Found and Destroyed: The Second Sarah Martin Mystery

by Danelle Helget

“Bye. Drive safe,” I told her.

  We shared a hug and I closed the door behind her.

  I arrived at the mall at 1:15 p.m. I’d called my gay hair-dresser, Stephon, on the way. He’s tall and large framed, but in good shape and very fashionable. We had been friends for a while. He’s the guy I call if I need advice on anything from handbags, to hair, to clothes. I love him! Plus, he was always super fun and made me laugh. The receptionist told me that he had had a cancellation, so I took it.

  I called my mom and asked if we could make our visit more like 6:00 p.m. She was fine with that and said to bring dessert and a date. I texted an invite to Derek. We’ll see if he responds. Rounding the corner of the salon entrance, I heard a familiar squeal and clapping. Stephon came galloping over in his smock and threw his arms around me.

  “Ahhhh, Sara! Darling! So good to see you! Look how beautiful you are. You’ve really learned how to work this hair doo! You’re fabulous, love!” He gave me a kiss on each cheek. “Here you go,” he said handing me a complimentary glass of sparkling champagne. “If your life’s anything like the last time I saw you then you need this. And if it’s not, I’ll drink it. My life’s never as exciting as yours.”

  “Aww, Stephon, my love. So good to see you, too,” I said removing my jacket.

  He took my jacket, which distracted him for a moment.

  “Tweed, multicolor, double-stitched, satin lined, double breasted. Sara? … very nice!” he said with one hand on his hip.

  “Thanks, did that all on my own!” I proudly declared.

  He slapped me a high five, then escorted me to the station. He draped me and fingered through my hair.

  “Lovely … healthy … beautiful! Do you like the look?”

  “I love it! I just need a trim and the roots done,” I told him. “And then if there’s time you can put me in the books for a massage.”

  “Ohhh! Day of Beauttttty!” he sang. “I love it! Hold on, my lady, I’ll check the massage schedule.”

  He skipped over to the front desk, threw his body over the counter, and looked down at the receptionist as he spoke to her. She smiled and looked at the computer, then nodded and typed some more. Stephon clapped his hands, blew her a kiss, and bounced back over to me.

  “Okay my dear, you’re on the books for a massage in an hour and thirty minutes. We have got to get going!”

  He got the colors all mixed up and started on my roots. I was going to be a light-brown with golden-caramel highlights. He started painting and asked for the life update. I first told him about my newly purchased lake property and Lost and Found. Then I asked for a refill on the champagne.

  “Ooooh, girl! Hold on, I cannot wait to hear this.” He took my glass and quickly tippy-toed off to the back room. He returned with a refill and two bottled waters. “This must be good if you need a second glass,” he said as he handed me my glass and opened one of the waters for himself. He took a drink with one hand, pinky up, and placed the other hand on his hip.

  “Well, let me start by saying, Friday night I was kidnapped and thrown in a trunk.” Stephon spat his water out all over the mirror in front of him!

  “Saaaay whaat? Good Lord, woman! You never disappoint! Excuuuse meee,” he said taking a towel and wiping the mirror clean. “Girlfriend, I need to hang out with you more. You’re the olive to my martini!” He put the towel down and went back to painting my hair. “Kidnapped? Do tell.”

  I recounted the whole story while he worked. He listened intently adding a “tsk” here and a gasp there. When Stephon had completed my color, he set a timer and sat down in the neighboring station’s chair. I continued giving him all the details. When the timer beeped, he checked me. After an “ooh la la,” he led me to the sink for a wash and condition.

  We went back to the chair. Stephon let out bouts of laughter here and there when I described Betty and Joe’s relationship. By the time I finished my story, Stephon had finished my hair. After checking in the back, he said that Pinota was ready for me. He walked me back to the massage room.

  “Sara,” he said in introduction, “this is Pinota. She’s the best we have. Trust me! She got her training in the south of France and let me just say, the French know what they are doing, honey! Mmmm mm,” He added a head slide and finger snap. “You two enjoy each other. Sara, love, I’ll catch you later!”

  He gave me a kiss on each cheek and sashayed away. Pinota and I shook hands and said hi. She led me into the room with instructions to undress and lay face down on the bed then she left the room.

