by Mary Mead
“I appreciate your concern, John, but it’s not a bank. It’s a storage facility.”
“Where drugs were stored, even briefly. Plus a guy seen inside that facility wound up dumped off the freeway with a bullet in his head. I would bet the other guy was with him. Be careful.”
John pulled out his wallet and removed a card. “Here. Take my card. My cell phone is on there, too. If you see or hear anything call me. I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
I took the card, pretty sure I already had one, and stuck it in my back pocket. “Yes, sir. I have it.”
He reached to pat my hand. “That was not an order, Marlie. That was a request. And a polite one.” He folded his fingers around mine and gave them a squeeze. “Besides, I like having someone to eat dinner with.”
I smiled and tugged my hand loose, picking up my check.
John took it and added it to his. “I got this.”
“Thanks for dinner,” I said, standing up. “Next time will be on me.”
“You have a deal. I’ll hold you to that.”
On the way home I decided it was okay if these guys wanted to foot the bill for my dinners. At least until I figured out which one was dealing in drugs.
I had my own plan that I put in effect Tuesday morning. I had the cart out at first light, before the gates were open.
When a customer gets behind on their rent it’s overlocked with a heavy, bright red lock. When it’s in place it makes it impossible to open the unit until it’s removed. Customers who manage to tailgate in behind another vehicle still can’t get into their units when the red locks are in place. There are two master keys. One is on the keyring clipped to my jeans. The other is in a drawer in the office, in case Steve needs to unlock someone on the weekend.
Tuesday morning I ordered all new red locks, four dozen of them and paid for rush delivery. While I was at it I ordered a dozen of our usual chrome locks only these, too, were keyed alike. One key would open them all.
I intended to replace all those little yellow plastic tabs on the empty units with red locks. Ideally that puts an end to anyone using one of them. It takes a good sized set of bolt cutters to get them off. The locks are all keyed alike and I’m going to have the only key.
An added bonus? No more playing tag with Mrs. Murphy on the vacant units. I suspected she had removed a few of those yellow tags in the past to grab up another unit for her personal use. She was not strong enough to man bolt cutters even if she knew how.
Last night I copied the backup disk when I locked up and took that copy upstairs with me. It now rested in a shoebox on the top shelf of my closet, soon to be joined with tonight’s duplicate. New procedure: I would copy all of the disks and take them upstairs, leaving the original filed as always.
I locked the office after work and was out on the lot again, this time with the extension ladder. Using the ladder I readjusted two cameras, aiming them at the front gate. I wasn’t worried about who was coming in. I wanted to know who was going out. The access recorder kept the log of who entered and who left by recording the code used. I wanted to see who was leaving, and when. Tailgating in meant tailgating out. The new angles on the cameras covered the entire drive, not just the control pads. No one was going out that gate without being seen.
Satisfied with my day’s work I put the cart up and headed upstairs, carrying the duplicate disk. On my way to the shower I stuck it in the shoe box with its companion.
I completely forgot Burke was bringing dinner. When he knocked I was surprised to see him but happy to see the big brown bag he carried.
“You smell good,” he said, passing me and going straight to the kitchen. “I hope Chinese is okay.”
“You know it is,” I said, following him to the kitchen where he was setting out little white pasteboard boxes. “How was your trip?”
He crumbled the brown bag, tossed it in the trash can and gathered me in his arms. “I’ve missed you,” he said, kissing my neck until I backed away. “What’s with you? I missed you! Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“I am happy to see you, Burke. I’m even happier to see Chinese food,” I said, handing him a plate.
He took the plate and turned to the food. “Nice welcome there, Marlie.”
“If I’d known you were coming I would have ordered the parade.”
He turned and put his hands on his hips. “What is with you?”
I sighed and set down my almost full plate. “What is wrong with you? We’re friends, Burke, that’s it. Did my life end when you left? No. You’ve only been gone a week or so. It’s not like you were missing for years. What’s the big deal?”
He put both hands on the counter and leaned on them, dropping his head. “I’m sorry,” he said after a minute. “Been a rough week, I’m tired and I was looking forward to tonight. Maybe a little too much. Let’s eat. We can talk later.”
“Let’s start over,” I said, feeling a little guilty.
His head snapped up and his eyes were alight. “At the beach? I’m up for that!”
I hip checked him and shoved him over. “Get out of the way. I’m hungry.”
With that he chuckled, moved and we were back to normal.
We ate on the coffee table and watched a movie, comfortable again. When the movie ended I turned off the television. “Now, what’s been going on? You said we could talk after dinner.”
He shook his head. “You are like a bulldog with a bone, aren’t you?”
I sat down on the couch and faced him. “You said we’d talk. So talk.”
“Well, let’s see. I was in Mexico. Is that what you wanted to know?”
“It’s a start. Did that have anything to do with the drugs? The ones found here?”
“Yes and no. I can’t give you any details on the investigation. I’ve been working on this case for over a year. The drugs here? Just a drop in the bucket. Will they come back here? No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure that was a one-time thing. Anything else?”
Yeah, I thought, a lot of something else. Aloud I said, “You don’t think those murdered men were connected to the drugs?”
