Chapter Four

Excerpt from Ch 3

Pete said nothing as he handed the wallet to Jim. When Jim took the wallet and looked at it, his face paled as well. "It's Mac's! What were they doing with it?"

"I don't know." A hard and determined look appeared in Pete's eyes. "Only I am going to find out."

~oOo~

"Pete, Jim," Detective Stone entered the break room and walked up to the table where the two officers were seated.

Pete and Jim had been to the hospital to no avail-as the passenger in the red truck was still in a coma. Now, Pete looked at the detective whom he'd bumped into at the hospital and asked, "Did you find anything out?" After the good detective had learned what Pete had found, the gentleman said he was going to take time to look into the backgrounds of the deceased driver and his passenger.

"Yes." The detective pulled a chair away from the table that was next to the one that Jim and Pete were using. "The driver, Timothy Andres, has served time for a number of things, buying and selling stolen items are among a few of the things. The passenger- Hank Tilton – is wanted in another county for armed robbery and, of course, selling stolen property. If he lives, he will be arrested. It's rumored the two men have- or had- numberless places up in the hills they hid in." Detective Stone shook his head. "There's no way Mac would be involved in anything close to what those men were. If they had his wallet, I'm afraid…"

"He's not dead." Pete cut the detective off. "I can't shake the feeling he's alive but needs help. We've got to start searching for him!"

"On the record, we can't do that with just his wallet as evidence." Lt. Blackwell, who happened to walk into the break room just in time to hear a good portion of the conversation, spoke up. "I mean, all that proves is they stole his wallet. It doesn't say they did anything to him."

Pete started to argue only to have Lieutenant Blackwell- a pitch black-haired veteran officer who was temporary watch commander- stop him. "I said-on the record." He looked around the room-as the officers that were also in the break room had-naturally-been listening as well. "No one can authorize an all–out search at this time. After all, Mac clearly stated he was going to be gone a week-and none of his relatives or friends have stated he made any promise to contact them before his return. And, yes," he looked at Pete, "You and Jim aren't the only ones who have been asking questions. However, a number of our off duty personnel have volunteered to start searching the hills on their own. Those of you on duty, can continue keeping your eyes and ears wide open, but-obviously, do your job first." He looked at every man in the room- as if he was daring them to say he was wrong when it came to Pete and Jim not being the only ones asking questions. Lieutenant Blackwell then sighed and added slowly before leaving the room, "Let's hope we're just all overreacting. Pete, you and Jim patrol around the hospital for now. Go ahead and check on Mr. Tilton's condition. Who knows, maybe he'll be awake by the time you get in that area. Let me know what he says, if he is indeed awake."

After the lieutenant left, Detective Stone stood up. "I go off duty in an hour. My family are going hiking; we need the 'exercise'." No one spoke as the good detective left the room.

When it came to Pete and Jim, they wasted no time getting to the squad car and leaving the station.

~oOo~

Mac enjoyed the fresh air blowing softly through the window which Eliza had opened before heading outside. 'Got to cook breakfast somewhere, and there's a fire-pit outside, near this building. I've been using it since I first got here.' Eliza's words repeated themselves in his ears just as he was pleasantly surprised to smell the aroma of bacon cooking. 'Hope it tastes as good as it smells', Mac thought as he looked around the room for what felt like the millionth time. Again, he tried to remember something- anything- to help tell him who he was. The fact that the word Rookie had affected him the way it had made it so Mac found himself thinking of all the ways the word could be applied. "There's just too many." He spoke only to himself-or so he thought until he realized Eliza was back in the room and was handing him breakfast-a plate of pancakes and bacon, along with another pain killer.

"Too many of what?" Eliza asked she sat down on an empty crate she'd moved into the room just that morning.

"Things that the term Rookie could be applied to," Mac replied once he'd taken the medicine, not even trying to hide his frustration at the inability to remember anything but a first name and that he felt strongly any wife he may have had had died.

"You're pushing yourself too hard." Eliza gave him a sympathetic smile. "Once help gets here, and it will arrive, we can always have the police look and see if anyone's reported someone fitting your description as missing."

Once again, Mac found himself thinking about the two men Eliza told him had left him in a place that felt as if it was far away from any resemblance of a living town. Before he had time to wonder if he lived on the wrong side of the tracks-as it were-Eliza, who seemed to read his mind-was quickly reassuring him differently.

"Mac, you're not a bad one. I told you I can feel that one. Maybe, such a claim isn't reasonable in some people's eyes-only it's true. Your name, your profession and other things, no. Only," She leaned slightly forward. "You are a good man. I refuse to believe you're wanted for breaking the law-any law." 'I just hope help arrives soon.' She added only to herself. After all, it was a thought she and Mac had already stated a number of times.

Mac relaxed and began eating his food, as he was very hungry-and the food tasted delicious.

*Lt Blackwell is, as I stated at the beginning,as far as I know, my own creation.