Frowning, the man said, “He was here, but I don’t know how he got here.” He shook his head, looked around, and said, “Did you guys see him?”
Both of the men looked at him like he was crazy. “We’ve got better things to do than watch what a parrot does.”
“No, it wasn’t that,” he said. “Somehow he flew in here, but I think he came from the cul-de-sac.”
“Was he trying to get away from somebody?” she asked in horror.
He frowned. “I think he was getting out of a vehicle, but I’m not sure where and what. He could have just hitched a ride.”
“Unfortunately, with him, that’s quite possible,” she said, with an eye roll. “He does get into trouble sometimes. He’s curious, and then he gets into the back of various vehicles and sometimes goes for a ride where he didn’t expect to go.”
He nodded. “I think that’s exactly it,” he said. “I don’t remember what truck it was, but it might have been one of the gardeners who works at the cemetery.” Frowning, he looked around and said, “But I don’t think he knew the bird was even there.”
She thought about that and nodded. “You know what? That’s quite likely. And then he flew in here?” she asked, pointing out the pathway.
He nodded, then changed his mind. “I’m not sure. I saw him getting in the truck, and I didn’t really realize what I was seeing because it didn’t make any sense,” he admitted. “Next thing I knew, I saw him in the pathway here, but I don’t know if he flew, walked, or hitched another ride,” he said, looking at the bird. “Does he fly?”
“Not well,” she said. “Not well at all.”
“Interesting,” he muttered.
“I figured that maybe Isaac saw him,” she said, “because look at Thaddeus. He’s been much happier since I came down here again.” He looked at her in surprise. She shrugged. “Thaddeus is very people-oriented.”
“Interesting,” he muttered. He looked at the others and shrugged. “It’s possible.”
The other guys shook their heads. “We don’t need her interfering.”
“Maybe not,” she said, “but you never know. I might be able to help.”
“There is nothing to help with,” the first man said harshly.
She frowned at him. “You’re hiding something that involves Isaac, and my bird here got involved somehow,” she said, “so that means I’m involved.”
“And you can just get uninvolved,” he said, shaking his finger at her.
“Hey, I want to see that little boy doing well,” she muttered.
“Then stay away,” he said in exaggeration, but at least now the same threatening edge to his voice was gone that had been there before.
She frowned, as she looked at him. “I guess it depends on what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on.”
“Is he in school?” she asked.
He just glared at her.
“So he’s not, and there’s no birth certificate for him either.”
At that, all the men stiffened and looked at her.
She shrugged. “I checked, of course.”
Chapter 22
“You checked a little too much,” the first guy said in a dark voice. “Now get lost.” And, with that, he turned and strode away. The other two turned and raced to catch up.
She frowned as she thought about what could possibly be going on here. “If it’s a cold case,” she called out, “I can help.”
The men stopped, looked at her, and said, “No cold case here.”
She frowned. “I think there is. Or, if there were one here, I could help.”
“There isn’t,” the first guy said in defiance.
“Unless, of course, there’s been a murder or kidnapping or something else here that was never solved,” she said in a crafty voice. They stopped again, turned, and glared at her, as she raised her palms. “Fine,” she said. “So there isn’t anything I can do here.”
“No,” the one guy said, “you’re finally getting the right message. Go home.”
She nodded, and, calling the animals to her, she slowly moved off to the side. When she got around the corner of the cul-de-sac, a little old lady called from her porch.
Doreen looked over and asked, “Are you talking to me?” The woman nodded and motioned for her to come quickly. Doreen raced up the steps, animals in tow.
The woman looked at the dog in delight. “This is the famous Mugs, isn’t it?”
“Well, I don’t know how famous he is,” Doreen said, with a grin, “but yes. Was there something you wanted to say?”
“It is a cold case,” she said.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a cold case.”
Doreen studied the older woman. “Okay, what is a cold case?”
“That little boy,” she muttered. “He just appeared one day.”
Doreen stopped and stared at her in shock. “He just appeared one day out of the blue?”
The old woman nodded. “Yes, and we don’t know where he came from.”
“What about his mom?” she said.
“We’re not sure. We don’t know exactly what happened.”
“Well, how long has he been here?”
“It’s been a couple years now,” she said. “Isaac is a sweetheart.”
“So, who looks after him?”
“Well, a man looks after him, but I don’t think they’re related.”
“Ah,” she said, “that’s what they’re afraid of then. That somebody will take him away.”
She nodded.
“Of course, but if Isaac has a family out there somewhere,” Doreen said, “then we need to find them.” The lady just shrugged. “So, what is the case about?” Doreen asked, looking at her in surprise.
“I just told you. It’s a cold case.”
“Oh, you mean because it happened a few years ago.”
The woman nodded. “Yes, yes, of course.”
That wasn’t quite Mack’s definition of a cold case, but Doreen might be able to work with it. “Do you know anything else? Do you know where Isaac came from? Like what corner of town, or was he from out of town?”
“I heard rumors,” she said, leaning forward, speaking in a really low raspy voice. “Something about him coming from Vancouver.”
“And he just stayed? There should have been other people with him, right?”
The old lady shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said.
At that, Doreen nodded. “You know where he lives?”
The woman nodded again. “You were there,” she said. “I saw you somewhere on the pathways. I’m sure you saw him.”
“I saw him disappear behind a fence.”
“Exactly,” she said.
“Is he related to the other man who’s looking after him?”
The old lady shrugged. “We don’t argue with him.”
“Ah. Is it Randy?”