Bidding War Break-In

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  “It’s possible, but it would take a while. I could try if you want, but mostly I just hack stuff. It’s fun seeing it I can break through walls.”

  “Nicholas, you know I’m marrying the county sheriff, right?”

  “Yeah, Sheriff Roberts is cool.”

  I shook my head. “Let’s just not talk about what you do on this thing, okay?”

  He laughed. “My bad. Can I go now? I got a tournament I want to join.”

  I had no idea what that meant, but I hoped it wasn’t illegal. “Yes, you can go.”

  “Cool.” He packed up.

  “Oh, let me pay you, hold on, I’ll grab my wallet.”

  “That’s okay. It was fun.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  After Nicholas left, I sat on the couch and read through the papers. Every single property outside of the one had been vandalized to some degree and then put on the market. When they’d sold D.S. Development also purchased the properties next to them, growing the size of each.

  Just like Myrtle Redbecker’s property. If I was right, and I was pretty sure I was, Dominic Scratachelli planned to drop the value of the development with the vandalization and swoop in and offer to purchase it at a ridiculously low price while also convincing Odell Luna to sell his land next to it. “And then he’s going to build on it and make a killing,” I said to my pup lying snuggled next to my leg.

  Magnolia wanted to stop him so her lover could swoop in and steal the deal. And she’d used me as a target to distract Dominic from her true motive. That’s what Emma meant by luck of the draw.

  I pulled out the papers on the one property D.C. Development purchased that wasn’t attached to any development. When I checked Google Earth to view the location on satellite, I discovered it was a single family home on Lake Lanier in Hall County. A vacation home.

  I called Dylan, but he didn’t answer. I did get a quick text response telling me he was in meetings and would get back to me soon. I let him know I had important information for him.

  I wanted to find out what he’d learned, and I wanted to share what I’d learned. As I waited to hear from him I fell asleep on the couch with the papers spread out on my coffee table and Bo snoozing by my side.

  I woke up to Bo barking and propelling off the couch toward the outside door that led into the kitchen. I heard something too, so I checked my iWatch and chided myself for not turning on my security system when I got home.

  I crept to the kitchen just as Bo jumped on the door. The door exploded in a burst of flames, Bo howled, flew backwards, and crashed into me. I wrapped my arms around my dog, pushing on his muscular body, and I struggled to keep him from running as he barked and fought my hold. He overpowered me, pushed free, and he ran straight into the burning door. “Bo, stay,” I screamed.

  He stopped in his tracks.

  Crying, I forced my voice to sound as happy and calm as possible, hoping he’d emulate my feelings. I could barely breathe through my tears. “Good boy. Come.”

  Bo stared at the fire, then back at me, and at the fire again.

  “No, Bo. I said come.”

  Time stopped as I watched my dog struggle to decide what to do. He turned around and stared at me once again. “Bo, come,” I cried. “Be a good boy.” Desperate for him to listen, I inched closer to the fire and to him. I did not want him running through that fire.

  It didn’t matter. He’d heard something before the boom of the explosion, and his instinct to chase, to protect me, won. He charged the short distance to the door, jumped over the flames, and disappeared.

  I screamed for him at first but then I stopped, afraid he’d try to come back in through the burning door. I patted down my body searching for my cell phone, but it was on the table in the other room.

  The flames reached my kitchen table and two chairs. I couldn’t think clearly. Should I run? Should I try to douse the flames? I couldn’t run through the door. The flames were too high. I needed to get out, fast.

  I ran to the family room, barely making it up onto my legs at first, grabbed my phone, and dialed 911 as I rushed out the front door. “My house. It’s on fire,” I yelled when the operator answered.

  She calmed me, had my location, and said it had already been called in. She made sure I was safe and said she’d stay on the line. But I didn’t care. All that mattered was my dog. I needed to find Bo. I knew he’d gone after whoever blew up my door. Had the fire hurt him? Was he burned? I didn’t care about finding the person, if they’d even stuck around after the explosion. I just cared about Bo.

