by Laura Scott
She ordered a salad, and when their food arrived, Devon still didn’t show any sign that he intended to leave. Not that she wanted him to, but still, she felt bad taking up all his free time.
When the nurse came in to hang Sebastian’s antibiotic, she glanced at her watch. “Good news, Sebastian. We’ll be able to head home in less than an hour.”
“Great, we’ll have time to play one more game,” Devon said, settling back in his seat.
“You don’t need to stay, I’m sure you have other things to do.”
Devon shrugged. “I’ll follow you home that way I can connect the game console to your television for you.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly accept such an expensive gift,” she protested.
Devon raised a brow. “It’s not a gift, I’m letting you and Sebastian borrow it for a while. My nephews are older now and it’s not doing any good sitting at the bottom of my closet.”
How could she refuse to allow Sebastian to borrow the game? Very simply, she couldn’t. “Thank you,” she murmured.
The hour flew by and soon they were packing up to leave. Janelle tucked the bottle of oral antibiotic solution in her purse, as Devon packed the game back into its box.
She felt bad taking Devon out of his way, but since she had no clue how to set up the game, there wasn’t much she could do about it. “I live in the Crain’s townhouse just off Main Street,” she told him, as they walked out into the bright April sunshine. The air was a little cool, but she was thrilled that spring was on the way. “I rent one side, but the other side is empty at the moment. The doctor who was living in the other side just bought a house.”
“I know exactly where the townhouse is,” Devon said. “I’ll meet you there.”
She was blessed to have such good friends in Julie and Derek for letting her rent the townhouse, and in Devon who had gone out of his way to support her with Sebastian. For the first time since Sebastian’s fever had risen out of control, she felt optimistic about the future.
This was what she loved most about living in Crystal Lake. The sense of community; everyone helping each other as needed.
It took a few minutes for Janelle to get Sebastian secured in his car seat, so when she headed home, she wasn’t too surprised to see that Devon had beat her to the townhouse.
When she pulled up the driveway, Devon approached her vehicle, a frown deeply furrowed in his brow. “Janelle, I need you to stay inside the car, okay?”
“What? Why?” She craned her neck in an attempt to see around him.
“Someone broke into your house,” Devon said in a grim tone.
“What? Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am. Sorry, Janelle, but it looks like you’ve been the victim of a robbery.”
Chapter Three
“A robbery? Someone broke in? Why?” Janelle’s horrified facial expression tore at his heart. After everything she and the boy had been through, this was the last thing she needed.
Devon flashed a reassuring smile. “I don’t know, but please stay here, okay?” He glanced at Sebastian who was looking a little sleepy. “I don’t think anyone is still hanging around, but it would be best to make sure.”
“Alright,” Janelle agreed, her expression troubled.
He stepped back from the car, shaking his head and wondering why bad things always seemed to happen to good people. He turned and walked back up to the front porch.
Devon carefully examined the smashed door frame, taking care not to touch anything. It looked as if the door knob had been smashed with a blunt object, like a baseball bat or a hammer.
Or the heel of someone’s boot. To be honest, the doorjamb wasn’t the sturdiest he’d ever seen. There wasn’t a lot of crime in Crystal Lake so nobody really paid for high level security systems.
Although it would have been nice if Janelle had used the dead bolt.
Still, he knew that if someone really wanted to get inside, they’d find a way. Either through the patio doors overlooking Crystal Lake or through a window. Kids? Maybe. He’d know more when he was able to investigate what was taken.
Either way, being robbed was hardly Janelle’s fault.
He scowled and raked a hand through his hair. There hadn’t been any reports of robberies discussed in their roll call yesterday, but he imagined there would soon be others. These types of home invasions tended to happen in clusters, especially if teenagers were involved.
Thankfully, Janelle and Sebastian hadn’t been home. Just the thought of what might have happened if they had been brought a flash of anger.
The wail of sirens echoed through the air, indicating reinforcements were on the way. Good thing, because he was having a hard time playing the civilian role.
He wished he had his weapon, but he’d left it at home. He knew the hospital wouldn’t allow him to carry it inside since he wasn’t officially on duty. Besides, carrying a gun around a four-year old wasn’t smart.
When Deputy Zack Crain pulled in behind Janelle, Dev walked down to meet him. Zack was Julie Crain’s brother and the two of them owned the side-by-side townhouses, even though neither one of them lived there any longer. Zack and Merry had gotten married about eighteen months ago and now lived on the other side of the lake.
“What happened?” Zack asked with obvious concern.
“I don’t honestly know. Janelle spent the night at the hospital with Sebastian, so she wasn’t here. I was planning to meet her here, and arrived first. That’s when I found the front door smashed in.”
“Sebastian? Is he okay?” Zack asked, crossing over to peer into Janelle’s back seat. He waved at the little boy who glanced up at him with a tired smile.
Dev couldn’t help wondering if the child was tired from the peritoneal dialysis treatments or if this was just a normal part of having kidney failure? “He’s fine, although you should probably get all the details from Janelle.”