Burke looked confused. “What murdered men? You lost me.”
“The ones along the freeway, the one I thought I had on tape.”
“Oh, that. I forgot about that. No, babe, sorry. I don’t think that had anything to do with you or the storage facility. Those guys were probably into something, yes. Drug related? Possible. That kind of killing is rarely solved. Those guys were more than likely the brawn, not the brains. They don’t fill out an application, babe. Some guy steps up and says rent a truck, drive here, pick up the load and put it here and you make five grand. From what I’ve seen in the last year half of these guys are high school dropouts or drug burnouts. They want a big payoff for a little work. None of them are master criminals. You’re perfectly safe.”
Two guys, two different outlooks. “Did you turn in that file I put together? The one with the access printouts and that partial photo?”
“Turn it in to who? I dropped it off in the task force room, or the rooms they’re using at the Sheriff’s department. I already told you I don’t think that was the guy. Don’t get me wrong, Marlena. You did a bang up job on that, you did. For an amateur? Great.” He reached to pat my hand. “These guys working this case are professionals. This is their job. Some of them like Miller have made it a career. That’s all he does. Others like the local guy, Kincaid? Not his territory. He’s out of his league and he knows it.”
“And you?”
Burke took a deep breath and blew it out. “Me? I’ve been at it too long. This isn’t my first case but it may be my last.”
“You’re quitting?”
“Sure thinking about it,” he said. “I see you, come here and have dinner, watch a movie and I want to quit tomorrow. Get a place here in town with you and retire. Get a dog, do a little fishing. Put it all behind me.”
“You think you could walk away from it?”
“Oh hell y
es,” he said. “In a heartbeat. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought.” He turned those warm dark eyes on me and turned up the heat. “Since I met you. If you could cook, I’d marry you tomorrow.”
“Oh, I see,” I laughed. “Cooking is a prerequisite.”
He folded his fingers around mine. “In your case? I’ll do the cooking.”
Where did this come from?
I pulled my hand free and stood up. “I have to work tomorrow and I have a lot to do. My help has been missing,” I said, smiling to soften the rebuke. “Time for Burke to go.”
He stood up and stretched and headed for the door. “I’m gonna let it go this time, Marlie,” he said, curling his hand around my neck. “We’re gonna talk about this some more.” He tugged me close and kissed me, soft and warm. “Soon.”
I stepped back and opened the door. “Thanks again for dinner, Burke.”
He brushed against me as he went out. “Soon,” he said again and went down the stairs.
I locked the door and listened for his truck. In a few minutes I heard it start and fade off down the street. He wasn’t staying out back tonight.
In bed later I thought about what he told me. He was of the opinion it was over, that it was a one hit kind of thing and I had no worries. The dead men were a totally unrelated event. From that he bounced to getting a place with me. Where did that come from? Friends, yes. Flirts? Yes. We had formed a comfortable relationship with a lot of innuendo and casual flirting. From that to getting a place together? I don’t think so.
On the other hand John Kincaid warned me to be careful, to take extra precautions, convinced the dead men were connected to both the drugs and the facility. These two worked together, on the task force, yet their views and opinions were opposite ends of the same stick.
Just before I drifted off I thought about Paul Murphy. Did he have a hand on that stick? And where?
Wednesday Burke was on the lot, broom in hand. I saw him talking to Randy and later helping Mrs. Murphy unload her car. Where that woman found all those books was beyond me.
I read a lot. It’s my way of updating my brain’s software. The Kindle was my salvation – I didn’t have room for boxes of books. My Kindle was loaded with old favorites and those I wanted to read. I loved books. You get the picture.
Mrs. Murphy owned a book store in San Luis Obispo and another in Paso Robles. That woman could remember the name of every book she read, how much it was worth, and made a fortune in collectible books. She sold online as well as out of her stores which she paid someone else to manage. There was not a yard sale, garage sale, rummage sale or estate sale that she didn’t attend. Which also explained her need for more storage units, which she didn’t pay for as the family owned the facility. The male Murphys made it clear from day one I was not to give her another unit. So began the game of hide the empties from Mrs. Murphy.
The other side of that particular coin was common courtesy. She was a good deal older than me and there was no way I would sit around and watch her load and unload those heavy cartons of books. Was not going to happen. On her side she expected the help. After all was said and done, she was an owner. She rarely asked anyone for help and always had more than she needed.
Today Burke was within hailing distance and I kinda enjoyed watching him unload her SUV. On the camera I noticed they talked quite a lot and often laughed together.
While Burke was unloading her cartons and carrying them inside the unit I watched her walk up one side of the aisle and come back down the other side. She was looking for another unit. While I watched she reached out and snapped off one of the breakaway yellow tags and stuck it in her pocket. Often suspected and now proven.
That would stop once I had the new locks. For now, I could only watch as she swung the door open and stepped inside. She was back in a minute and walked up to where Burke was leaning on the tailgate of her truck. It didn’t take a genius to understand her gestures as she directed him to the open door behind her. Gritting my teeth I watched as he began to carry cartons down there and put them inside.
