Page 98 of Hearing her Cries

She'd just use her phone and take video. While Murdoch took photos with his.They'd comb through them later.

"Last door on the left. Light switch is next to the door."

Zoey led the way.

"Here we go, " Murdoch said as she flicked on the switch. "The Coleson Collection.Coleson, imagine that. I’ll bet my left eyeball that you are a Coleson in some way, you gorgeous brown-eyed Daviess Monster. Let’s just find some more photographic evidence to prove it, then we’ll talk to my dark-eyed nurse friend. I’ll even talk good old Anthony into buying us dinner at Mamaw’s Place tonight."

There was a box next to a glass display. It had items carefully packed. They were wrapped in bubble wrap. They weren't going to even touch what was in that box. That was a good way to an illegal search complaint. They just did not do that. "We have to stick to what's still on display."

"Already on it, hot stuff." He had his phone out taking photos every time he took a step. "We have four display cases still full of Garrity goods."

Zoey stepped closer to the first. "I have photos from the 1920s."

"That was when Garrity was in its heyday. Twenties through Seventies. Gladys said there was supposed to be a monster in Coleson Hollow when she was a girl. Said people got eaten out there, or something. That the hospital was really just a way for the Colesons to get victims to feed their beast. Somehow…I don’t think that is true.” Murdoch moved closer to the far display. “This one is about forty years ago. A hospital. Looks like the old Coleson Hospital. I see fifteen medical staff lined up like little soldiers on the porch."

"That place seriously gives me the creeps." Zoey moved up behind him. He shifted a little, hooking his arm around her waist. Zoey found herself in front of him, her back pressed to his front. His scent surrounded her.

Taunted her.

This man really needed to keep his hands to himself.

But she didn't tell him that.

Her breath caught when his hand spread over her stomach, so casually as he leaned closer to the display. He started reading the text.

“The Coleson Hospital was founded by Dr. Andreas Coleson. He was the leading researcher and developer of a lifesaving technique for children born with—" He kept reading for a moment, then looked at her. "Pretty important guy."

Zoey looked closer. She knewexactlywhat that heart condition was. And had for a long, long time.

"That's the heart condition Pen had. It's extremely rare. Caine and Rafe also had it. They have had the kids tested. Dalton is a carrier, but he doesn't have the condition. Apparently, you need one copy of the gene, but other genes—extremely specific ones—also have to be present for it to be a serious problem. All of those are just as rare. All of their children will have to be tested, eventually. Just to know. So will Pen’s, definitely. If it's caught shortly after birth, it is easily correctible. And there is medication now, to help the baby get stronger. Some kids even outgrow it—most, in fact. Rafe's medical records indicate that he did. Pen did not. Caine’s case was mild enough, but still required surgical correction. Pen was pretty sick that first year," Zoey said quietly.“I didn’t know this guy who discovered it was so close.”

"Do you have the gene?"

She shook her head. "I was tested after Pen and I were 'found.' And we learned Rafe and Caine had it. Rafe's adoptive father didn't know he had it. Or he probably wouldn't have taken him. Most kids grow out of it. And most don't even know they have it. About one in twenty thousand babies are born with it.Mostsurvive, without medical intervention. But it varies in severity. It most likely started as a genetic mutation and has been passed down."

"It looks like this guy discovered it. No, his father did. Ouch. Apparently, Andreas’s grandfather Irvin is the one who officially discovered it in the late 1800s, after losing both of his brothers and several sons to the disease. Apparently, the gene is pretty strong in his family. Some speculate the first instance of the condition started in Irvin’s grandfather’s line, back in Scotland. Then this Andreas Coleson, his only surviving grandson, expanded on it. Researched it and the genetics behind it later. Then, Andreas pioneered a surgical procedure, too. His son Andrew was apparently brilliant—and discovered a medication that helped as well.”

"That medication and surgery saved my baby sister. And Caine. I think this Andrew Coleson guy and his father and grandfather and great-grandfather are going to be my heroes from now on." Zoey looked around for a moment at all the photographs. "Do you see any photos of them anywhere?"

"Here’s one of Dr. Andrew Coleson, but his face is blurry. Andrew Coleson and his new bride, Kemberly Murphy. ‘Dr. Andrew Coleson and his head nurse, Kemberly Murphy, wed Saturday at the Coleson Hollow Hope Life Church, attended by the groom’s daughters Angela and Bonita’—that’s my pretty nurse Bonnie, I think. That’s it. Guy must have been seriously camera shy. Kemberly’s a tiny little blonde. Hell, she looks practically young enough to be his daughter. Doesn’t look like there are any more photos. Unless they are in there.” Murdoch pointed to the packed boxes. She knew what Murdoch wanted.What he was just itching to do.

Zoey studied the photo. The man was extremely tall. His bride was most definitely not. But the photo was old. He had dark hair, she could see that much. But the photo was damaged—water spots, most likely. For a museum display, the few articles that were left weren’t great.

“Nope. Not peeking. We’ll find a photo of him somewhere else. Legally.” Zoey kept looking around. “Do you see anything that has to do with the Coleson Hollow Hope Life Church? Or anything with someone named Daviess or Davis?”

“I don’t, babe. We might have to just have those pretty little ferret lackeys of yours keep digging. All I am seeing here is Coleson. More and more Coleson. Those Colesons are everywhere lately. Not Daviess.”

“I bet most of the history of this guy and that place were lost in the library fire. Whoever owns this collection is probably a relative. Sad.”

“Hmmm. I don’t know. Pretty Nurse Bonnie told me when we were chitchatting that there aren’t many in her family left. Bonnie and her girls are it, I think. Shame, really. A guy like this deserves to be remembered. Unless he was really a vampire in disguise, and those nurses on that porch are his coven, or something.”

“Witches have covens, Lake. Not Colesons. Vampires have...tribes, maybe? Ask Pen. She’s been reading vampire romance novels lately.” Zoey tried not to let the frustration show. This had just been a wasted trip. “I didn’t see anything Davis or Daviess anywhere. Did you?”

“Nope. The only name I saw other than Coleson was ‘On loan from the private collection of Dr. Gregory D. Easton.’ I’m sorry. Funny, though. There doesn’t seem to be a recognizable photo of these Coleson peeps anywhere we’ve looked. Unless they’ve all been packed away forever. More and more secrets. But I want to keep digging. My Spidey sense is going off here. I do think you and Pen are Colesons in disguise?”

“Hell, Lake, at this point, anything is possible. And other than a DNA test, we just need a way to prove it.” She was going to get conclusive evidence, and then…find that nurse. See for herself. If they were Colesons, how? Well, DNA would tell something. Her family wouldn’t make contact with a potential relative without that proof. Just to be on the safe side. If Zoey was a Coleson, she’d find that out for sure.

Eventually.

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