“Yes. I peeled off the chase to help him. I figured that saving the boy was the top priority.”
“And you were right. Good call. Red is going to take the suspect back to the station. Atlas and Grant, you police the area for any evidence you can find. Then check out the apartment before returning to the station. We’ll let our suspect cool his heels until you’re ready to question him.”
Chapter 19
MARTY GOTall their things together and took Cameron to Miseno’s for pizza. He was his normal chatty self and didn’t seem to be affected by what had happened at the park. “What are you singing back there?” he asked when he realized what Cameron was doing.
“The bad man is gone, the bad man is gone….” He actually sang it like it was the happiest thing he had ever experienced.
“Yes, he is, and now we’re going to get pizza,” Marty told him.
Instantly the song changed. “We’re gonna get pizza, we’re gonna get pizza….” Marty snickered. Okay, so the bad man didn’t rank above pizza. That was really good to know. Cameron sang to himself until they reached the restaurant. They went inside and got a table. Cameron seemed happier and more like himself, if that made any sense.
“Is Dexy going to be home after pizza?” Cameron asked, vibrating in his seat.
“I don’t know. Grant and Dexter still have to work.” He didn’t want to bring up that suspect again. There was no need to go into all the work Grant was going to do to make sure that the bad man stayed where he belonged. Cameron didn’t need to know that. Marty did send Grant a text to make sure he was all right and that everything was going okay.
He got a quick response that he was fine, but it contained no real information, which had Marty concerned. That was kind of dumb, he realized. He had seen Grant a little while ago. He was fine, if soaked to the skin. But he also had a case that he wasworking to finish up, which meant that while the suspect was in custody, the evidence gathering would continue.
“What kind of pizza do you want?”
Cameron thought a few moments. “Lots of stuff.” He grinned, and Marty placed the order with their server. Then Cameron settled back in the seat with his puzzling-something-out face. “If you’re going to be my daddy, then what do I call Officer Grant? Is he a daddy too?”
“You can call him what you want to call him,” Marty said. “That sort of thing is all about how you feel about the person. Those kinds of names come from your heart. Do you understand?”
Cameron nodded slowly. “So I call you Daddy because you feel like my dad.” That puzzling face was back.
“For now, you can call him Uncle Grant if you want,” Marty suggested, thinking of some sort of middle ground.
“Okay,” Cameron said, looking around as though that had settled the matter. And it seemed to until the pizza arrived, and then everything was all about the food. There were times when Cameron still attacked his food like someone was going to take it away from him, and this was one of them. “It’s okay. You can have more pizza if you want it.” Marty was careful not to scold, but Cameron did settle back in his seat, all smiles.
“YOU’RE HERE,”Cameron cried when Grant came inside the house with Dexter. He leapt into Grant’s arms for a hug before leading Dexter to the backyard to play.
“I was really wondering if it was me or the dog that he was so excited about,” Grant said as he followed Marty into the kitchen. “Dang, that smells good.”
“It’s just vegetarian meatloaf, and I hope it isn’t terrible. I haven’t made it before, but I was hungry for it, and it was onethat my foster mom used to make for me.” He checked the oven and then easily moved into Grant’s arms for a kiss.
Grant held him, and they stood together quietly. “I was worried about you today. I saw you chasing him and hoped he didn’t have a gun and that you didn’t get hurt. But you’re okay.”
“I am,” Grant whispered. “Our suspect is pretty messed up, though. I suspect he’ll try to go for some sort of insanity plea, but that isn’t going to get him very far. We’ve been able to follow too much of his tracks and the kind of research he did for that to work.”
“Did he admit to anything?”
Grant shook his head. “Not yet. But he doesn’t have to. We caught him with Angus, and that is enough to put him away for a long time.”
Grant pulled back. “But why did he do all of it?”
“His father thinks it’s some sort of need for a perfect family. One like he saw on television as a kid. We may never really know everything behind his obsession, but he’s been booked, and he’ll go to court in the next few days. We’re asking that he be denied bail, and it’s likely we’ll get that, given the type of crime committed. No judge is going to want to put children at risk.”
“So it’s over?” Marty asked.
“Pretty much, yes. And you helped so damned much.” Grant kissed him hard, backing Marty against the counter. “I hate to think what could have happened if it wasn’t for your insight and research.” He held him tightly.
“Is this some sort of good-bye?” Marty asked.
“God, no. It’s being grateful for the amazing person I have in my life. You help me see things I might not have otherwise. And seeing you and Cameron today made me realize just what you mean to me. I was ready to break off pursuit because I had to know that you two were safe. That was more important than anything.”
“I know. That’s why I went after Cameron. You had a job to do, and that little boy needed you just as much as Cameron did when he was missing. We both need you still, but for very different reasons. We don’t need you to save him anymore, but both of us need you for something more important.” He swallowed hard, waiting for Grant’s response.
