The next morning after picking up a cup of coffee, Craig visited a hardware store and had a key made. Then he drove over to the clinic. "Oh h.e.l.lo, Alyce," he called out when he saw her walk through the hallway that opened out into the waiting room.

She stopped and looked in his direction. He held up her key ring.

"Uh, thanks," she said after walking toward him and reaching out for the keys.

Craig pulled his hand back, looked her in the eyes and said, "Don't plan to leave town." He watched her to see how she would react. She looks like a scared rabbit underneath that tough exterior, he thought.

Sunday morning, the Iveys walked into the diner and saw Craig sitting alone in a booth. He stood to greet them. "We're going to have to quit meeting like this," he said, motioning for Michael and Savannah to join him. "Actually, I was about to leave, so you can have the booth to yourself." He looked at his watch. "I have a meeting with Damon in a little while."

"I heard you were spending time with him. How's he doing?" Michael asked.

"Pretty good, actually. He and his mom are getting along, which is good to see. He's even on good terms with his little brothers." He thought for a minute and then said, "It's amazing to me what a difference it can make when someone comes off drugs. Life actually takes on a new meaning."

"Damon isn't exposed to drugs inside?" Savannah asked.

"Well actually, yes," Craig said. "He says he can get them if he wants them. He seems to be taking the program we're working seriously and claims he does not want to go back to the life he was living. I hope he's sincere."

"Well, good luck with him. I'm sure Iris is thrilled with his progress and his potential. Speaking of Iris," Savannah said looking around, "where is she this morning?"

"Good question," Craig said. "I thought she was on the schedule. I expected to see her here." He motioned for Frank to come over. "Where's Iris?" he asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear? She had to take her son to the hospital."

"What?" Craig said. He reached for his cell phone to check for missed calls.

"I wonder what happened," Savannah said, her brow creased with worry.

Craig pushed a b.u.t.ton on his phone. "I'll see if she'll answer."

"Iris. Where are you? Frank said..." He listened for a minute. "Oh G.o.d. I'll be right there, Iris."

Craig dropped the phone into his jacket pocket and looked over at Savannah and Michael as if in shock. "They suspect that Brett has overdosed. Iris is at the hospital with him in Straley."

Chapter Eight.

"I got a call from Iris," Savannah announced from the front door as she struggled to carry in several bags of groceries later that afternoon.

Michael rushed to give her a hand. "What did she say?" he asked.

"She thinks he'll be okay," she said as she rushed toward the kitchen and set the bags on the counter. She turned to face Michael. "It seems that Brett went to a party last night and ingested something. From the sounds of it, they don't think he purposely took anything, but all of a sudden, he started convulsing. He pa.s.sed out and the idiot kids at the party thought he was dead or dying. They didn't want to get in trouble, so they took him out and dumped him near the park. Iris thought he was spending the night at this kid's house; they were supposed to go fishing yesterday. Well, one of Brett's friends must have sobered up enough to think somewhat sensibly and he got a ride over to where they'd dumped Brett. He got worried when he saw Brett and called 9-1-1. Iris got the call around four this morning. It appears that it wasn't a minute too soon. Brett had a rough day, but he was coming around when I spoke with Iris this afternoon and she thinks he can come home tomorrow."

"How awful. Iris must have been scared to death," Michael said.

"Yes, she sure was. She said Craig was wonderful-a great support for her and for Brett. Craig even helped out with Chris-picked him up from some event he was attending and took him to the hospital to be with his mom and brother. Evidently, Brett gave Craig the name of the guy he thinks brought drugs to the party. Craig is going to check him out."

"So what does Damon think about all this?" Michael asked.

"I don't know if they've told him yet. It doesn't sound like Craig got a chance to see him today, after all."

Michael suddenly reached for his cell phone, looked down at it and said, "It's Craig."

"h.e.l.lo, Craig. How's Brett?"

"Doing okay, we think. It was a rough go."

"So I heard. How's Iris?"

"She's an amazing woman, Michael. She's doing great." He then changed his tone and said, "Say, Michael, we were wondering if we could come by this evening-Iris and I.

She has something for you and..." Craig hesitated, "...so do I."

