Learning to Drive... Him Crazy

by Misty Malone

"That was my thought, too. But then I had to wonder how he got hired there. I would think they'd do a background check on all applicants, so they would have had to know he has a felony record."

  "That's true," Kelli said. "I hadn't thought of that. So do you think the store is involved in this, like the owner or manager?"

  "Maybe, but not necessarily. I found out Jason Wilson is the stepson of the owner."

  "That would explain how he got his job," Kelli said.

  "Yes, it would. I also found out that he got out of prison early this last time, and Officer Phil Jansen had a part in getting him out early."

  "How?"

  "Jansen testified that Wilson had changed since being sent to prison this last time. He said Wilson wrote him a letter, which made him think he'd changed, so he went to visit him several times in prison. He told the judge he thinks Wilson may be ready to get his life straightened out. The judge said based partially on that testimony he was willing to give him a chance to prove that to be true, and let him out early. He's on parole for another year yet."

  Kelli thought about this new information. "So, do you suppose Jansen helped him get out of prison early so he could help with this?"

  "That's what I'm wondering, too," Alana said.

  "This is all really interesting, but can we use any of it? What do you think we should do next?"

  Alana sighed and said, "I think we have to tell John."

  Kelli sighed, but agreed. "Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. As much as I'm not looking forward to Cal's reaction when he finds out I took you shopping, I think we have to."

  "Yeah, I don't even want to think about what John's going to say or do when he finds out, but I don't think we have any choice. I think we have to tell John everything we found out, and let him handle it. I just hope he'll know who he can trust and who he can't in the police department and can take this information to the right people."

  "Yeah, me, too," Kelli said sincerely. "So when are you going to tell him, and should we do it together or separately?"

  "Let's tell them together so they know we're not trying to hide anything from either of them. We can answer any questions they ask, and maybe the four of us together can make more sense out of this whole thing."

  Kelli nodded her head in agreement. "Let's call the guys and see if they'll come over here. We can order pizza or Chinese and stay here and tell them everything."

  Alana agreed, and they took out their phones and made the calls. They told the men that the two of them wanted to talk to them about something important. Of course John and Cal both agreed and said they'd be there shortly.

  Alana leaned back into the corner of the couch and said, "I feel like I'm sitting outside the principal's office waiting to be called in for a discussion I'm sure I don't want to have."

  Kelli nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean." They tried to find something else to talk about to get their minds off their impending doom, but nothing worked.

  Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Cal arrived quickly. He gave Kelli a quick kiss and asked, "What's up?" When she didn't answer immediately, he took a better look at the girls. "What have you two done?"

  Before they had a chance to say anything, John rang the doorbell. Alana answered and after John gave her a kiss he took one look at her and asked, "Does this have something to do with whatever it was that was bothering you last night?" She nodded, and he said, "And I take it involves both of you?"

  Again she nodded, and said, "Let's all sit down and we'll explain everything."

  John shot a puzzled and concerned look over at Cal, who said, "I have no idea what this is all about, either, John, but I don't think it's good news."

  "No, it's not," Kelli whispered.

  Chapter 8

  They all sat down, Alana beside John on the couch, and Kelli beside Cal on the love seat, and Alana began. "First off, we want you to know we're sorry, but we know it's a little late for that."

  Seeing the looks on their faces, she held up her hand and quickly said, "But I'm going to get right to it. We went shopping two days ago, at Newjangles Department Store. They have an annual sale every year and we've gone to it together for at least the last five years now. I know that Kelli wasn't supposed to drive, and I know it blew my budget, and we both admit that. We're both willing to accept the spankings we know you're going to give us."

  Cal said, "I'm glad to hear that you admit you've earned them. But if you knew it was wrong, why did you go?"

  Kelli answered, "I'll answer that and any other questions you have, Cal, but hear us out. Unfortunately, she hasn't gotten to the bad part yet."

  Both men's eyebrows shot up and they looked directly at the young women who meant so much to them.

  Alana said, "She's right, John. We'll both answer any questions you have, and I'm sure you'll have some, but let me go on, even though you won't like my next admission."

  They nodded, and Alana continued. "I bought some shoes." She hated the look of disappointment she saw on John's face, but she forced herself to continue. "When we got home I tried the shoes on, but I found something in the shoebox besides the shoes." As she reached into her pocket she said, "This was hidden in the box among the paper." She handed John the ruby.

  John looked at it and handed it to Cal. His face showed his concern as he asked, "A ruby?"

  "That was our guess, too, but we're not sure. We remembered hearing something on the news about stolen gems and jewelry, so we read the papers and looked on the Internet to find what we could about it. Apparently the FBI was working on the case, but they think there's some connection here locally and have turned it over to the police department?" She looked at John for confirmation.

  "That's my understanding, as well, although I'm not sure they've turned it over to us. It's probably more a case of they're letting us lead the investigation now. I haven't worked on the case much, though, so I don't know a lot about it. I need to call my sergeant, though, and tell him about this right away."

