about Dave too as he hadn’t returned home yet. Maybe he had slipped in while she wasn’t paying attention. As she reached half the distance of the back yard, she spotted him lying on the ground. Upon closer investigation she discovered the gash in his head that was bleeding profusely.
“Help me! Someone help me please!” Eva shouted hysterically.
A neighbor heard her cries for help.
“What happened, Mrs. Haines?” Jeff asked.
“I don’t know I found him lying here on the ground. Call 911.” Eva pleaded.
The paramedics arrived on the scene a short time later. They assessed Dave’s injury and loaded him into the back of the ambulance; he needed stitches at the very least. He was still unconscious when they left with him; Eva rode in the back of the ambulance with him. As they were pulling away, Carmen and Dexter were arriving home.
“What happened, Jeff, why was the ambulance here?” Carmen asked.
“Your mom found your dad in the back yard. He was unconscious and bleeding.”
“What happened to him?”
“We don’t know and he couldn’t tell us.”
On the way to the hospital, Dave began to arouse.
“Thank God, you’re awake. What happened?” Eva enquired.
“Nick had Zachary, I tried to stop him but I couldn’t.”
“You tried dear, that’s all you could do. Don’t you worry they’ll find him, Zachary will be okay.”
Chapter Twelve
“If you need me don’t hesitate to call. I’ll keep you informed concerning any new developments in the case. I’ve got a meeting with Janice Avery, right now.” Officer Smith told them.
“We want to come with you.” Carmen insisted.
“I think we should be present when you question her, it’s our son who’s missing.” Dexter said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Officer Smith told them.
“He’s our son Smith, how would you feel if it was your son?”
“Okay but you have to promise me that you’ll let me handle this. You do nothing but keep your mouth shut; do you hear me?”
They agreed to let him handle the investigation, promising only to observe. They wanted to make sure that Janice was aware of everything that had happened.
“Mrs. Haines, I’m Officer Smith, I spoke with you on the phone concerning Nick Dasher. This is Carmen Haines and Dexter Crane, Zachary’s parents; you don’t mind if they’re present do you?”
“I don’t mind, have a seat.” Janice said.
“I’m sorry for your loss Mrs. Avery. Do you recall an ex-boyfriend of Carol’s by the name of Nick Dasher?”
“I remember him; he’s a low-life piece of crap, no good for nothing. I tried to warn Carol but she seemed to get a thrill from his bad boy ways.”
“Did she ever mention where he was from or what he did for a living?”
“I think I remember her saying he was from California; maybe Sacramento. Seems his parents’ names are Beth and Jackson, best I remember. As far as his occupation, he didn’t have one. The only thing he did was run up gambling debts and did whatever he had to in order to pay them. I was happy when Carol finally dumped him. I didn’t know she was still in contact with him.” Janice said.
“She only recently made contact with him again, from my understanding. He was involved in Ada Crane’s murder and Dexter’s kidnapping. It’s imperative that we find him for Zachary’s sake; he’s not safe with him. He’s only a few weeks old and Nick hasn’t a clue how to care for him.” Officer Smith pointed out.
“I wish I could do more to help you but honestly I didn’t have much to do with Nick. Carol knew how I felt about him so she didn’t tell me much. She was very secretive about their relationship.”
“If you think of anything else would you please give me a call, ma’am?”
“Sure, I’ll be glad to help in any way that I can.”
Officer Smith handed her his card and shook her hand. As they turned to go out the door, Janice stopped them.
“Dexter, I
“Help me! Someone help me please!” Eva shouted hysterically.
A neighbor heard her cries for help.
“What happened, Mrs. Haines?” Jeff asked.
“I don’t know I found him lying here on the ground. Call 911.” Eva pleaded.
The paramedics arrived on the scene a short time later. They assessed Dave’s injury and loaded him into the back of the ambulance; he needed stitches at the very least. He was still unconscious when they left with him; Eva rode in the back of the ambulance with him. As they were pulling away, Carmen and Dexter were arriving home.
“What happened, Jeff, why was the ambulance here?” Carmen asked.
“Your mom found your dad in the back yard. He was unconscious and bleeding.”
“What happened to him?”
“We don’t know and he couldn’t tell us.”
On the way to the hospital, Dave began to arouse.
“Thank God, you’re awake. What happened?” Eva enquired.
“Nick had Zachary, I tried to stop him but I couldn’t.”
“You tried dear, that’s all you could do. Don’t you worry they’ll find him, Zachary will be okay.”
Chapter Twelve
“If you need me don’t hesitate to call. I’ll keep you informed concerning any new developments in the case. I’ve got a meeting with Janice Avery, right now.” Officer Smith told them.
“We want to come with you.” Carmen insisted.
“I think we should be present when you question her, it’s our son who’s missing.” Dexter said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Officer Smith told them.
“He’s our son Smith, how would you feel if it was your son?”
“Okay but you have to promise me that you’ll let me handle this. You do nothing but keep your mouth shut; do you hear me?”
They agreed to let him handle the investigation, promising only to observe. They wanted to make sure that Janice was aware of everything that had happened.
“Mrs. Haines, I’m Officer Smith, I spoke with you on the phone concerning Nick Dasher. This is Carmen Haines and Dexter Crane, Zachary’s parents; you don’t mind if they’re present do you?”
“I don’t mind, have a seat.” Janice said.
“I’m sorry for your loss Mrs. Avery. Do you recall an ex-boyfriend of Carol’s by the name of Nick Dasher?”
“I remember him; he’s a low-life piece of crap, no good for nothing. I tried to warn Carol but she seemed to get a thrill from his bad boy ways.”
“Did she ever mention where he was from or what he did for a living?”
“I think I remember her saying he was from California; maybe Sacramento. Seems his parents’ names are Beth and Jackson, best I remember. As far as his occupation, he didn’t have one. The only thing he did was run up gambling debts and did whatever he had to in order to pay them. I was happy when Carol finally dumped him. I didn’t know she was still in contact with him.” Janice said.
“She only recently made contact with him again, from my understanding. He was involved in Ada Crane’s murder and Dexter’s kidnapping. It’s imperative that we find him for Zachary’s sake; he’s not safe with him. He’s only a few weeks old and Nick hasn’t a clue how to care for him.” Officer Smith pointed out.
“I wish I could do more to help you but honestly I didn’t have much to do with Nick. Carol knew how I felt about him so she didn’t tell me much. She was very secretive about their relationship.”
“If you think of anything else would you please give me a call, ma’am?”
“Sure, I’ll be glad to help in any way that I can.”
Officer Smith handed her his card and shook her hand. As they turned to go out the door, Janice stopped them.
“Dexter, I
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