Page 64 of A Sudden Response

“So, he just walked out?” Joe asked, frowning in confusion.

“More or less,” Eric admitted with a mumble.

Her eyes narrowed on him. “What did you do?”

He blinked innocently. “I didn’t do anything,” he lied.

“Uh-huh,” Joe said, obviously not believing him as she stood up and walked back over to the vending machine to pick out a snack.

“Did somebody at least call dispatch and let them know that he quit?” Joe asked as she selected a candy bar.

“He called Bill,” Eric said, not mentioning that the little bastard demanded that they drive him back to the station. He calmed the little prick down by arranging a ride for him. One that took him to the middle of nowhere and forced the little prick to walk ten miles to the nearest gas station, but he decided it was best not to mention that or the fact that the guys may have decided to give Greg a farewell gift by making it easy for him to return his uniform. So, the asshole was probably walking along Madison Road at this very moment in his boxers and boots.

Joe really didn’t need to know aboutthat.

He finished his report and headed for the door, pausing long enough to give her a quick kiss and swipe the candy bar out of her hand. When she swatted him on the ass, he simply ignored her as he finished off her chocolate. Why did the food he stole from Joe always taste so much better? Eric wondered as he reached over and stole his soda back. He ignored her muttered promises to kick his ass and dropped his run sheet off at the nurse’s station on his way to the ambulance bay.

“I’ll clear us with dispatch since you’re still enjoying my snack,” Joe said, shooting him a look that promised all kinds of pain for his poor wallet.

If he weren’t head over heels in love with this woman, he’d consider dropping her for her gold-digging ways. But he did love her, so he was probably going to have to suck it up and treat her to the dollar menu at McDonalds.

“Did you call 911?”Joe asked with a warm smile as she bent down so that she could talk to the incredibly adorable little boy.

“Yes,” he mumbled with a nod.

“Is someone hurt?” Joe asked, looking around the front porch and yard for the reason they were called. Eric walked past her and looked through the window.

“Yes,” the little boy, who couldn’t be more than five, said, gesturing towards the backyard.

With a slight nod, Eric jumped over the porch railing and headed into the backyard.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Joe asked the little boy, deciding it was probably for the best to keep him here until Eric let her know what they were dealing with. If it was somethingthis little boy shouldn’t see, she was going to have to ask one of the neighbors watching them from the sidewalk to watch him.

“Roger hurt Toby really bad,” the little boy said as his little chin wobbled.

“Where’s your mommy and daddy, buddy?” she asked soothingly.

“They’re out. I was s’posed to be with Uncle Charlie, but I didn’t like leaving Roger and Toby by themselves, so I came back,” he admitted, shifting nervously.

“Does Uncle Charlie know where you are?” Joe asked, guessing it wouldn’t be very long before the man in question showed up.

The little boy shook his head stubbornly. “No, he doesn’t want me to play with Roger. He thinks Roger is bad.”

“What’s your name?” Joe asked, absently noting the name Henderson on the mailbox.

“Caleb.”

“Okay, Caleb. I need to call my dispatcher and have him call your uncle. Do you know your uncle’s phone number?”

He nodded.

“What is it?’

“It has a five in it,” Caleb said with a firm nod.

Okay...

“Do you know where your uncle lives?”

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