  I shoved my phone into my back pocket without even disconnecting the call.

  I ran toward the fire, hoping, praying he was still there and not hurt, but he wasn’t. I screamed his name over and over. Choking on my sobs, I bent over and gasped for air. Get it together, Lily, I thought. The neighbors all came out, flipping their lights on and watching my kitchen burn.

  “My dog ran out. Can you see him?” I screamed. A few neighbors ran down the street calling his name.

  Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind, and I pulled my arm forward and pushed my elbow back and into their gut. My cranky next door neighbor grunted and bent over.

  “Your dog,” He pointed down the road. “He took off after…after a black Mercedes. That way,” he said, pointed to the right.

  I bolted that direction screaming, “Thanks.” I didn’t even think about what I’d done to him.

  My dog. I just needed to find my dog.

  Chapter 10

  Running on sheer adrenaline, I screamed Bo’s name over and over, begging him to come, to listen to his mom.

  At the main intersection, I fell to the ground, sobbing, my body exhausted. Multiple sirens blared nearby. I knew the fire department was on its way to my house, but I wanted Bo. It was late and dark, and I wouldn’t be able to see Bo without a flashlight, and even though the streets were partially lit by street lights, my cell phone flashlight wouldn’t shine far enough.

  Dylan. Call Dylan, I thought. I still had my phone in my hand, and it was still connected to 911.

  “I’m Lily Sprayberry. Sheriff Dylan Roberts is my fiancé. Please, tell him I’m okay, but I can’t find Bo. He ran through the fire. Tell him I’m looking for him.”

  “Ma’am,” the operator spoke calmly. “Who is Bo? Is he your child? Can you describe him? Do you know which way he went?”

  “My dog. He’s my dog. Um…he’s…he’s big. Beige. A Boxer mix. Everyone in town,” I turned in circles searching for my dog. “They know him. Please help me.”

  “Ma’am, where are you now?”

  I gave her my location. “But I’m looking for my dog.”

  “Ma’am, stay where you are. I’ll send a deputy to you.”

  “My dog could be hurt,” I said, and threw my cell phone onto the ground. I took off running down the road again, calling Bo’s name as I did.

  From a few feet away, I heard a dog, and I recognized the deep sore throat like sounding bark right away. “Bo!” I screamed and ran toward the sound.

  A sheriff’s car flashed its lights and pulled in front of me as I headed toward it. Matthew jumped out and grabbed me. “I got him Lily. He’s in the back.”

  Bo’s head peeped out the back window of the car and barked.

  “A black Mercedes, Matthew. My neighbor saw it. It’s Dominic Scratachelli’s men.”

  He mumbled into the microphone on his shoulder, as I rushed to Bo.

  I pulled on the car door handle and yelled, “Let me in.”

  The lock clicked, and I yanked the door open. “Bo. Oh my gosh.” I wrapped my arms around him and shook as I cried. He nuzzled the side of his head into mine. When I finally had the courage to let go of him, I checked his entire body for burns, but he was okay. My baby was okay. “Oh my gosh, if I hadn’t been so scared, you’d be in so much trouble.”

  He jumped out of the car and jumped up onto his hind legs, placing his front paw on my chest. His face l
evel with mine, he showered my face with big, sloppy, wet kisses.

  Matthew tapped me on the shoulder. “Lily, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Bo moved off me and hopped into the back of Matthew’s car like it was a normal day, and he was going for a ride.

  Matthew guided me toward his car. “Come on, we should get to your house.”

  “Where, how…where’d you find him?”

  Matthew spoke into the microphone on his shoulder and shut my car door. “Got it. I’ll be there in less than a minute.” When he sat in the driver’s seat, he responded to me. “I was on my way to your place, and I saw him running down the middle of the road. I stopped, told him to get in, and he did.” He put the car back into drive and sped toward my house.

  “Of course he listened to you.” I rested my head back against the head rest, and cried. “Does Dylan know? I told the 911 operator who I was.”

  He nodded. “He’s at your place now, and don’t worry. He knows you’re okay.

