Page 80 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“We weren’t far.” Callum pulled out one of the desk chairs for Hazel.

She took it and he sat beside her in the other one, facing Marlowe, who dressed like the CEO she was in a black fitted blazer and skirt outfit.

“Dee Walton rushed into my office about an hour ago,” Marlowe said.

Dee was his father’s assistant. She’d worked part-time since he had gone into the coma, helping Marlowe whenever needed.

“She was in Dad’s office getting some files for me. When she dropped them and went to pick them up, she found a pin underneath the air conditioning unit. It’s an Arizona State Sun Devils pin, the kind you can get at the university games.”

That seemed odd. “Dad isn’t an Arizona State Sun Devils fan.”

“He does watch football,” Marlowe said. “But he has no affiliation with that university.”

“Do you think the person who shot him lost it there?” Callum asked.

“Dee thinks that’s what happened.”

Callum had to agree there was a strong possibility. But how would they ever know?

“This could be the first good clue other than the unhelpful camera footage,” Callum said. “Do you agree with Dee?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t decided. She’s been getting into a self-help organization called Affirmation Alliance Group. She can’t praise the founder enough. Apparently, Micheline Anderson is gifted at boosting morale and giving healing talks to corporations and individuals. A while back, she asked if we could use them here at Colton Oil, to help people deal with what happened to Dad. She claims they helped her when her husband died last year. I don’t know what that group is doing to her state of mind. I hope they’re helping her but she may be distracted.”

“Do you think they’re legit?” Callum asked.

“I’m leery of anything with the word group in it. Makes it seem like a cult.”

Callum smiled. “Some people go for that sort of thing. The self-help organizations.”

Rafe stepped into the office with Ainsley. They both worked at the company, Rafe as CFO and Ainsley as a corporate attorney. Rafe had on an impeccable suit, Ainsley a flowing pantsuit.

“Grayson said he wasn’t going to make it,” Rafe said. “He also said Asher wouldn’t either.”

Owner of a first responder agency, Grayson didn’t involve himself in Colton Oil matters. Neither did Asher, who was foreman at Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch.

“I’ll make sure they know what we discussed today,” Marlowe said. “Let’s sit over here.” She stood and moved everyone to the two sofas that faced each other across a long coffee table.

“Why did you want us all here, Callum?” Rafe asked.

Callum looked behind him and, through the window beside the office door, saw Kerry approaching.

“Ah. Just in time.”

Marlowe’s assistant, Karen, let the detective in. Her long auburn hair was up in a clip today and her blue eyes found Callum.

“What have you got? Something hot?” she asked, sitting beside him.

Yes, Hazel. Of course, he kept that unbidden thought in his head.

“I found the Mustang Valley General nurse who also gave birth at the hospital the same day as Ace was born,” he said. “She quit the same day.”

“What? That’s huge, Callum,” Marlowe said.

“Tell me you have more.”

He told her about the nurse who had given birth that Christmas morning and who had left the hospital with the sickly Colton baby rather than her own.

“Her name is Luella,” Callum said. “Nancy couldn’t recall her last name.”

---