  An hour later I felt amazing. I paid, tipped, and walked out of the salon with some new products. I felt on top of the world. I swung through a couple of stores and tried on some new clothes. I got a couple of things but nothing was jumping out at me, so I left and headed to my parents instead. Derek sent a text saying he would meet me at my parents at 6:30 p.m. He had a few things he had to take care of.

  It took longer than normal to get across town to my parents because of road construction. Minnesota was busy replacing and repairing bridges, so I had to take the long way to avoid one of the bridge roads. Ever since the 35W bridge collapse the state had been looking hard at repairs and replacements everywhere. I guess they didn’t want to be making the news again with a story like that. Since that day, I’d gotten butterflies in my stomach every time I crossed a bridge. You really just never know when it’s your time.

  I followed the curvy road to my parents’ driveway and went inside. Dad was in the recliner. He stood up and gave me a hug. It was longer than usual. I wondered if he knew what my weekend had been like. I hadn’t call them, and as far as I knew Derek hadn’t either. There wasn’t any time when it was going down, and afterwards I just wanted to sleep. I knew my mother would have been at my side in a second if she had known, but I hadn’t wanted her there just then, and Saturday was sleep, and well, Derek, so there hadn’t been time for her then either. I knew she was going to be mad that I hadn’t called, and I wanted to tell them the story before Derek got there so that he didn’t take any heat for not calling either.

  Derek had only met my parents one time at the cabin, the day after I’d closed on it. They had gotten along well, and conversation had flowed easily between them. I knew that the night was going to tell me a lot about their places in my life and the respect level they had for each other, because of the situation.

  “Hi, Dad. How are you?” I asked.

  “Good, honey. I’m good. Thanks for coming. Your mom really wanted to have you over. She’s been talking about you since Friday. On and on she goes! ‘We should have her over for dinner. She should stop and visit us. Maybe we should go visit her.’ Oye! I’m glad you’re finally here. Now she can shut up!”

  Strange, must be her spidey sense.

  “Well, I’ll go in and help her with the food and put her at ease. There’s something I want to talk to you guys about together, so I’ll be back with her in a minute,” I told him.

  “Careful, your aunt Val is here,” he warned.

  “Oh, really? When did she get into town?”

  “Yesterday and she’s staying a week or two, she says. I may have to live in your apartment for a while.”

  He winked, but I knew he was serious.

  My aunt Val was one of a kind. She was my dad’s younger sister. There were four kids on my dad’s side. Aunt Val had always been the free spirit of the group. She bounced from city to city, switched jobs like seasonal purses, and had been married and divorced three times. She had no kids, and no intention of having kids. In fact, she didn’t like kids. Kids or dogs. She always said, “They’re dirty and slobbery, and if they poop you have to take care of it.” Val liked to have a good time and no responsibility. She was loud and funny and drunk pretty much every time I saw her. I liked her … a lot.

  I could smell something Italian as I approached the kitchen doorway. I secretly wished for lasagna. I stepped through the door just as Aunt Val was throwing back the rest of her martini.

  “Well, b
utter my buns and call me a biscuit, look who’s here!” she screeched and came running over. Her arms flew around my neck and she squeezed me hard and tight. “Dang, girl,” she said, stepping back and looking me up and down. “You’re beat up! What happened?”

  Well, that’s one way to start the story. My arms were still looking pretty rough, and I had a small bruise on my face that my faded makeup was now showing. And the bite mark was still there.

  “Well, hi, Aunt Val. How are you?” I said.

  “Hi, nothing. You tell me what’s wrong! Come on, sit down and tell me,” she demanded. “You look really tired. Why? Aren’t you sleeping? Is it your boyfriend? Your mother said you got a new boyfriend. Is he keeping you up late into the night? Huh? Huh?” she asked elbowing me and grinning.

  She shook her eyebrows up and down and nodded.

  “No,” I told her. “Well, yes. I mean no.” Ahhh, I was stuck. I laughed out loud. “Hey, Mom,” I said, in an effort to change the subject. She walked over from the stove and hugged me. “Dinner smells amazing.”

