The cops were at their place by the time I arrived. I showed my badge and mentioned the fact that I was the victim's son. A few other agents, who were not on my team, would be coming by soon because the house was partly in my dad's name. I talked to the detective in charge, and she sourly told me what the police had so far. Then, I went to see Dad and that woman. They looked upset and shaken.

"How are you guys holding up?" I asked.

"Good..., nothing appears to be missing" Dad said. "And Nat's pets are fine."

"Any idea who might have done this?" I asked, mostly to see if she'd have the decency to be honest.

"It might have to do with some inquires she's been doing" Alan admitted for her. "See, she thinks a vet at this large vet hospital has been stealing some canine arthritis medicine from the pharmacy."

"What kind of inquiries?" I asked

"I went in with Rocko to feel him out" She said. Dad had had his arms were around her. Then she continued. "I think Alan and I should stay in a hotel at least for the moment"

"Nat! We can't let whoever did this dictate our lives!" Dad argued. He was a guy who believed in facing your fears.

"But they messed up the bed!"

Something told me that her wanting to stay at a hotel had nothing to do with the bed being ruined, but that she felt vulnerable in her own house. It didn't help matters that she had been shot. Natalie held Dad close to her as her face betrayed her fear.

I said to her "Maybe if you didn't go around making 'inquiries', you wouldn't feel the need to stay at a hotel"

"Don..." Dad put on his warning voice, but I didn't care. The house was a complete mess, with stuff all over the floor, torn furniture, and sabotaged appliances. Nat had pissed off someone who meant business, and endangered Dad in the process! All for some damn dog medicine! Those thugs must have seen her when she went to snoop again when I wasn't around.

"You endangered yourself, and you endangered Dad!" I snapped at the woman, who tried to keep her face neutral, but didn't seem very happy about what I had just said.

"There is no way she could have known that this would happen!" Dad defended her, as usual.

"That's my point!" I snapped, and turned to her. "You went way over your head!"

999999999999999999999999

Before more could be said, my cell phone rang. It was one of my business partners, Carl.

"The patients are loose!" he said grimly.

I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. "What?"

"I came down to check on a patient, only to find that someone had opened all the cages!"

TBC