Page 64 of Where You Go (Whisper Lake 5)

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Grady glancedbeside him as he pulled back up to Liv’s grandad’s house. Her mother was in the passenger seat, head back, mouth wide open like a trout, and snoring loudly. She was knocked out.

He was so relieved that he’d been there to help. She would never have been able to manage getting into an Uber if Liv had sent one. He’d had to park and get out and search for her for over fifteen minutes as it was. He found her inside the bar talking to two men who were not happy that he’d broken up their conversation.

Thankfully, she hadn’t fought him when he’d told her it was time to leave. The opposite, actually. She’d launched herself at him and tried to kiss him. It blew his mind that this woman could be Liv’s mother. But then again, look at his brother Jim. Shared DNA did not mean shared values or morals.

He cut the engine. “Ms. St. Claire, we’re here.”

She didn’t budge so he raised his voice. “Ms. St. Claire, it’s time to wake up. You’re home.”

After deciding his efforts were in vain, he got out of the car and went around to the passenger side. He’d practically had to carry her out of the bar to his car because she kept stumbling and falling down. It looked like he’d actually have to carry her to the backhouse.

He opened the door and tried one last time to rouse her from her slumber. “Ms. St. Claire, time to wake up.”

When he saw drool dripping out of the corner of her mouth, he knew that waking her up was a lost cause. He retrieved her keys from her purse and walked down the driveway to open the door to save him from attempting to open it while he was carrying her. It took trying two keys before he hit the jackpot. Once he gained entry, he turned on a light so he didn’t stumble over anything and charted out the best route to the couch.

He then went back to the car and collected Liv’s mom. She was petite but her size was deceiving. She must have dense bones or something because he was having to use all his strength to carry her inside. Of course, it didn’t help that she was dead weight in his arms.

With care, he lowered her down on the couch and turned her on her side, just in case she got sick. He grabbed a throw blanket from the chair in the corner and covered her. As he walked out he looked around and saw old boxes of takeout, dirty clothes, water bottles, and general garbage strewn about. It reminded him of a stereotypical teenager’s bedroom.

Liv had told him that her mom hadn’t really been around when she was growing up and that her grandparents did the heavy lifting when it came to raising her. Seeing the way this woman lived, Grady was even more grateful that Liv had had other people to step up to the plate for her.

But it broke his heart thinking of any time she spent under this woman’s care.

As he walked across the backyard to the main house, his mind wandered to what Liv’s childhood was like. She’d told him that her favorite memories were at the cabin. He knew that she loved Whisper Lake because of the summers that she’d spent there and he wondered if she’d ever consider moving there.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shouting that filled the night air as he approached the house.

He knocked on the back screen door and a woman that he recognized as Anna, who he’d met over FaceTime opened it. She looked frazzled to say the least.

“Come in, come in. I’m so sorry to interrupt your time,” she apologized. “I had no idea you were surprising her.”

“Don’t apologize. I know Liv appreciates all you do for her grandfather.”

Anna’s shoulders slumped slightly and Grady noticed the dark circles beneath them. She’d been working a lot of hours that she wasn’t getting paid for because she didn’t want to leave Liv on her own since her grandad’s condition had worsened significantly over the past couple of months.

There was more incoherent shouting. Then Grady heard a crash followed by a loud gasp. He and Anna rushed into the front room where he found Liv on her knees beside a broken vase and a pile of ashes with tears falling down her cheeks.

“Oh no!” Anna rushed to her side.

“You get out of here! Both of you!” Mr. St. Claire stood in front of the fireplace swinging his cane in front of him.

Liv’s grandfather was frail, but Grady didn’t let his appearance fool him. Just like Liv’s mother was heavier than she looked, Grady was sure Mr. St. Claire was stronger than he looked.

“Grandad, it’s okay. Just sit down,” Liv pleaded.

“Get out! I told you to get out of my house!”

Grady didn’t want either Anna or Liv to get hit with the stick, so he stepped between them and the cane flying wildly in the air. “Sir, I’m Officer Caldwell, is there anything I can help you with?”

“These women are trying to kidnap me!”

“I was just trying to get him to take his pills.” Grady heard Anna say behind him.

He looked on the small table beside the recliner and saw there were two pills and a glass of water. Grady knew from experience of going on calls concerning subjects with dementia to know that the best way to handle them is to meet them where they are at.

“Okay sir, why don’t we go into the other room, and I’ll take a statement from you.”

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