As if on cue, Janelle slid out from the driver’s seat. “Hi Zack. Can I go inside to see what, if anything, was taken?”
“Not yet, but soon,” Zack promised. “Just give us some time to make sure it’s safe, okay?”
“Why would anyone pick my place to rob?” she asked, rubbing her hands over her arms as if chilled. “I don’t have anything worth stealing.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing personal,” Zack assured her.
“Have there been other reported robberies?” Dev asked.
Zack hesitated and shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. But maybe others haven’t been noticed yet either.”
Dev nodded, and couldn’t help thinking the timing of the robbery was significant. Janelle and Sebastian had been gone for roughly sixteen hours, and it was likely that the break-in had happened sometime during the night or the early morning.
Or was it possible the crook had watched her leave the house with Sebastian and then took advantage of the fact they were gone to rob the place?
He scowled, not liking that scenario.
“Let’s go,” Zack said, clapping Dev on the shoulder.
Dev followed his colleague into the house, sucking in a harsh breath when he immediately noticed the empty spot where the television had probably been.
Zack whistled under his breath. “I hope Janelle has good insurance.”
Yeah, somehow Dev wasn’t so sure she did, but he didn’t say anything as they continued sweeping through the townhouse. It didn’t take long to verify the place was empty.
“I’ll get Janelle,” Dev offered, heading back outside. The moment he stepped out on the porch, Janelle stepped forward, holding Sebastian in her arms.
“I’m sorry, but your television has been stolen,” Dev said, wanting to warn her. “The good news is that the robbers didn’t trash the place.”
Janelle nodded, although she went pale when she saw the missing television. “It wasn’t even an expensive one,” she said in a low voice.
“Anything else missing?” Dev asked.
She nodded slowly, tears welling
in her eyes. “My notebook computer. And my router.”
Devon hated seeing her so upset. “You might want to check your room, in case any jewelry is missing.”
She sucked in a quick breath and rushed into her bedroom. Dev watched from the doorway, battling a wave of helplessness.
“Lisa’s ring is gone,” Janelle whispered, lifting tortured eyes to his. “The only thing I had that belonged to my sister. I was saving it for Sebastian.”
Dev didn’t know what to say to make things better. He crossed over and put a reassuring arm around her shoulders, grateful when she leaned against him.
He silently vowed that he’d do whatever was necessary in order to find the jerk who did this.
Janelle leaned against Devon, mentally as well as physically exhausted. She couldn’t believe Lisa’s ring was gone. It wasn’t super expensive, but it was gold and had a ruby stone, the birthstone shared by both Lisa and Sebastian.
“Nana? Can me and Dev play Mario again?” Sebastian asked in a plaintive tone.
She swallowed hard and straightened up, knowing she couldn’t afford to lean on anyone, no matter how nice Devon had been over the past twenty-four hours. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have a television. It’s broken,” she added hastily, unwilling to give Sebastian a reason to be afraid.
His tiny brow puckered in a frown. “Who breaked it?”
“Hey, how about I bring my television over for a while?” Devon offered. “I can’t use it while I’m at work anyway.”
Janelle began to shake her head, but Sebastian’s face lit up with excitement. “Goody,” he cowed, bobbling up and down in her arms to the point she had to bend over and set him on the ground. “Go get it, Dev. Go get it!”
She wanted to protest but sensed that would be a fruitless endeavor. “Thank you, Devon,” she said in a soft tone. “I’m not sure why you’re being so nice to us, but I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
Dev shrugged, the tips of his ears turning red with embarrassment. “It’s really not a problem, but I don’t like leaving you here alone with a broken front door.”
“I’ve already called Frank from the hardware store,” Zack said entering the room. “He’s on his way to fix it, until I can get a new door in.” He glanced at her and took out a small notebook. “I’ll need a list of everything that’s missing.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Devon promised, leaving the room. Janelle had to fight back the urge to beg him to stay.
Ridiculous, really, for one thing Zack was also a cop and a great guy. For another, he happened to be her landlord. She gave herself a mental shake, chalking up her wacky emotions to a night without much sleep.
The list of missing items was pathetically short, and when Zack asked the name of her insurance company, she was forced to admit she didn’t have renter’s insurance.
Zack groaned. “I don’t think my insurance is going to cover your things,” he informed her.
“I understand,” she hastened to assure him. “It’s my fault, Zack, I certainly know better. It’s just that I’ve been more focused on my sister and Sebastian…” her voice trailed off on the pathetic excuse.
The truth of the matter was that even though renter’s insurance wasn’t expensive, she hadn’t been able to afford it. Not when she wasn’t working nearly as many hours as she used to.
Zack sighed and turned away. “Okay, I have someone coming to dust for finger prints on the area around the door, where the television was, your computer and the jewelry box.”
“Sounds good.” Janelle forced a smile. “Thanks again for coming so quickly.”
“It’s no problem, after all, I don’t like the thought of anyone breaking into my townhouse any more than you do,” Zack admitted. “Crystal Lake is normally a safe place to live.”
Janelle nodded in agreement, because the small town family atmosphere was one of the main reasons she loved living here. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find out who did this.”
