“They’re at home, since Padraig has a shorter day today. While we like to keep them with us, Hermes needs to learn that sometimes they’re left home as well. Hestia gets it already, but the little one needs some training,” Kaos explained. “At least Hestia is good with stuff like that now. She’s such a great big sister and loves to wear him out.”
“Aww. I wish I could have a pet of my own, but until I’m settled somewhere, I don’t think it’s fair for an animal.”
“Yeah, we’re lucky to have a house and a big yard for them.”
Padraig finished his coffee and nodded. “We’ve been thinking about trying to also separate the dogs on occasion. Hestia could stay with Kaos at the tattoo shop and I could take Hermes with me on farm visits and such.”
They discussed the dogs for a while longer, and Francis hoped he really could get a dog of his own soon. There were too many of the innocent beings in shelters everywhere, and he had a feeling that if and when he and Mark would live together, they’d have at least one furry friend with them in no time.
Chapter Fifteen
Mark bowed his head out of respect towards the deceased being carried out by the funeral home people. No matter who the person was, whatever they’d done in life, there was some decorum when it came to these things.
The social workers standing on the other side of the family room barely glanced at the body bag on the gurney. The children in their blood-stained clothing who huddled on the couch couldn’t take their eyes off the sight.
Mark heard the ambulance doors slam and stepped outside.
An EMT he’d met in passing a couple of times gave him the so-so gesture, then got to the driver’s seat and began the drive to the hospital in Woodruff.
At least they didn’t put the sirens on. Sighing, Mark looked at the taillights that disappeared into the night.
“Deputy Forrest?”
He turned around and saw the younger social worker standing on the porch.
“We’re ready to take the children now. Do you need to ask them anything?”
“No, the sheriff will come visit them tomorrow if we need anything else. Mrs. Young told me everything she could before they took her away.” He patted his breast pocket where he’d stashed the notebook.
“All right.” She vanished back inside and soon, Mark watched as the three children under ten were ushered into an SUV.
Mark locked the door and left the key under the closest cheerfully colored flower pot.
His cell rang with Sheriff Newman’s ringtone.
Mark lifted the phone to his ear as he walked to the cruiser. “Deputy Forrest.”
“What’s the situation there? Do I need to drive over?” Newman asked, his tone a bit absent as he was handling another call on the other side of town.
“Mrs. Young was taken to the hospital; I think she has a fifty-fifty chance of making it. Mr. Young was taken in a body bag,” Mark recapped. “Social workers took the kids. I told them you’d visit them tomorrow if need be.”
“All right, that sounds good. Lock up and go home, Mark. It’s been a long day.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mark ended the call and started the drive back to town. The Youngs lived in a remote area, the mom homeschooled the kids and the dad had been a long-distance truck driver. Rarely home, but when he was, well, Mark had been there before on domestic disturbance calls.
Mark would write his report tomorrow morning and Sheriff Newman would take it from there. Newman had known the family for a long time, and if he hadn’t been on another call when this one came, it would’ve been him here and not Mark. Since there was a dead body, a detective was coming in from Mercer tomorrow, too, but Sheriff Newman would handle that as well. The detective had been on another call tonight.
Sighing, Mark put his blinker on to the right. He needed to get home. He couldn’t make himself drive to his house. Why couldn’t he go home?
His hand moved as if it had a mind of its own and turned the blinker to the left. Mark sighed again, but this time there was some warmth in his chest. He drove the fifteen minutes to the Grahams’ house and parked the cruiser by Francis’s car.
He glanced at the time and saw it was past ten in the evening.Shit.He texted Francis.
If you’re still up, I’m in front of the house.
If he didn’t get a reply within five minutes, he’d drive home instead.