  “Hi, Sara. It’s your favorite. Lasagna! Where’s Derek?” she asked looking over my shoulder to the living room.

  “He’ll be along in about an hour. He had some things to finish up.” I looked behind me when I heard a strange rattle. It was Aunt Val with a martini shaker. She filled two glasses and set them on the table.

  “Jan, are you sure you don’t want one?” she asked.

  “No, thanks. I’ll be in bed by seven if I do,” Mom replied.

  “All right, chicky, spill!” Aunt Val said, patting the chair next to her at the kitchen table. “I wanna know what your story is. Those scratches didn’t happen in bed, or did they?” she said with a wink. Smiling at her enthusiasm, I sat down and took a big sip.

  “Sara! Yeah, look at your arms and your cheek! Is that a bruise?” my mom asked.

  Dad came into the room.

  “What is this I hear about scratches and a bruise?” he asked in his serious voice.

  I took another deep breath. My heart rate increased three-fold. I felt like a teenager in trouble all over again.

  “Mom, Dad, please sit down. I do need to tell you something.” Dad pushed his eyebrows together and looked angry, like he wanted to kill someone. Mom looked scared as she studied my right arm. “As you know Derek’s sister was shot …”

  I studied their faces as I continued on and told them the whole story. They listened intently as their only daughter told them a story of menace, horror, and terror. It was like something out of a movie. Aunt Val made it even worse by constantly interrupting and asking for more details. About twenty minutes into the story, the oven timer buzzed and my mom, who was hanging on my every word with her mouth hanging open, jolted to attention.

  “Sara!” she said angrily as if she was scolding me.

  I looked over at her. She was startled and confused by her own voice. It took her a second to realize it was the oven timer that buzzed. She got up, turned the oven to warm, and sat back down at attention.

  “Go on,” she said, reaching for my glass and finishing my drink. Dad was just staring, waiting for me to continue.

  Over the next ten minutes I wrapped up my story, with an apology for not calling them. I sat back in my seat fully prepared for angry words and punishment. No one said anything for a whole minute. Finally Aunt Val pushed her chair back and stood. Her eyes where huge and, for the first time ever, she was speechless. She reached over and grabbed my glass from in front of my mother and went to the counter to make some more martinis. She made four. In silence.

  When she returned to the table she set one down in front of each of us. Mom threw hers back in two swallows, and Dad pushed his towards Mom. She reached out and pulled it closer.

  I took an awkward sip from mine while looking over at them and said, “I’m okay. I’m fine … I’m sorry. I should have called.”

  “You should have called,” my dad said. He stood up, patted me on the back, and walked back to the living room.

  “Ah, Will!” Mom said. He stopped in the doorway and turned to her.

  “What? Jan, she’s an adult. She didn’t need us involved. If she did, she knew she could call and we’d be there.” He winked at me and walked out.

  “I understand,” Aunt Val said. “I mean really, Jan, what service would you have provided? A lot of crying that’s what! That’s the last thing Sara needed, you sobbing on her shoulder. Sounds to me like she had a man to comfort her. Am I right?” she asked, with a smile, raising her cup towards me. I picked mine up, clinked hers, and took a sip. Val winked and took a sip of hers too. “Jan, your baby’s a grown woman now. She doesn’t need her mommy as much anymore.”

  “I do need you, lots and lots!” I said leaning over and giving her a hug. “It’s just that the whole night flew by, and when I got home I had to bring Faith in, and then I just wanted to sleep. I didn’t want to talk about it. Just sleep. I couldn’t even think clearly. But I’m here now, and I’m rested and better, and ready to talk to you about it. And Cory and Kyle are in jail, and will be for a long time.”

  “Look at your arms!” she said with tears.

  “My arms are fine. It was just the tree branches. They’re just scratches.”

  “What about your face?” she whined.

  “It’s a small bruise. I don’t even know what it’s from, probably the bathroom door that knocked me out.”

  “Exactly, you don’t know what they did to you while you were out!”

  “Jan!” Aunt Val said, “She would know if she were … harmed in anyway.”

  I nodded and took my Mom’s hand. “I wasn’t,” I assured her.

  The doorbell rang and startled us. Derek.

  “I’ll get it,” Dad yelled from the living room.