“How is Sebastian?” Zack asked as they walked back into the main living area.
“He’s fine, had a little infection but is already doing much better.” She eyed the clock, making a mental note to give her nephew his antibiotic at dinnertime.
Zack’s phone rang and he stepped away to answer it. Janelle could tell he was talking to his wife, Merry, and she couldn’t help the ping of envy at the love that shone brightly between the two of them.
An old rusty blue pick-up truck pulled to a stop in front of her house and she smiled when she saw Frank Gebheart get out from behind the wheel, his tool belt cinched tightly beneath his round belly.
Zack finished his call and strode out to meet with Frank, making it clear what he needed done. Soon her small townhouse was full of people, techs dusting for fingerprints, Frank hammering on the door, and Devon setting up his wide screen television along with the video console in the space where her smaller TV once sat.
The entire process didn’t take long. The crime scene techs and Frank left first, followed by Zack. Devon had returned already dressed in his uniform so he could head directly to work.
“Thanks again,” Janelle murmured as he handed Sebastian the hand-held controller.
“Not a problem,” he assured her with a smile. Their eyes locked and just like the night before, she found herself mesmerized by the intensity of his gaze.
She forced herself to look away, afraid he’d notice the longing in her eyes. “Well, at least I know the robbers won’t be back since they’ve already taken everything of value.”
Devon scowled as he headed for the door. “Trust me, I’ll be driving by frequently throughout my shift to make sure they don’t.”
“Thanks.” She stood by the door, watching as Devon strode confidently toward his cruiser. The way he tipped his hat to her before sliding in behind the wheel made her blush with awareness.
Watching him drive away, she felt more alone than ever.
Dev hated leaving Janelle and Sebastian in the townhouse, even though logically he knew they’d be perfectly fine after the repairs Frank had done to the front door.
Roll call didn’t take long and he was disturbed to hear that Janelle’s place was the only reported break-in. They were lucky to get some fingerprints, but it would take a while to get them processed through the database.
The only other item of interest was a small bag of crystal meth that was found in the bathroom of the school. Dev couldn’t deny the fact that the two incidents could very well be related. Drug addicts were known to steal anything in sight in order to support their habit.
He hated the thought of drugs being brought into their small town. Of course, drugs were just about everywhere, so he couldn’t say he was completely surprised.
Once roll call was over, he headed outside to his vehicle and made his usual sweep of the lake. They didn’t have a huge influx of tourists yet, that would come in the summer months. Although they used to get hikers, but they’d dwindled off since the big fire along the hiking trail last fall.
Dev was glad to see that there were signs of spring. Some slender seedlings were sprouting amidst the blackened soil. It would take several years for the trees to grow back, but at least the process had started. And the woods overshadowing the north side of the lake were miraculously untouched.
As he drove around the area, he couldn’t help thinking about what Janelle and Sebastian were up to. He liked the idea that the two of them were sitting and playing his game on the television he’d loaned them.
If anyone deserved a break, they did.
The hours seemed to drag by more slowly than usual, and when it was time for dinner, he had to force himself not to drive straight to Janelle’s townhouse.
Instead, he pulled over to park on Main Street and headed into Rosie’s diner. Josie, the owner and waitress hailed him from the doorway.
“Hey, Dev, should I get you a plate of the usual?”
Since his usual was the special pot roast, potatoes, and carrots, h
e nodded. “Absolutely, thanks.”
Josie placed his order then came over with a pitcher of water, filling his glass for him. “I heard about the break-in at the Crain place. Do you have any suspects yet?”
He shouldn’t have been caught off guard at her blunt question. Josie was the town gossip, and he often wished the police network was as good as the town grapevine.
“Not yet, but we’ll figure out who’s responsible, don’t worry.” He purposefully infused confidence into his tone. The last thing they needed was for the town folk to go into panic mode.
“Such a shame,” Josie went on. She set down the pitcher and propped her hand on her hip. “To think that someone would take a television away from a young child and a sickly one at that! What is this world coming to?”
He didn’t have a good answer and honestly, Josie didn’t need one.
“Well, I sure hope you find that no-good son-of-a-gun as soon as possible.”
“That’s the plan.”
Josie glared at him for a moment, then grabbed the pitcher of water and swept away. But before he could relax, she came back, this time carrying a large plastic container.
“Dev, I need you to take this over to Janelle and Sebastian for me.”
He eyed it warily. “What’s inside?”
She rolled her eyes. “Fried toad-skins.” When he blinked in shock, she roared with laughter. “Tonight’s special, on the house. Will you take the time to run it over to her?”
How could he say no? “Of course, Josie. It’s nice of you to think about them.”
“They’re one of us, and we take care of our own.” With that, Josie disappeared back behind the counter.
Devon couldn’t deny that he’d miss this place if he ever did get a response from one of his applications,but carrying food to a young mother in need and trying to find kids who were breaking into empty homes to steal or doing drugs wasn’t exactly what he had envisioned for the rest of his life, either.
He wanted to fight real crime, to make a difference. The same way his older brother Steve had.