his modest, brick house that stood several hundred yards in front of the training facility. To the left was a small bungalow where the handlers stayed when they were on-site to learn the signals for the dog they were to pick up.

Out of sight, but to the right of the homestead was Matt’s two-story, five bedroom house. He’d turned an upstairs room into a state-of-the-art gym where the three brothers religiously pumped iron.

The homestead was in the center.

Coop chuckled when he remembered the day the three of them walked into the homestead their first day back from Afghanistan. Shorty had broken down in tears of joy and relief.

Before she sat them down to a huge celebration meal, she’d handed each the title to fifty acres, dividing the property she and Gramps had owned for years between the three of them. The homestead was in Coop’s fifty acres.

They were equally stunned and pleased. It took Dirk and Matt months before they decided what to build on their section.

Coop spent that time designing changes to the house. He’d added a big master bedroom and bath, along with a completely new kitchen.

It was perfect.

The three brothers were content with their choices.

By the time Coop got to the house, it was late. But there had been no urgent phone calls. The couple of times he’d talked to Shorty convinced him that at least for now, Lori was okay.

There was no one waiting up for him, so he grabbed the plate of food he knew Shorty had in the fridge, nuked it, and went to the table.

The food was gone in minutes, but his mind was churning.

He had no idea how to find who Lori was without either her memory returning or discovering someone who was looking for her.

Today, neither event had happened.

His thoughts went to Christie’s case and he remembered the slip of paper in his billfold.

Quickly, he pulled it out and, using his cell phone, dialed the number. An automated voice informed him that Bill’s was closed and was open from ten to ten every day except Sundays when it was open from ten to three.

Who was Bill? What was his business?

Fatigue sent him to the shower.

He’d search the computer and figure it out in the morning.

There wasn’t a doubt in his mind where he’d be tomorrow at ten o’clock.