Six twenty-three. His mother not answering the phone didn’t necessarily mean something was wrong. She could be in the yard with Lee, as she was wont to do even with the shorter days. She could be on the porch, visiting with his aunt or another visitor, where she couldn’t hear the phone inside. She could have gone to run errands.Damn it, he was going to buy her a new cell phone and insist she carry it for sure this time.“Tick.” Caitlin’s voice held a nearly imperceptible tremor, one he was pretty sure only he picked up. Seeing traces of his own fear in her expression didn’t help.He straightened, calling up the years of training, letting his cop instincts take over for his father and son roles. “I’m going to run out there, make sure everything’s okay.”“I’m going with you.” His wife was on her feet instantly. He opened his mouth to argue, but she forestalled him with a look. “Don’t even try.”Urgency pounded under his skin with increasing intensity and he wasn’t going to waste time.
