Free Rescue Me (Colorado Blues) by Ann B Harrison Page A

deserved to know that. It might make her relax and trust him more too.
He got the feeling that she was waiting for the axe to fall and he hated the
unsettled look in her eyes when she thought nobody was taking any notice of
her.
    Rory
walked out past the front desk and spoke to the officer on duty. “I’m just
going to for a walk around town, see what’s happening on the streets today.
Call if you need me.”
    “Sure
thing, Sheriff.”
    The
sun was bright and he tipped down his hat over his eyes. Old Milly Forester,
their elderly neighbor, was over feeding the birds in the park as was her daily
habit. He checked the road and crossed over to say hello to her.
    “Ms.
Forester. Nice day for a sit in the park.” He walked over and sat down on the
picnic stool, watching her crumble up the bread she’d brought from the bakery
as she did every day.
    “That
it is, Sheriff.” She threw the handful of crumbs and the sparrows squabbled
over it like noisy children. “Hear tell your daddy is keen to see you. Been
back home for long enough to make the effort if you ask me.”
    “Don’t
pull any punches, do you?”
    “Why
would I do that? Known you long as you’ve been on this earth. Smacked that butt
of yours a time or two as well.” She cackled and nudged him with her elbow.
    “That
so. Not sure I remember that.” He could still feel the quick slap of her hand
when he’d thought he’d gotten away with something. It was always a shock to
find he wasn’t a smart as he thought he was.
    “Yeah,
well, only had to do it a couple of times and then you got yourself sorted out.
Stopped giving your poor father a hard time and do what you should have done in
the first place.”
    “From
what I hear, not sure he deserved too much from his sons. I figured he thought
more of his bottle than his kids.” Rory sighed. He hadn’t meant to get into
this conversation with his parent’s neighbor today, he was just being
respectful saying hello.
    “Now
you listen to me, young man. When your poor mother passed over, well your daddy
almost died along with her. Not saying it’s right or wrong, just the way it is.
Broke his heart and he couldn’t function no more. Lucky you had your big
brother to help out when he did.”
    “So
I hear.”
    “He’s
done well the last few years, you know. Been to AA and kicked the bottle.
Starting to get himself sorted out.” She threw more bread to the birds before
she looked up at him. “You should know what it feels like, son. You’ve been
though it yourself. I thought of you when I heard the news, Rory. Wish I’d been
closer to help out, sadly what’s done is done.” She screwed up the paper bag
the bread came in and pushed herself to her feet. “Don’t go making the same
mistake your daddy did either. You’ve got a chance at making a go of it with
that lovely little girl I met last week. Don’t blow it.”
    “How
the heck do you know what’s going on?” Rory stood up and looked down at her.
    “Your
brother still can’t keep a secret worth a damn.” She patted him on the back.
“Bring her to see me soon. Rather partial to that little one of hers, a right
little cutie he is. He helped me feed the birds the day they arrived. Knew
there was something going on in her head. Two of a kind you are, both needing
something and not sure if you’ll ever find it. Perfect match if you ask me.”
    “Don’t
rightly know if I was asking actually.”
    “Still
got that smart mouth of yours, Rory. It suits you somehow though.” She started
to walk away.
    “I’ll
be sure to tell her you asked after her then.”
    “And
don’t forget to go see your daddy. Man’s still hurting.” She waved an arthritic
hand in the air and tottered off, leaving him standing alone in the park.
    Hurting,
right. He crossed the road and started walking
toward the old house he’d grown up in. The front fence was badly in need of a
coat of whitewash and the gate was broken on one hinge. He wondered when the
lawns were