AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sam gasped in shock. He hated that name and hearing it from this stranger was not going to be good.
“Ha! I knew it!” The man pointed at him. “You have not been easy to track down Mr. Stewart.”
Dread filled him and Sam wanted to run away. He squared his shoulders instead. He wasn’t really surprised that he’d been tracked down. He’d been both preparing for this moment and dreading it would happen. With his father’s aspiration to become president, any good investigator could track him down. Sam wished he’d changed his name when he’d considered it years ago.
“Can I help you?” he repeated.
“You can!” The man seemed overly cheerful. “My name’s Jeffrey Middleton and I work with the Political News Station and I want to talk to you. Now.”
That wasn’t going to happen. “If you would not like to order anything, I will have to ask you to leave.”
“Not going to happen, Sammy,” Jeffrey crowed. “I’m not leaving now that we found you!”
“Sir,” Sam said sharply. “I am asking that you leave.”
“Are you going to make me?” Jeffrey looked him up and down with a disgusted twist of his lip. “What if you break a nail?”
This was not how anyone should act. Especially not in a city like Rocky Lake. This man was full of hate and did not belong in their town.
“Sir, you have been asked to leave. If you don’t comply, I will be forced to call the police,” Mickey said at his back. The boy was shaking hard but he spoke firmly.
The reporter laughed. “This entire town is a joke.” He glared at Sam. “I will be speaking with you, Mr. Stewart.”
“No, you won’t.”
Sam looked up to where Carson hovered in the entrance of the shop. He hadn’t even heard the chime on the door.
Jeffrey turned around as he puffed his chest up but immediately deflated when faced with Carson. It was probably the badge around Carson’s neck. Or the badges on Lincoln’s or Nash’s belts. Adam and Caden hovered behind the three cops.
His knees went weak with relief and Sam had to grip the counter to hold himself up. Mickey grabbed his elbow and squeezed hard.
“There is no problem here, officers. I was just having a conversation with Mr. Stewart. No need to get involved,” Jeffrey said with his hands in the air.
“Lieutenant.” Carson stomped forward with Lincoln and Nash at his back. Adam guided Caden away from the men and behind the counter where Sam felt them press close. “Lieutenant Carson Cirillo. Your conversation is over and as you’ve been asked to leave these premises, you will go.” He gestured over his shoulder toward Lincoln and Nash. “These two detectives will ensure you leave.”
Nash stepped forward. “It would be my pleasure.”
Lincoln growled, jerking his head toward the door. “Now, gentlemen.”
Jeffrey glanced over his shoulder and glared at Sam one last time. This wasn’t over and Sam didn’t know how he was going to handle men like that reporter coming in to harass him.
The door closed behind the reporter and the other man, with Lincoln and Nash following them out.
“You okay, baby doll?” Carson asked quietly from the front of the counter.
Sam nodded. Thought better of it and shook his head. Then he just allowed himself to sink to the floor.
Chapter Fifteen
Carson
He rushed around the counter and four boys scrambled out his way so he could get his arms around Sam. Sam trembled in his hold and Carson wanted to track down those two men and show them just how protective a Daddy could be.
“They’re gone but I don’t think that we’ve seen the last of them,” Lincoln said as he returned.
Carson nodded, returning his attention to his boy. “What was that about?”
Sam struggled to explain. His mouth opened and closed but he didn’t make a sound.