  "No, don't, not yet," Alana said quickly, almost in a panic. "There's more. Hear us out and then you can call whoever you want."

  "Okay, go on," John said, sensing they had something important to add.

  Alana continued, "We thought back to what all had happened while we were there, and we realized the store security guard and the shoe department employee had gone into the back room to talk, and we heard part of their conversation because we were close. Long story short, we did some research, and here's what we can tell you."

  John and Cal were making a visible effort to be patient as they listened to the girls' story.

  "We'll start with the two people involved. John, the security guard is a police officer."

  John sat up straighter. "Who?"

  "Phil Jansen."

  Cal asked, "Do you know him, John?"

  "Not well. I know who he is, obviously, but I don't know him well. Go on."

  Kelli said, "The other one, the store employee, is Jason Wilson. He has a felony record, has been in prison twice."

  "I'm surprised he was hired at Newjangles with that criminal history," John said thoughtfully. I wonder if the store management is involved."

  Alana explained, "Not necessarily, but maybe. The owner of the store is his stepfather."

  "And you know this how?" John asked with narrowed eyes.

  "Research on the Internet," Alana answered honestly. "But here's something else. Both times he was arrested, the arresting officer was Phil Jansen." John's eyebrows shot upward as Alana went on. "But the last time he was in prison he got an early release, due in large part to Jansen testifying on his behalf, saying he can tell he's changed this time and is getting his life back on track."

  "So Jansen put him in prison, and then got him released early," John mumbled, obviously in thought.

  Kelli asked, "Is it possible he got him out just so he could use him, make him do this?"

  John looked seriously at both girls. "What makes you ask that? Do you know something else?"

/>   Alana assured him, "No, no, nothing like that. We talked about it, and that's the only possible reason we could come up with. It seems strange to us."

  "I'd say your guess is pretty close, but that's just a guess on my part, too. Is there anything else you have to tell me?"

  The girls glanced at each other, and Alana said, "They're expecting another shipment Friday night."

  "This Friday night?" John was pacing now.

  "I assume this Friday night. They just said Friday night. They were talking about the missing stone. Jansen said 'The Sarge' is not happy about the missing stone, and told Wilson to keep looking for it. He also said The Sarge said there better not be any more misplaced merchandise, and if Wilson doesn't find it he better hope it never surfaces."

  "The Sarge? Do you have any idea who that might be?"

  "None," Kelli answered. "He never said anything else about him that gave us any clues. Do you think it's a sergeant in the police department?"

  "I was wondering that same thing," John said.

  Alana said, "It worries me, John. How do you know who you can go to in the police department and who you can't?"

  "I'm going to have to think about it. Is there anything else?"

  "Not that I can think of," Alana said. "Kelli, did we forget anything?"

  "Not that I can think of, either. What happens now?"

  John looked from Alana to Kelli, and back again. "First things first, girls. I think I speak for Cal, too, when I say you two are in big trouble, but we'll deal with that later."

  "Absolutely," Cal said. "We will be having a long discussion about what all happened, but that will have to wait. Right now we have to concentrate on the urgency of the situation."

  Nodding in agreement, John said, "We're going to have to work together on this. When I decide whom to go to, I'm sure they're going to want to talk to you two and make sure they have all the information you heard. You both need to be thinking back on the conversation you overheard. If there's anything else, no matter how small it seems, tell me as soon as you can. Any name or place, or any little phrase you may remember may become important."

  Both girls agreed, and promised they'd cooperate as much as possible. Alana anxiously asked, "So what are you going to do, John?"

  "I've got to think about this a little bit before I do anything. I've got to figure out whom I can trust and whom I can't. Whoever I decide to talk to, though, I've got to do it real soon. We've got to get things set up to intercept this shipment coming in the day after tomorrow."

  "John," Cal asked. "Didn't you say not too long ago that something about your sergeant just doesn't sit right with you?"

  "Yeah. I just never felt totally comfortable around him for some reason."

  "Do you think maybe he's The Sarge they were talking about?"

  "Who knows. There are a lot of sergeants on the police force, but he could be the one. I know I don't trust him enough to go to him with this information."

  Alana looked concerned when she asked, "Who do you feel you can trust?"

  "My partner, Joe. I think I'll call him and see if he can come over. Between us we'll see who else we should trust." He took his phone out and made a call.

  Twenty minutes later Joe was asking the girls questions about what they heard and saw. They were much the same questions John had asked, but the girls answered them all patiently.

  Joe told them he had a safe at his house and offered to keep the ruby, but when they told him they'd feel better keeping it so they'd have it for the chain of evidence, he agreed. Alana had seen enough cop shows on television to know the chain of evidence was important. "If I give it to you I won't honestly be able to say it's the one I found," she explained. "I'll feel a lot better if I keep it so there can be no question about it. I've found a pretty good place to hide it, so I'm sure it'll be fine."