"Sure, we'd like to see you. Come by anytime. Wait," Michael said, "Savannah is motioning to me. He spoke into the phone again, "Craig, Savannah has made some Texas hash and wonders if you two...and Chris...would like to come for dinner. We'll eat in about an hour."

"Texas hash?" Craig said with enthusiasm. "My favorite. Let me ask Iris." He returned to the phone and said, "Sounds great. We'll see you in an hour. Oh, and it'll just be me and Iris. Chris has homework and leftover pizza to munch on."

Iris and Craig arrived at six sharp. They stepped into the house when Michael opened the door. "Hi Lexie," Iris said, bending down and ruffling the dog's long Afghan fur. "You're such a pretty girl." She then looked around the room. "Where's my Buffy?"

"Oh, probably in a hidey-hole somewhere. But you know she'll come out to see you before the evening's out."

"I love that little cat." Iris smiled.

"And she loves a warm lap," Michael said.

Savannah strolled into the room. "Hi everyone." She hugged Iris and then Craig.

"Love your lounging outfit," Iris said. "That color is so good on you." Then she said, "What am I saying? I haven't seen a color yet that doesn't look good on you." She scrutinized Savannah for a moment before saying, "Except maybe a bright-yellow."

"Well I'll stay away from yellow, then," she said with a smile. "What colors do you avoid, Iris?" she asked while gazing over at her friend's smart ensemble-plum designer jeans, a fine-knit, cream-and-plum print sweater and, of course, matching platform heels.

Iris thought about it for a moment and said with a laugh, "I don't think that color's been invented, yet."

"How's he doing, Iris?" Savannah asked, hesitantly.

"They said he has a lot of sleeping to do, yet-so we left him to it." She smiled and clasped her hands together under her chin. "He's going to be okay. I'll go back early tomorrow and, hopefully, bring him home sometime later in the day." She reached out and touched Savannah's arm-looked over at Michael, "Thank you both for caring and for letting us hang out with you tonight."

"And for making Texas hash," Craig said, winking over at Savannah.

Later in the evening, while Savannah and Iris cleared the kitchen table, the two men retired to the living room. "Michael, I didn't want to bring it up at dinner because I'm sure that you two are up to your eyeb.a.l.l.s in this thing. But I spoke with the kid who did the engraving on that knife. Sure does sound like our girl, Alyce, was the one using the alias Marjory Madison. I got the signature from the engraving company and our handwriting experts compared it with the sample you gave me. Looks like a match."

"So what does this mean?" Michael asked.

"Not sure yet. We are working on her connections-finding out just who she is and what her part is in this whole thing."

"Who wants coffee?" Iris asked as she entered the room carrying a cup and saucer in each hand. Savannah was right behind her.

"Iris, don't you ever get tired of serving coffee?" Michael chuckled.

"Not when there are tips involved," she quipped.

"Well, here's a tip," Michael said with a smile, "don't bet on the horses."

"Yikes," Savannah said. "Peaches. Did you feed her, Michael?"

"Yes, I did," he said, a smug look on his face.

"Oh thanks. I forgot all about her. Poor mare. I hope to be able to ride this weekend. I think I'm healed enough if I don't do too much posting." Savannah set down two cups of coffee and went back into the kitchen. She returned with a tray holding a sugar bowl, cream pitcher, napkins, and teaspoons.

Once everyone was settled, Iris held up a gift bag and handed it to Michael. "Happy late birthday, boss, friend, all-around good guy."

"Well thank you, Iris," Michael said sincerely. "How nice of you. Now what could this be?" He reached into the bag while smiling over at Iris. He lifted something wrapped in striped tissue and began tearing into the paper. "Feels like a book."

Everyone sat silently, watching Michael.

When he got the wrapping off, he looked down at the object and said, "Well, how cool is this? Iris, where did you find it?"

"Online, of course," she said.

"What is it, Michael?" Savannah asked. She was sitting on the sofa, her legs folded under her. Rags was lying up against her, watching everyone.

Michael held the gift up for her to see. "It's an all-Afghan calendar." He turned to Lexie, who was hovering nearby. "Look, girl, here are some of your relatives." He addressed Iris and Craig, "This is great, guys. Thanks a lot." He thumbed through it. "Here's one that looks a lot like her."

