The Christmas Clock and A Song For My Mother - Kat Martin Page 0,22

both women set their mugs down and raced over to the window.

A police car rolled up to the curb in front of Lottie Sparks’s house. There were two policemen inside the vehicle. One got out and opened the rear passenger door to let someone out, while the other started toward Doris's house.

“Oh, good Lord,” Doris said. “Something must have happened to Lottie.” She ran out of the kitchen, and Syl followed. When they stepped out on the porch, the officer who had been driving was climbing the front porch steps.

“Are you Mrs. Culver?” He was young, blond, and good-looking. He didn't seem old enough to be a policeman, though it was clear he was.

“Why, yes, I am. Is Lottie all right? Mrs. Sparks ... is she all right?”

“She’s had some trouble.” He flicked a glance at the house next door, where the other patrolman, tall and rangy with light brown hair, escorted Lottie inside. “It seems she drove her car down to the post office then couldn't find her way back home. She parked the car and walked back to the post office to ask for help and they called us.”

“How did you know where she lived?” Doris asked.

“Driver’s license.”

“Oh ... yes, of course.”

“She said we should speak to you. Apparently, the two of you are friends.”

“That's right. I've known Lottie Sparks for more than twenty years.”

“Will you be able to pick up her car? She's not going to be able to drive anymore.”

“I can take you down to get it,” Syl offered. “Then you can drive it back to the house.”

“She's parked at the corner of Elm and Fifth,” the policeman told Doris, “and you'll need to keep her keys.”

“I understand.” Doris accepted the car keys the officer handed her. “She hardly ever drives anymore. The post office isn’t that far away. She usually walks but it's been raining off and on. I guess that's why she drove there today.”

“Alzheimer's patients often forget what they should or shouldn't be doing,” Syl added softly.

“I had a hunch that was the situation here,” said young Officer Collins, the name on his badge. “We see this kind of thing fairly often with elderly people. I hope she doesn't live alone.”

“She ... um ... lives with her grandson.” Syl didn't add that the boy was only eight years old. She would speak to Dr. Davis, see what should be done, and keep an eye on Teddy until they could figure things out. Considering what had happened today, it was clear Lottie couldn't take care of Teddy any longer.

"Is the boy underage?" the officer asked, the question falling like a blow.

Syl looked over at Doris.

"I'm afraid so," Doris said.

The officer took a notepad out of his shirt pocket and scribbled down a note. “I’ll have to inform Social Services, report what happened. Odds are, the boy won't be able to stay with her from now on. Does he have any other family, someone who might be willing to take him in?”

“Not as far as I know.” Doris glanced over her shoulder, toward the workshop behind the house. “I—I could take him for a while ... until you can find him a home.”

The officer jotted another note. “As much as I wish I could let you, that isn't possible ... at least not right now. There are certain procedures we have to follow. I hope you understand. If you're interested, you can go down and file an application.” He glanced toward the door. "Where is the boy now?"

"He's probably at work," Syl answered. "He works part-time for Joe Dixon, down at Murdock's Auto Repair."

The policeman nodded. "We'll pick him up and tell him what's happened. They'll keep him at the county facility until they can check things out."

Syl felt a wave of pity. Dear God, poor little Teddy. He had no father. He had lost his mother. Now he was losing his grandmother, the only family he had left. It was too much for one little boy.

"Like I said, you can go down and talk to them if you're serious about taking him but the placement would have to be permanent. That's the way it works."

Doris made no reply. Syl had a feeling she wasn't up to taking on that kind of responsibility. Neither of the Culvers was prepared to raise a child Teddy's age. It wouldn't be fair to the Culvers or to Teddy.

Doris's head jerked up from her musings. "Oh my gosh, wait a minute! About six months ago, Lottie gave me a