  * * *

  The fire department contained the fire to just my kitchen, but the damage was severe. Dylan put Bo in his car and pulled me to the side. “What happened?”

  “It was an explosion. Just this sudden boom and then Bo jumped through it and was gone.”

  He surveyed the area around my kitchen door. “Probably a small version of a firebomb. At least the department kept it to your kitchen. It could have been a lot worse.”

  “This is my fault. My neighbor. You need to talk to him. He said Bo chased a black Mercedes.”

  “We’ve already got our guys on it, and it’s not your fault, Lily.”

  “No, it is. I didn’t listen to you, Dylan. I went to Dominic’s. I should have stayed away.”

  He sighed. “You can tell me about it when I’m finished here, okay? I don’t want anyone taking your statement now. You need Billy Ray to check you out? He’s over there.” He pointed to the ambulance. “Let me call him over for you, okay?”

  “No, I’m fine. I promise. I just need to know what happened.”

  He sighed again. “There’ something else you need to know. Your place wasn’t the only one targeted. Emma Crimmin’s house was hit about fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  He shook his head. “Same thing. Some kind of explosion, but contained to their mudroom. Thankfully, no one was it in. They all got out safely.”

  My stomach churned and sharp pains gutted me from the inside. “I caused this Dylan.”

  He held me close to his chest. “It’s okay.”

  It took the department thirty minutes to stop my kitchen from smoldering. Matthew or Dylan, I wasn’t sure which, had called Belle to come get me.

  “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”

  We grabbed Bo, and he climbed into her car as if nothing happened. He hung his head out the back window and we both stared at my house as we drove away. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “We’re going to the cabin. You’ll get some rest, and we’ll talk about this in the morning, okay? I’m going to drop you off then head back out to get Bo some food for the morning, and I’ll be right back. I expect you to be sound asleep when I get there.”

  “It was Dominic Scratachelli. They hit Emma’s house too.”

  “I know, but it’s not your fault. Emma got into this all on her own. You know that.”

  I didn’t care. “I was the one that pushed it. I went to Dominic’s. He knew I was up to something.” I shook my head. “What was I thinking?”

  “You were just doing what you do, Lily. Trying to help someone.”

  “Yeah, and look what happens? Magnolia’s still MIA, and Emma’s house went up in flames. Some help I am.”

  “Her house didn’t go up in flames. Just the mudroom.” She smiled. “And hey, maybe I’ll start a side career doing remodels. I mean, she liked our mudroom, right?”

  I almost laughed, but I appreciated how she’d tried to lighten the mood. “Dylan’s checking about the Mercedes. I don’t want to sleep until I know what’s going on.”

  I didn’t hear a word she said after that. I just sat there, staring out the window thinking about Emma Crimmins and how I could have gotten her and Bo killed.

  Belle dropped me off and let me into our cabin. “Take the bedroom on the left. It’s got the sheets on the bed already. I’ll crash in the other one.”

  “No, I don’t want to take the made up bed. It’s okay.”

  “Lily, I have sheets for it, too. I’ll put them on there when I get back. Now scoot. It’s dark, and I you know I hate driving on these roads in the dark.”

  I followed her orders and closed the door behind her.

  Bo ran around sniffing everything, and I couldn’t help but smile when I watched him, thankful he was safe and not harmed. When he got to the bedroom and jumped on the bed, he sighed and nuzzled himself into a ball of sweetness. I gave him another big hug and a kiss and told him to rest, and that I’d be back in a few minutes after making myself a cup of tea. I closed the door behind me. I didn’t want him running around more and getting his little doggie engine revved up again. I just wanted him to be okay.

  Except for a few odds and ends, Belle had finished decorating the cabin. I admired the homey, comfy feeling it gave, knowing I definitely needed that. I filled the tea kettle and placed it on the stove, hoping Belle had already stocked the cabinets with the basics. I searched, found that she had, and smiled. I watched while the tea kettle heated and thought about the night.