I pulled the green pin out of the unit she had confiscated, signaling it was no longer available and crossed it off the vacancy list. She was allowed one. This was number seven. Papa and Paul were gonna be right in my craw when they found out. My only hope was to head her off.
Burke had taken the cart since he was sweeping back there so I had to lock up the office and hike to where they were. By the time I got there Burke was unloading the last of the cartons. Only one remained in the truck bed.
“Oh, hello Marlena,” Mrs. Murphy sang out, her eyes twinkling. “How are you today, my dear?”
“I’m just fine, Mrs. Murphy. You know you’re not supposed to remove those tags from the empty units. You’ll mess up my system.”
Her eyes rounded as she returned my look. “Remove? I didn’t remove a thing,” she said wide-eyed. “This one had no tag or lock. I only looked inside and saw it was vacant. Don’t worry,” she smiled, “the boys won’t mind.”
Like hell, I thought. I stepped around her and went inside the unit. It wasn’t as bad as I feared, only a dozen or so boxes lined the wall. “Mrs. Murphy I’m sure we can make room in your other unit for these. Let’s go take a look.”
I headed down the row to the other unit whose door still stood ajar. Burke sat on the tailgate of her truck, swinging his feet and smiling at me. “Problem?”
I glared at him with my best stink eye and stepped inside.
The back of the unit and both sides were lined with stacks of cartons, as close together as brick work. Two more rows ran down the center space, stacked two high. To bring the others, I would have to rearrange these to three high.
Stepping back outside I looked at Burke. “Bring those down here,” I said. “Stack them on top of the middle rows.”
Burked slid off the tailgate. “She’s gonna have a fit you know. She doesn’t like to have to shift them when she’s looking for something.”
“She’s gonna have to deal with the men in the family,” I said. “My job is on the line. If she gets one more unit, I will be among the unemployed.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Burke grinned. “The family is fond of you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Burke’s eyebrows went up. “Just what I said. The family is fond of you. They like you, Marlie.”
“And you would know that how?”
“I told you I know them. I’ve known them forever. They always speak very highly of you. Especially Paul.”
Was that a dig? I wondered what Paul had told Burke.
“It’s still my job,” I said. “Give me a hand and we’ll move those back up here.” I turned around and went back to the other unit where Mrs. Murphy was standing with her hands on her hips.
“What are you doing?” She asked as I grabbed the first carton and headed the other way. “Those go in here. You’re going to get them all mixed up.”
I kept going, lugging the carton of books towards her unit.
“Look here, Missy,” she called after me. I heard her footsteps coming my way.
I kept going, stepping inside and setting the carton on top of another in her center row. By the time I turned to the door she was waiting for me.
“I asked you what you think you’re doing.”
“Mrs. Murphy, you know the guys don’t want you to have another unit. That unit is being held for a nice young couple coming in today. These will fit fine in here. Burke and I will move them for you, it’s not a problem.”
She stomped a tiny, sneakered foot. “It is a problem, young lady! I own this place and I will put my things where I want. If you don’t like it you can lump it.”
I counted to ten and began to organize my argument when another voice joined in.
“Problem, mom?”
I turned to see Paul getting out of his car. Better and better. Maybe it was time for me to look for another job after all. These people were nuts and I was getting tired of it.
“Paulie!” She scurried around me and went to throw her arms around her son. “I haven’t seen you in ages. Why haven’t you come by the house? Do I have to make an appointment to see you?”
“Whoa, mom, slow down,” he said, returning her hug. “It’s been busy, you know that. Now, what’s going on? The office is locked and no one is around.” He looked at me. “Is there a problem?”
“We’re just moving some cartons for your mother,” I said. “She’s downsizing, as you told her. We’re moving those boxes into this one and that will free up a unit for rental.”
He hugged his mother again. “Good job, Mom! The old man will be proud of you. Let’s go tell him. I’ll treat you to lunch as a reward. What do you say?”
I managed not to smirk. Now it was her turn to simmer.
“I’d love that, Paulie. Come on, let’s go. They can finish up here without me.” Turning to me her eyes went cold. “Don’t mix up those cartons with these. Put these on top of those and then make a new row for the new ones. They have to be kept separate.” She stepped inside and gestured to the center rows. With ease she picked up the carton I had just set on top of the row and put it aside. “This is one of the new ones. I want it in a new row.” She waved a hand at the center rows. “These can be stacked up together. Then make a new row with the others. Do you understand? Shall I draw you a diagram?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Murphy,” I answered. “I’ve got it.”
“Well, then, get it done. I’m going to lunch with my son but I will be back to check that you’ve done it correctly.”
With that she snaked her arm through Paul’s and smiled up at him. “Where are we going for lunch? Do you want to go to San Luis? It’s a lovely day for a drive and we haven’t seen each other in ages.”
He opened the car door for her and helped her inside. “Can’t do it today, mom. Too busy at work. How about Kelly’s? Or The Hatch? You like the fish and chips there.”
Mrs. Murphy slid into the seat and clipped the seat belt. “You can choose,” she smiled. “Whatever you would like.” Then she looked at me. “I’ll be back to check on those cartons so you be careful how you line them up.”