Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(45)

“What’s his IQ?” Ryder asked.

“It wasn’t listed in the disability paperwork,” Blake told the group. “But I did some research. In the United States alone, there are between six and seven million people who have some sort of mental retardation. Most people have IQs between eighty and one hundred and twenty, with one hundred being the average. A score of sixty-nine or lower is what a person has to have in order to be diagnosed with mental retardation—or as developmentally disabled, which is the more politically correct term. To put that in perspective, a score in the sixty-to-seventy range is the scholastic equivalent to a third grader.

“Here’s the thing: people who are developmentally disabled can be limited in the basic skills necessary to cope with everyday life. Things like self-care and social skills, among other things. They might not be able to follow directions or behave appropriately in social situations.”

“So . . . Owen’s standing with his back to the elevator door may have been because he simply didn’t understand or know the unwritten rules of being in an elevator or personal space,” Sarah said.

Blake nodded. “Exactly.”

“Then the presents he’s leaving really aren’t dangerous. He just doesn’t know that what he’s doing is scaring me.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Blake said, shaking his head. “You’re right in that he might not quite understand how you feel about his gifts, but that doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous.”

Sarah shivered, and even Cole’s hand on her leg didn’t make her feel better.

“There have been numerous documented cases of men with low IQs committing heinous crimes. Billy Wayne White was found guilty of shooting a sixty-five-year-old furniture-store owner without provocation, just because he wanted money. Also, in the seventies, Johnny Paul Penry raped and killed a woman who he’d delivered an appliance to a few weeks before the crime.”

“Why do killers always have three names?” Sarah whispered to no one in particular.

“Most people have three names,” Ryder said with a smile. “It just so happens that the media likes to use all three when they report on horrific crimes.”

“The point I’m making is that both of these guys had low IQs. Just because someone has the mental capacity of a child doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous,” Blake said. “And I read that a lot of people who are developmentally disabled still know they’re the least smart person in their group . . . whatever that group is. So they do their best to hide it. They can go about their daily activities just fine, and others might think they’re a bit odd but don’t understand the extent of their disability.”

“Wow, you really did research this,” Sarah said quietly.

Blake leaned forward, his brown eyes piercing in their intensity, and Sarah couldn’t look away. “Cole might not have the name Anderson, but he’s as much my brother as the other three men around this table. And you’re important to him—therefore, you’re important to us. We’ve all learned never to underestimate those who might want to do our women harm. So yeah, Sarah, I researched this.”

She was speechless. A lump grew in her throat, and she had to swallow several times to keep herself from bursting into tears. She’d felt alone for most of her life. Yes, Mike and Jackson had adopted her and made her feel like part of a family for the first time, but being a foster child usually meant always feeling a bit like an outsider.

Cole wrapped his hand around the back of her head and drew her toward him. He kissed her temple and kept his lips on her for a long moment.

“So . . . ,” Logan said, breaking the emotionally charged silence. “We know that Owen is developmentally disabled and that he has a crush on Sarah. His mother passed away, and she was presumably his primary caregiver. We don’t know what his IQ is or if he’s an actual danger to Sarah or not. And—the biggie—we have no idea where he is now. Has he been living in the house, or does he have a place somewhere else? Ryder, has your friend Rex been able to find out anything on any other possible family members Owen and Aubrey might’ve had?”

“No. Nothing. There was no will,” Ryder said. “Which means that everything automatically goes to her nearest living relative, which is Owen. And this makes sense, knowing what we know now, but he never contacted a lawyer to get the ball rolling. Her accounts haven’t been touched either. There’s money to pay the mortgage, but I’m guessing Owen simply doesn’t have the mental capacity to know how to do it.”

There was another long silence around the table.

“Then where is he living?” Sarah asked. She actually felt sorry for the man. “It must’ve been so scary for him to have his mom die. Especially if he’s got the mental capacity of a third grader.”

“Yeah, this is a tricky situation for sure,” Nathan said. “We need to find him. That’s the most important thing. Once we do, we can make sure he’s assessed and gets the help he needs.”

Sarah looked over at Cole. He had been quiet for most of the conversation, but she could tell he wasn’t happy. His jaw was ticking as if he were clenching his teeth, and he wore a deep frown.

“Cole? What’s wrong?”

“I’m just worried that knowing about his mental retardation will make everyone let their guard down. The fact that he’s in the wind isn’t good. Especially if he can’t think like an adult. What’s his endgame? Just give you presents for the rest of his life? I don’t buy it.”