  I stood and walked over to my mom’s chair and hugged her. “I’m fine,” I said quietly and walked away and went to meet Derek. Aunt Val stood and followed. When we got in to the living room, I heard Aunt Val say, “Oh, wow,” under her breath.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, and kissed me on the cheek. He had flowers and a bottle of wine in his arm.

  “Hi,” I said, with a one-arm hug. “Derek, this is my Aunt Val. Val, this is my boyfriend, Derek.”

  Derek extended his hand and Val wrapped herself around him.

  “Very, nice to meet you.”

  “Oh,” Derek gasped at the strong hug. “Ah, nice to meet you, too.”

  My mother came into the living room, said hello, and hugged Derek too.

  “Jan, sorry I’m late. These are for you,” Derek said, handing her the fresh, fall-colored flowers and the bottle of red wine.

  “Oh, Derek, you didn’t have to do that. But this will be lovely for tonight,” Mom said, and returned to the kitchen.

  We all followed her in, and she yelled to my dad that dinner was ready. We gathered around the table and my father said a quick prayer, which was mostly praise about my safety. Derek looked at me. I nodded slightly to let him know that I’d told them. Aunt Val announced to dig in and we all passed the food.

  “So, Derek, I understand you had a scary weekend,” Aunt Val said.

  Derek continued loading his plate as he spoke. “Yes, I did,” he said as he looked at me with loving eyes. “It got kind of hairy there for a while. We had the entire force on the situation. Thank God Sara is as strong as she is. She not only saved her own life, but the lives of three others.”

  “What?” my mother asked.

  I shook my head, “Not really.”

  “Ah, yes really! I personally interviewed those involved. They all agreed that if Sara had not been there the situation would have been way worse. She held Cory and Kyle at gunpoint until the police got there, and she had them duct taped nicely for us when we arrived,” Derek said with an amused smile.

  “She did? Thatta girl!” Val said.

  “She did,” Derek continued. “She found and untied the hostages in the shed, and got them warm clothes and protected them as we
ll!”

  “Anyone would have done the same thing,” I said, and I meant it. I was no hero.

  We finished our meal and retired to the living room where we focused the conversation on my Aunt Val. She was off work for two weeks and planned to stay with my parents for one of them. After that, she wasn’t sure where she’d head. After dinner, clean up, and dessert, we got ready to leave.

  “I may stop up at your new cabin and see you,” Aunt Val announced as Derek and I were walking towards the door.

  “That sounds great,” I said. Derek and I exchanged hugs with everyone and left. Outside we stopped by our vehicles and talked. “Do you want to come over and stay?” I asked him.

  “Sure, I’ll swing home first and grab a bag. In the morning I’m going to head to Morris to see Kelly. Do you want to come with me?” he asked.

  “Yeah, sure. I can come with, but then I’ll leave from there for Nisswa. I need to check on things at the store and get some paperwork done.”

  “Okay, that sounds perfect. I don’t have to work until Monday night,” he informed me. “I’ll meet you at your place in a few minutes then.” He kissed me and left.

  I drove home. I turned on a couple lamps and the TV, then checked on Faith. There didn’t seem to be any puke piles, and her food was gone, so I thought that she must be doing better. When I heard my phone beep I went to my purse to check it. It was a text from Tannya:

  Hey, girl! Thanks for the fun and excitement this weekend. BTW Miss Kitty was asking about you, so was Rex, and I’ve only been at work for an hour! LOL, C U soon.

  Miss Kitty. I’d almost forgotten about her. I did tell her that I would meet with her on Monday. I wished she’d lose my number. I didn’t need any more drama. And, she seemed like the kind of person who would like to stir up drama. Dismiss it, I thought. Derek’s coming over. That’s all I want think about. If I can get a replay of last night, I’ll be a very satisfied woman. I went in the bathroom and put some lotion on my arms. The scratches were starting to heal so they itched like crazy. After that I picked up a bit and wiped off the counter and mirror in the bathroom.

  I went out to the living room and lit a candle. The Twins were playing, so I turned it to that station and sat down on the couch. It was close to nine, but it felt like midnight. I was still very exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The couch wrapped its warmth around me and I closed my eyes.