Page 55 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“Matti, open up.”

At hearing Wyatt’s voice, she breathed a sigh of relief. They really were safe now. “Sam, the police are here and they’re taking the mean man away.” She walked to her bedroom door and opened it.

Wyatt’s gaze swept over her, then over Ryan, who was now balancing Sam on his hip while holding his hurt hand against his chest. “The house is clear. There’s no one here.” He glanced at Sam before looking at her and saying, “No one.”

She frowned. What was he trying to say? Then it hit her. “He’s gone?”

He nodded. “Why don’t you guys stay in here for a little while. I want to get my CSI team out here, see if they can lift some fingerprints.”

“All right.” The man was gone, which meant he was out there somewhere, free to try to get Sam again. Would this ever be over?

“We’ll need to get statements from all three of you, but let’s let our boy here have some quiet time first.” He pointed at Ryan’s wrist. “EMTs will be here in a few to take a look at that and your eye.”

“I’m fine,” Ryan said.

“Maybe, but they’re still going to check it out.” He left, closing the door behind him.

“Can you even see out of that eye?” she asked. It was almost swollen shut.

“He was gonna take me,” Sam said, his lips trembling. He buried his face against Ryan’s neck.

Ryan carried Sam to the bed. When he tried to set Sam on the mattress, Sam squeezed his arms around Ryan’s neck, refusing to let go.

“Hey, now,” Ryan said. “It’s okay. You’re safe, buddy.” Sam still didn’t let go, so Ryan stretched out on the bed with Sam.

“You come, too, Matti,” Sam said at the same time there was a knock on the door.

“Is it the mean man?” Sam let go of Ryan and scrambled under the covers.

“Ryan, the EMTs are here,” Wyatt called through the closed door, then opened it. A man and a woman in uniforms followed him in.

“Dr. Palmer, fancy seeing you here,” the woman said.

The male EMT’s gaze fell on Ryan, and his eyes widened. “Ouch. Hope this is where you say, ‘You should see the other guy.’”

“You should see the other guy,” Ryan parroted. “Seriously.” He stood from the bed. “Hello, Janie, Manny. As you can see, I’m fine.”

Manny snorted. “Yeah, you look fine…not.” He glanced at Sam when he peeked his head out of the covers. “Why don’t we check you out in the living room?”

“Good idea,” Matti said. “Sam and I’ll be right here when you’re done.” She sat on the edge of the bed.

Ryan huffed. “Fine, let’s get this over with.”

“I’ve always heard doctors make the worst patients,” Janie stage-whispered to Manny. “Guess it’s true.”

“Ha, ha,” Ryan said as he followed them out.

“Don’t leave, Doc.” Sam grabbed Matti’s hand. “Don’t let him go. The mean man will get him.”

She put her hand over his. “He’ll be right back.”

Wyatt moved around the bed and sat on the other side. “The mean man’s gone, Sam. And there are police officers here. They won’t let the mean man come back.”

“Can the police officers live here, too?”

Matti chuckled. “No, they have their own homes and families. Why don’t we watch a movie?” She reached for the remote on the nightstand. She’d subscribed to the Disney Channel after Sam came to stay with her, and she tuned to that. It only took a few minutes for Sam to become engrossed, and when he was, she motioned to Wyatt.

He followed her to her bathroom. “Did I understand you right? The man was gone when you got here?”