Cowboy Protector

Four

FOUR

Later that night after his parents and Blake had gone to bed Colton found himself pacing across the hand woven rug in the sitting room.  He barely even noticed the warmth from the blazing fire in the stone fireplace.  He knew he had to make a decision and fast.  He didn't know who this loony tune was and he wasn't chancing Blake getting injured.  Or Alexia for that matter.

            Colton scrubbed at his face as he kept pacing.  He had thought he had left this kind of stress behind when he had left the force.  Now it was coming back to his own front door.  He looked up when the front door opened and glanced at the wooden clock on the mantel.  Right on time.  He could always count on his brother for that.

            Justin stepped into the room followed by Shayna.  Colton stopped pacing and waited for his siblings to take a seat.  He wasn't looking forward to this conversation at all.  He knew they would be angry with him for not telling them sooner.  Justin and Shayna glanced at each other before sitting down on the couch.  Colton collapsed into the rocking chair across from them.

            "Thanks for coming on such short notice, Just," Colton said then gave his sister a slight smile.

            "It wasn't a problem.  We're family," Justin said.  "But what is going on?  I've never seen you so jumpy before, Colt."

            "And you've been acting strange since Blake showed up," Shayna added.

            "Blake?" Justin asked curiously.

            Colton groaned and held up a hand to silence both of them.  "I'll answer all your questions by the end of the night."

            Justin and Shayna leaned back against the couch to listen.  Colton took a deep breath before launching into his past.  He started with the year he had gone to the police academy.  That's where he had first met Blake.  They had helped each other through the courses and both graduated with honors.  When their superiors found out they were both assigned to older officers to learn the paces before becoming partners.

            "It sounds like you guys made a good pair," Justin pointed out.  "So what happened?  There has to be more to this story or else you wouldn't have kept your career as an officer a secret."

            "And Blake seems so skittish now," Shayna said softly.

            Colton glared at his older brother.  He hated how easily Justin could read him.  No one else ever could.  "Unfortunately you're right, Justin."  He closed his amber eyes, not wanting to remember that day.  "We were about a year into our partnership when it happened.  I was at the station catching up on some paperwork and Blake was doing a routine safety program at one of the schools around D.C..  The next thing I knew I found myself in the hospital with my partner."  He heard Shayna gasp, but didn't open his eyes.  He knew if he did he would start to cry.  "She was in the hospital for two weeks.  I was with her every day and then one day when I came to see her, she was gone.  I searched for months, but couldn't find her.  I haven't seen her in five years."

            Justin leaned back against the couch and folded his arms over his broad chest.  "If you haven't seen her in five years then what brings her here now?"

            Colton shook his head.  He was not about to tell them about the phone calls and have them worrying for maybe no reason.  "I'm not sure, but I need you both to do me a big favor.  I can't explain why yet.  I need to go out of town for about a week and I want you both to keep a close eye on Blake."  Justin and Shayna looked at him a bit unsure.  "Please?" he pleaded.