George Martin and his partner Mike live a comfortable life in Jacksonville with their Irish setter, but something's missing. Maybe George, a captain in the sheriff's office, has just been working too hard again. There's been a rash of break-ins in the area, and the homes targeted all seem to belong to older gay men.<br><br>Then when the time finally comes for George and Mike to take their vacation, they pack up and head to their mountain cabin for two weeks-only to find a small boy living in their generator shed. Robbie, who bonds with George right away, has witnessed an unspeakable tragedy, but that is just the beginning of the trouble.<br><br>Alone in the world apart from a very ill maternal grandmother, Robbie stands the very real risk of becoming a ward of the state if George and Mike can't convince a bigoted judge to change his mind. Meanwhile, George still has a job to do: solve the break-ins-and a murder -- and track down who's responsible.

Break and Enter

“She’s what?” Charles said from behind me.


“Your grandmother is an amazing woman,” I said, “and I’ve just offered her a job as an interrogator for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.”


“I can see the headlines now,” Mike said. “‘Sweet little old lady persuades hardened criminals to tell all.’”


Mrs. Barnett began to laugh, and I told Charles about the tape.


Philip said, “You’re not the only one who’s observed that skill in Gran.”


MRS. GOODMAN CAME into the room and told us that dinner was served in the dining room. It took a while for everyone to assemble, and Mrs. Barnett was still smiling when she sat down at the table. Steve and Roger came downstairs with Robbie in tow, and Grace brought Mark and Steven with her and got them settled in their high chairs. Mrs. Goodman produced a booster seat for Robbie, and Lydia showed up a minute before we were ready to dig in.


Chapter 41