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Once the dogs are done with their food, I let them out again.
Rory asked me to stay awhile, to keep them company, so I make myself comfortable in the kitchen. I need more coffee, so I brew a pot, and then I look in the refrigerator. There are a couple of eggs and some bacon, so I make myself a second breakfast.
The day-old bread was good, but I need some protein.
I’ll restock their refrigerator. In fact… I have a wonderful idea.
I’m going to have their house completely cleaned and all their cupboards restocked.
For Rory.
I want to do this for Rory and her family.
A smile splits my face. Just making Rory happy has that effect on me.
Once the coffee is done and I finish my breakfast, I sit on their deck and watch the dogs play. I pull my phone out to see if anyone has checked in about Frank, and when I see that they haven’t, I pull up the picture that I took last night.
The elderly woman in the mental health wing at the hospital.
The woman Pat Lamone was there to see.
Who is she?
One person might know.
I call my father and hope he’s in the office and not out on the ranch.
“Brock,” he says.
“Good morning, Dad. I’m going to be late getting in today. I’m over at the Pikes’.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Have you heard? Frank had a heart attack last night.”
“Oh God. Is he…?”
“He’s okay. He had a triple bypass, and he’s in the ICU. All four of the kids are in the city at the Carlton, so I’m taking care of their dogs.”
“Of course. Whatever they need,” Dad says.
“Yeah, I’m working on that. In the meantime, though, Donny and I saw Pat Lamone at the hospital last night.”
“What was he doing there?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Apparently, there’s an elderly woman in the mental health wing. He was visiting her.”
“Who is she?”
“The name plate says Smith, but I’m pretty sure that’s an alias.”
“Most likely. His mother maybe? A grandmother?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you might have some ideas.”
“I have the names of his mother and father,” Dad says. “And they’re not Smith.”
“Yeah, I figured. I took a photo of the woman. I’m going to forward it to you now.”