  Two fires most likely caused by bombs, at the homes of two women who knew Magnolia Cleveland was having an affair and worried she’d gone missing. Did Dominic Scratachelli think we couldn’t put that together? Was his intent to keep us quiet, or worse, kill us? The tea kettle whistled, As I poured myself a cup of tea, I replayed the events of the last few days in my mind. Had Magnolia said something I’d missed? Given me a clue, maybe?

  “Nice place you’ve got here.”

  That accent. I’d know it anywhere. No one else in town had it. I froze.

  “I’d ask for a cup myself, but we can’t stay,” Dominic Scratachelli said.

  “The sheriff knows it was you. He’s coming for you.” I gripped the handle of the tea kettle and locked the nozzle into the open position. I glanced at the drawer to my right. If I knew Belle as well as I thought, the cooking knives would be in that drawer with the rest of the cooking utensils. I would bet on it.

  “That’s not a good idea. Lower your hands please.”

  Bo barked from the bedroom.

  I let go of the tea pot and slowly lowered my hands to my sides, shifting less than an inch to my right to keep my hand even with the handle on the drawer.

  “Turn around. We’ve got to go.”

  I stayed still. “We’re not going anywhere.”

  “Oh, little girl, we sure are. Now, do what I said and turn around.”

  I did as he told me, and stared straight into the barrel of a big gun. I kept myself evenly between the tea kettle full of hot water and the drawer I hoped had sharp knives in it. “Why are you doing this? I haven’t done anything to you.”

  He snickered, and pointed the gun straight at my head. The gun shook as he spoke. “I think you know. You think I didn’t know what you were doing, coming to my house and offering to work with me like that? That’s called fishing, little girl. I ain’t stupid.”

  “I’m not your little girl, and I know your business. I just wanted a piece of it, that’s all. Ask your wife. Everyone in town knows I’m trying to make Bramblett grow,” I lied.

  He laughed. “You really think I’m stupid, don’t you? You don’t think I figured it out? You coming by, all those missed calls by those stupid women on Magnolia’s phone? You know I found out about her and Horwitz.”

  I stared at him, hoping he’d get distracted enough for me to do something. I didn’t want Belle coming back while Dominic was there, but I had no intention of leaving with him eithe
r. “I told you I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Bo scratched on the bedroom door, his bark louder than before.

  Dominic sneered. “Don’t act stupid. My wife was sleeping with that old man and you know it.” His hand shook. “She…she wanted me out of the running for the development. She plotted with him to take it from me.”

  “It’s not yours now, how could she take it from you?”

  “You know what I mean. With all that vandalism the development would go on the market, and I could get it cheap. But you know how that works, don’t you? You’re a real estate broker. You figured it out or you got those women to tell you what I’d done.”

  “Are you kidding? Those…those women hate me. They wouldn’t tell me anything.”

  His nostrils flared as he breathed loudly through them. “You joined their stupid group. That Women of Society thing, whatever that means. They aren’t society. They’re country, just like you.” Sweat poured from his balding head, and he wiped it away with the hand holding the gun. I moved toward him, but he caught me and pointed the gun at my head again.

  “No, it’s not like that. I joined because they were ruining my reputation. I wanted to keep an eye on them.”

  “Now come on, we both know that’s a lie. You’re the chosen one in this backwards county. Nothing could sour your reputation, not even my cheating wife.” He waved the gun at me.

  “Where’s Magnolia? What did you do to her?” I slowly moved to the side and gripped the edge of the counter.

  “No you don’t.” He moved toward me. “I wouldn’t want you getting your blood all over these pretty wood floors.”

  Bo barked again.

  “I know what you’ve done. I know you’ve vandalized other developments to push the owners to sell, and I have proof. And Magnolia, she knows too, doesn’t she? She figured it out.” I had no idea if she knew or not, but I didn’t care.

  He bared his teeth and stared at me with cold, angry eyes. “I gave her everything, and she tried to destroy me, but she can’t now.” The cords on his neck bulged. “That woman deserves everything she’s getting.”