Page 72 of Chasing Creed

49

Florida Panhandle

Hannah had filled Creed with fresh biscuits and a platter of her special skillet hash: sausage, three eggs sunny side up, diced potatoes, and sliced jalapenos.

Food was Hannah’s love language. It brought comfort even when her words might sound like lectures wrapped in therapy. As happy as she was to feed him this morning, she was not happy with his appearance.

“Rye, you look like something the dogs dragged in. Even Grace looks better than you.”

The little dog wagged at the sound of her name but didn’t bother looking up from her own bowl of scrambled eggs.

“What’s under the bandage?” She pointed to his arm.

“Just a graze. An EMT took care of it.”

“A graze from what?”

He knew she wouldn’t let it go. “A bullet.”

“A bullet? You mean like being shot at with a gun? You didn’t mention that last night.”

“I didn’t want you to worry. It’s nothing. A flesh wound.”

“Uh, huh. Do me a favor. Dr. Avelyn is at the clinic for another hour. Let her take a look. She says it’s nothing, and I’ll be satisfied.” She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down opposite him at the table. “Who took a shot at you? I thought that young man you found was incapacitated?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got nowhere I need to be right now.”

He sighed. Put down his fork. When she got into “big sister” mode, he knew she wouldn’t just drop it.

“Turned out, the sheriff’s deputy is not one of the good guys. He came back to the scene before the rescue crews got there. He must have heard the call for an ambulance and figured we’d found someone alive. He wanted me to lead him to Kyle.”

“So, he could finish him off. Finish you and Frances, too.”

Creed didn’t tell her Perry even had Grace on the list.

“Something very strange has been going on at that property.”

“I’d sure say so. Jason told me about the electric fence that shocked poor Scout. Said that place was supposed to have been abandoned decades ago.”

“I think it’s being used for something illegal. My guess is drug trafficking.” He pointed to Grace now, rather than say her name and interrupt her feast. “She alerted to a drone we found in the pasture. It might have had drugs on board. Deputy Perry said something about a package being delivered.”

“Maybe that young man, Kyle will be able to tell us. Have you heard any other updates?”

“He’s still in ICU. But stable. Norwich will stay in touch. She knows his mother. She knows one of the State Patrol investigators, too.”

That’s when their newest employee, Sully came in the back door. His bucket hat in hand, he looked embarrassed that he had interrupted them.

“My apologies, Miss Hannah. Ryder. Just hoping to grab a cup of that fine coffee you have.”

“Come on in,” Hannah told him. “Help yourself. I have some contracts I need to get out.” She stood and offered her chair to Sully. She refilled her coffee cup and stopped to put a gentle hand on Creed’s shoulder. “Please have Dr. Avelyn give that a look.”

“I will.”

Sully didn’t sit down. He sipped his coffee and kept a polite distance. The worn hat in his hand was sweat-stained, but he was clean-shaven, and the rest of his clothes, though threadbare, were clean. He stood in stocking feet, always insisting on leaving his shoes outside of what he considered Hannah’s home. He had been homeless when Creed first met him. But homelessness had not taken away his old-school gentleman manners.

“When you get a few minutes, I need to show you something.”