Waking Hearts Read Online Free Page B

his neck and squeezed, her cries still silent, her tears running down his neck.
    Caleb had gone to the back, and he could hear Tracey, Jim, and the chief talking quietly. Then Tracey’s quiet gasp and Jim’s concerned rumble of a voice.
    Ollie held on to her until her shoulders stopped shaking. He didn’t say anything until she pulled away and wiped her cheeks.
    “You’re gonna be okay,” he said, leaving one hand on her shoulder. “You hear me? You’re gonna make it through this.”
    Her face was stricken. “He’s their daddy.”
    “Allie-girl—”
    “No matter what he became to me, he’s their daddy ,” she whispered. “My babies, Ollie.”
    Caleb came back before Ollie could clear the lump in his throat from seeing her in so much pain. The police officer set a box of Kleenex on the bar and handed one to Allie, glancing at Ollie’s arm, which was still around her shoulders. She took a tissue, blew her nose, and grabbed another for her eyes.
    Then, in a surprisingly clear voice, she asked, “Are they sure it’s him? Or could someone have stolen that ticket?”
    “They’re not sure,” Caleb said, “which is why I need you to come with me. Did Joe go to the dentist regularly?”
    She nodded. “Same one as me and the kids in Indio. He hadn’t gone for a few years though. Once money started getting tight, we skipped and just made the kids get checked up.”
    “It shouldn’t matter. If there are X-rays on file, the pathologist can use them to identify him or rule him out as a victim.”
    “A victim?”
    Caleb paused. “It’s possible it was an accident or something like that. But there are also signs that there was violence. Ted’s going to call her pathologist friend in San Bernardino. See what he can share with her. The remains were taken to the county lab.”
    Allie nodded. “You need me to sign some forms or something? For the dentist?”
    Ollie could tell Caleb hated to be asking her, but Allie was all business.
    “Yeah,” Caleb said. “And I need to make a proper report. You know it might take longer than you expect to identify him, right? These things don’t happen right away.”
    “Caleb, I’ve watched CSI with Ted enough times to know it doesn’t happen as fast in real life as it does on TV.”
    Ollie tried not to smile. “How long?” he asked Caleb.
    “I don’t know. I’ll try to find out.”
    Tracey and Jim came out from the back. Ollie could see the red in Tracey’s eyes. She had married in from outside but had melted into the bear clan right away with her generous, funny nature.
    She held out her arms and Allie went to her.
    “What can I do to help?” she asked. “Anything you need, honey. Anything. You just ask.”
    Allie shook her head. “I’ve got to go. Kevin is watching the younger kids, but I can’t… I know it’s Friday, and I’m so sorry—”
    “Stop,” Ollie said. “Allie, it’s not your job to worry about the bar. Caleb, you need her right now or can this wait?”
    “She can come in on Monday if she wants, but the sooner the forms are filled out, the sooner I can send them.”
    “Then we’ll call in someone to cover you tonight,” he told her. “And you concentrate on you and the kids. Want me to call your dad?”
    Caleb said, “Jena already called your dad and Beth. Hope you don’t mind.”
    “No, it’s fine,” she murmured.
    She looked lost. He could see her thoughts flying everywhere.
    “Allie?”
    “Yeah?” She was standing with her arms wrapped around herself.
    “What do you need right now?”
    She stared at Ollie like a lost child. “I don’t… I don’t know what to tell the kids. What do I tell the kids? What if I tell them and then it’s not Joe?”
    Ollie sat down on a barstool and pulled her toward him so they were eye to eye. “My gut instinct is you tell Kevin, but not the younger kids. Not yet. Kevin’s going to know something is up though, and he’ll be pissed if you don’t say something.” Ollie looked at Caleb.