Page 124 of Mother Parker
Maddox and the older man approached us.
“Parker, this is Captain Mitchell with the Mayberry Holm Police Department,” he said.
The man, a stubby older man with a gray five o’clock shadow that everyone knew and loved, shook Parker’s hand and smiled deeply.
“I hear you’re friends of Goodman,” he said. “He’s a good man. What happened here?”
Parker turned to me.
“She needs a vet,” I cried out.
Autumn massaged my back, but it did very little to comfort me.
“I don’t think he’s in any position to give a statement right now. We need to take the bird to a vet,” Parker said.
“You need to go back to the hospital,” Autumn snapped at him.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. Your stitches—”
“Can be restitched. Now, where can we find a vet at this time?” he asked, turning around to look at everyone.
“Just go to Duke’s,” the captain said. “Then come by the station, and we’ll talk.”
Parker nodded and guided me back into his arms, steering me out of the commotion. We ducked out of the police tape and walked to the back of the building, where he stopped and glanced around.
“What?” I asked.
“Is Elliot okay? Did you talk to him?” he said.
“Elliot? He finished hours ago. Why would I have talked to him?” I answered.
His hand cupped the side of my face, giving me the strength I needed to breathe.
“He called me to tell me you were in danger,” he said.
“How would he even know—” I stated, but Parker hissed and pressed his hand to his blood-soaked shoulder.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital with Autumn? I can take Sophia to Duke’s by myself,” I suggested.
His nostrils flared and his hand on my face tightened its hold on me.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight again,” he rasped, and I felt it thrum to my core.
“Mr. Parker, are you okay?” a familiar voice said, and both Parker and I turned to look as Elliot stepped out from behind a tree.
“Elliot? What are you doing here?” I asked.
The young boy came out of the shadows and looked from Parker to me before dipping his head and hugging himself.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. He wasn’t supposed to hurt you. He wasn’t…” he started and burst into tears.
“Wh-what are you talking about, Elliot? Who wasn’t supposed to hurt us?”
Elliot’s shoulders shook as he cried in front of us, ignoring my question. I tried again, but he didn’t stop.
“Elliot!” Parker shouted. He jerked up. So did I. “Talk!”
