Blood Bath

Chapter 16

Colton and Lacie arrived at Mrs. Hoffstarter's home on The Point. He helped Lacie out of the Jeep and walked with her to the side door.

Mrs Hoffstarter greeted her two guests at the door with a smile and hearty welcome.

"Well, come on in. I want you to meet Al Doyle, my new next door neighbor."

Mr. Doyle was a larger man. He stood almost six feet and must have weighed two-hundred-fifteen pounds. With short gray hair, Colton guessed he was in his late fifties or early sixties.

"Trudy has told me all about you two. I've known this young lady for almost forty years. You could say she saved my life when I was a police detective in Detroit."

"Now Al, you know you did that yourself," laughed Trudy. "I grew up in Greektown and knew Al's parents. After a rough time on the job, the department wanted him to get a psychological release before he could return to work, and he didn't want to accept help from the police doctors, so he asked me if I would work with him and sign his release to return to work."

Al injected, "We were always friends, but we have been closer friends ever since I decided to leave the police force. Trudy called me when she heard her next door neighbor, Mrs. Torengia, would list her home. Having your grandchildren arrested for murder and drug dealing is costly and she needed extra cash, which I had."

Colton laughed, "I might have had something to do with their arrest."

"Oh, I heard all about that. Anyway, I am now Trudy's neighbor and I am happy to meet the two of you. Trudy deserves to have such caring friends."

"We're also pleased to meet you, Mr. Doyle," said Lacie.

"Please, call me Doyle or Al." Doyle added, "Now, you have to let me get cooking. I will prepare lunch for the four of us. I hope you like cheeseburgers."

Lacie and Colton laughed. "We sure do," said Colton. "You know we have a festival to honor the cheeseburger."

"I sure do. In fact I attended the crazy parade last summer," Doyle said as he set his ingredients on the kitchen island.

Lacie and Trudy walked to the large windows overlooking Lake Huron while Colton sat at the kitchen table so he could watch Doyle prepare lunch.

Doyle told Colton about the three restaurants he had operated after he left the Detroit Police force. Colton had read a newspaper article about the restaurants; Doyle's Downtown, Doyle's Birmingham, and Doyle's Troy.

Doyle admired how intelligent and grounded Colton was, and Colton couldn't believe an ex-police detective could cook.

"Where did you learn to cook?" asked Colton.

"My mom owned a small Greek restaurant in Greektown. She felt that all of her children should know how to cook. Besides, we were cheap labor. Since we lived above the restaurant, it was a part of our lives. Cooking became second nature. When I left the Detroit Police, I received a legal settlement and I used that money to start my business. I got lucky. It was a success, and I sold them last year for a very nice profit."

"Congratulations. I hope you enjoy your new home and I would love to sign you up for newspaper service, and my company also specializes in security systems for the home and business." Colton advised.

Doyle burst into a hearty laugh. "Smart and ambitious, a great combination, Colton."

"Thanks. I better find Lacie."

"I'm right here Colton," Lacie said from behind him. I was listening to the two of you."

Colton stood and offered Lacie a chair, just as Trudy walked into the room and asked, "Doyle, do you have drinks ready for our guests?"