"Oh, here she comes," Iris said with a smile. She leaned over toward the floor. "Come on Buffy. Come see Aunt Iris."

From across the room, the little cat looked up at Iris with big blue eyes. She sat down and began licking her fur. She then looked up at Iris again and walked toward her, jumping into her lap and curling up. "You are such a cutie, Buffy," she said while petting the long-haired beauty. She looked over at Savannah and said, "Now if I ever decide I want a cat..."

"Don't get any ideas. You can't have that one." Savannah became contemplative and said, "You know, I'm awfully sorry that Mrs. Armstrong died, but I am so happy that the family gave Buffy to us."

"Well, Michael used to have her more than old Mrs. Armstrong did, didn't you, Michael?"

"Yeah, she boarded with me pretty often. She's a good girl, aren't you, Buffy?" he said smiling over at the cat.

"And Rags really loves her," Savannah said. "They sure seem devoted to one another."

"That's because Lexie and Walter have eyes only for each other," Michael said.

Everyone watched the animals for a while-and when each cat and dog seemed to have found their comfort zones and settled down, Michael asked, "So Brett can come home tomorrow?"

"Yes, we think so," Iris said. "That was a close call and a wakeup call for him."

Michael shifted in his seat. "I didn't know he was doing drugs, Iris."

"I really don't think he was," Craig said. "I believe that someone may have talked him into trying something at this party or he got it accidently and the stuff these kids got hold of was bad. Some of the other kids were pretty sick, but it didn't affect them as seriously as it did Brett." Craig cleared his throat and leaned forward. "You know, I saw Damon late today. He already knew about Brett and was furious."

"How did he know?" Savannah asked.

"Word gets around in these joints," Craig said. "He thinks he knows who sold the kids the stuff and he gave me some names." He set his coffee cup on the table next to him. "You may be surprised to know that one of the names that came up was Pete Gamble."

"Really?" Michael said frowning. "He was involved in the drug scene?"

"Yes, I guess in a pretty major way."

"How does someone who is involved in drugs run a fairly successful, legitimate business?" Michael asked.

"Well, Pete inherited the business from an uncle. And I don't think it has been all that successful in recent years. Besides, drug lords like having legitimate businesses to hide behind."

"He was a drug lord?" Savannah asked, raising her eyebrows.

"That might be a bit of an exaggeration," Craig said. "But it seems he was doing a lot of distribution." He paused. "Damon gave me several other names, too. He seems to think that some of these punks could be after him and they purposely sold or gave Brett and his friends bad stuff. Damon thinks he knows who it was. But if we start approaching these two-bit dealers, this could put Damon in danger."

"Even while he's in prison?" Savannah asked.

"Maybe even more so in prison," he responded.

"Craig is going to take him to a safe place before he starts investigating," Iris said.

Michael c.o.c.ked his head in Craig's direction. "Out of jail? You can do that?"

"Yes, he's up for a furlough and is eligible for early release, anyway. Since he'll be under my supervision, my request was granted. I have a cabin in the mountains. I'm taking him up there for a few days or a week while we see if we can clean up the streets of Hammond once and for all."

"Once and for all?" Michael said with a chuckle. "That sounds like a pipedream to me."

"Well, yeah. It is wishful thinking and somewhat unrealistic. But we can certainly put a dent in their penny-ante operations; that's for sure."

"And save innocent kids from what Brett's going through," Iris said, dabbing at her eyes. She sat up straight and said with a slight smile, "By the way, Dr. Mike, I won't be in to clean this week, if that's okay."

"Why?" Michael asked.

Her smile widened. "The boys and I are going to the cabin to be with Damon. Craig will be coming back and forth."

"Oh, no problem, Iris."

Savannah addressed her friend with a smile. "Hey, that sounds great, Iris. I'll bet you're looking forward to that."

"Sure am," she said, her face aglow with joy.

"More coffee anyone?" Savannah asked as she stood to clear away the plates.

"No. None for me. Thanks," Craig said. And then he asked, "Uh Michael, how's Alyce doing this week?"