Silent Witness Read Free Page B

when Kate brought him with her to church. He might remember me. I thought I should stay close by to see if I could help when he wakes up.”
    Adam gave her a closer look and noted for the first time the loose flowered blouse covering her uniform. Only the bottom of her holster peeked from beneath the edge. If the boy did wake up, what he’d see was a pretty lady and lots of flowers—not a cop.
    A wave of respect washed over him. She’d grown up to be a caring, intelligent woman. But then, he’d always known she would because that’s what she’d always been. Most teenagers are self-serving and selfish until they find their place in the world. Lizzie was an exception. She was always loving, kind, trusting. It was the trusting part that made another wave of guilt wash over him.
    “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when the boy arrived last night. I had an emergency in Poplar Bluff. But the hospital staff updated me by phone.”
    “That’s okay. The staff sedated him almost immediately and he’s been sleeping ever since.” She gently brushed the boy’s hair off his forehead and then raised her eyes to his. “I was surprised to hear that you’ve moved back to town.”
    “Why? This is my home.”
    “Really?” She tilted her head and studied him. “It didn’t seem to stop you from leaving it the first chance you got.”
    Ouch. There it was. The elephant in the room.
    He recognized the challenge behind her words. She had a chip on her shoulder and she was daring him to address the issue or try to knock it off. He knew anything he said right now would open old wounds and change nothing, so he remained silent.
    “I’m sorry,” Liz said. “That was mean.” She chewed on her bottom lip, something he remembered her doing when she was nervous or upset.
    “Forget it.” He smiled at her and hurried to change the subject. “Right now, I’m filling a temporary consultant position in Poplar Bluff. It’s not that long a drive from here. They had a real need and I owed a friend a favor. But as soon as they hire a replacement, all my attention will be here. I have big plans for Country Corners.”
    Liz grinned. “Really? You sound pretty excited. What kind of plans?”
    For an instant, it felt like old times again.
    When they were in high school, Liz had always been willing to listen and often offered sage advice beyond her years when he needed it. He thought he’d burst with his need to tell her about his plans for the community. His plans included her. He’d done his research before returning. He knew she was still single and not seeing anyone special. He was here to make amends, to right wrongs, to win her back.
    One look into her steely, challenging gaze told him it was going to be more like Mission: Impossible than the uphill battle he had expected. But he was going to try.
    “I’d like to tell you all about it. Maybe over coffee?” He hoped she’d still be able to read him, to sense his sincerity, at least.
    Indecision and wariness flashed across her face. She opened her mouth to respond but he spoke first.
    “But this isn’t a good time. Give me a rain check?”
    She closed her mouth and just stared at him.
    He nodded at the tiny body lying on the bed. “Right now, I’m only interested in what you can tell me about this boy.”
    When she looked across the bed at him, there was a telltale glistening in her eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was his words or the child’s situation that caused her such pain. His gut twisted when he realized it was probably both.
    “This little boy has lost everything and everyone,” Liz said. “He’s so young and vulnerable and…”
    “Autistic?”
    “Yes, autistic. Kate told me that he was making great progress with his verbal skills. And even though he still wasn’t a fan of eye contact or light touch, he would crawl into her lap and allow her to hug him or sit quietly while she rocked him.”
    She blinked several times and her eyes hardened. “I need to get the guy who