It didn’t take long to find Maren talking to an older man missing several teeth. His grizzled face, graying hair and tattered clothes suggested he’d been on the street for a long time. In his hand, he held several bills. Colt didn’t have to ask to know that Maren had provided the cash.
“Colt, this is Mortimer, he’s a veteran,” Maren said gently. “Mortimer thinks he might know where Vinnie went.”
Mortimer pocketed the money and then held out his hand to Colt.
Understanding, Colt dug into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He only had a twenty left. He handed it over. “Mr. Mortimer, can you tell us where Vinnie is?”
“Just Mortimer. And not exactly,” Mortimer said.
Maren made a distressed noise in her throat.
Colt put a hand on her arm, calming her. “What can you tell us?”
Mortimer shrugged. “He went with the lady, the one from the mission.”
That was something at least. “Do you remember her name? Or the name of the mission?”
“Gospel something.” Mortimer turned around and darted back into his tent.
“Really? That’s it?” Maren’s upset was apparent. “Not much to go on.”
“Just wait,” Colt said. He’d dealt with many homeless people over the years and knew patience was the key. Mortimer would tell them what he knew in his own time.
Mortimer emerged from his tent and triumphantly held up a flyer. “Here you go. That’s where he is. Or at least that’s who he left with. People from there.”
Maren snatched the flyer from him and looked it over. “I know where this is.”
“Thank you, Mortimer.” Colt shook the man’s hand.
“Yes, we appreciate this info,” Maren added.
By the time they got back to the SUV, it was well past eight in the evening.
“The mission will be closed for the night,” she said. “But we could still go there.”
“Not a good idea,” he countered. “Waiting for daylight, when Vinnie will be more at ease, is the right call.”
She considered, then said, “We can’t go back to your camper. I’m sure they probably have someone watching it. We can go to my place.”
Worry had Colt saying, “We don’t know if your home has been compromised.”
“If anyone in Shadow’s organization knew about me, we’d know,” she said. “Besides, it isn’t in my name.”
“No?” Colt found that curious since she professed not to date. Not that her marital status meant anything to him.
“The townhome belonged to my uncle,” she explained. “He took guardianship of Opal and me after our parents died. He passed when we were twenty-one. I never officially changed the name on the deed even though I continued living there.”
He could insist they stay at a hotel, but since neither of them had supplies with them for themselves or the dogs, her place made sense. And he could protect her if Shadow’s men did find her. “All right.” He wished he’d thought to grab his go bag out of the back compartment of his truck. “Is there a superstore on the way we can stop at and get a few things?”
“As a matter of fact, there’s one down the street from my place,” she said. “We’ll stop on the way.”
“Sounds like a brilliant plan.”
The stop at the store took less than fifteen minutes as he gathered a few clothing items and toiletries.
When he got back into the SUV, she gave him directions to a set of row houses near the University of Colorado. She hopped out at the back entrance gate and punched in a number on the keypad. A moment later, the large metal gate rolled up.
When she got back into the vehicle, she said, “Pull into spot 304.”