  Joe readily agreed, "Yeah, you're probably right. I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. The attorneys would probably make a big thing about not being able to positively identify it." Looking at both of the girls again he asked, "Is there anything else you can remember that either one of them said?"

  "No, not that I can remember," Kelli answered.

  "I don't think so," Alana echoed.

  Joe looked at John and asked, "What's your gut telling you on this? You usually have a pretty good feel for things like this."

  "I'm not really sure. Sergeant Cutter hasn't been our sergeant all that long, and I guess I don't know him well enough to feel comfortable going to him. How about you?"

  "Yeah, I feel pretty much the same way. He's probably okay, but I don't know him well enough yet. The more I think about it, I don't really know any of the sergeants all that well. Do you?"

  "Not really," John answered. "Now that you asked me that, no, I don't know any of them all that well. Since he called one of them The Sarge, maybe we should eliminate all the sergeants."

  "I was thinking the same thing." He paused a moment before tentatively asking, "What do you think about going straight to the chief?"

  John sighed and said, "I've been wondering about that myself. He'll be involved in whatever plan they organize to catch them, anyway, so maybe we should just go straight to him and let him decide who he wants to bring in on it."

  "Let him decide who to trust and who not to."

  They talked a couple more minutes, and when they both felt comfortable with the idea they called the chief at his home and went to talk to him. Before he left, John said, "Girls, I don't feel real good about you two having this information, or the ruby, so I want you both to stay here until I get back." Turning to his brother, he asked, "Cal, can you—"

  "I'll be here when you get back, and I'll make sure they both stay here and are safe while you're gone. Good luck, John."

  "Thanks, Cal. I appreciate your help."

  "That's what brothers are for."

  After John and Joe left, the three of them talked. Kelli asked, "What do you think John was worried about? We aren't in any danger, are we?"

  Cal, whose arm had been around her shoulders or waist practically all evening, pulled her tighter against him. "I'm not real sure, Sweetie, but I trust my brother on this. He can at times be a bit overprotective with the people he cares about—"

  "No kidding," Alana mused.

  They all smiled. Then Cal continued, "But if he's concerned, I think we need to listen to him. When he gets back tonight after talking to his chief, he'll probably know more. Then he can explain to us why he's concerned. Until then we'll just stay here and stay inside. Do you two want to watch a movie? Are you hungry? Do you want me to order a pizza?"

  "I'm not really hungry," Alana said, "just nervous."

  "Me, too," Kelli agreed.

  "You should eat something," Cal said, always concerned about Kelli's lack of concern for nutritional meals.

  "Let's cook some dinner here," Alana suggested. "Maybe it'll get our mind off this for a little while."

  "Good idea," Kelli agreed. "What are we going to fix?"

  "I think I have everything we'll need to make lasagna. That should keep us occupied for a while. How does that sound?"

  She was looking at Kelli for a response, but Cal smiled and said, "I think it sounds like a delicious idea!"

  Cal went to the kitchen as well, hoping to help steer their conversation away from the subject at hand.

  An hour later they had lasagna in the oven, lettuce torn for a salad, salad dressing made and stored in a separate bowl in the refrigerator, and a loaf of French bread split, spread with garlic butter and sprinkled with cheese, ready to go in the oven when the lasagna came out.

  "I think we've got everything pretty well ready," Kelli said as they sat down in the living room.

  "Oh, I forgot about dessert," Alana said. "What can we make for that?"

  "Who's going to have room for dessert?" Kelli asked.

  "I have to agree there," Cal said. "I don't think anyone's going to miss dessert a bit."

  "I have some real
ly good ice cream," Alana said. "If we're hungry we'll have ice cream."

  "Sounds perfect," Cal assured her.

  Fifteen minutes later, just as they took the lasagna out of the oven, John returned. Alana popped the bread in the oven while they set the table. John told them all what he found out over dinner.

  "The chief is going to call together a bunch of people tomorrow and we'll make our plans. We're going to be there waiting for the shipment Friday night. Hopefully we can catch the driver or drivers, along with anyone else that's there to help unload, and Wilson and Jansen. If Jansen's not there, the chief said he'll send someone over to pick him up at his house."

  Alana asked, "That won't tell you who's behind this whole operation, though, will it?"

  John chuckled as he said, "You have been watching too many cop shows, Alana. You're right, though. We're hoping there's not many of them and all or most of them are there to help unload, or that they'll answer our questions after they're arrested, in exchange for a lighter sentence."

  Cal was the first one to ask, "Before you left you were concerned about the girls being safe. What's that all about?"

  "I'm probably worried more than I need to be, but I don't like the idea of anyone knowing they're in any way involved in this investigation. In fact, Chief Nelson wanted you two to go into the station tomorrow so the group of officers that he assembles will be able to ask you questions about what you heard and saw. He's hoping if we're all there talking about it someone will say something that will remind you of something one of them may have said, that you'd forgotten about."

  "So we have to go in there tomorrow?" Kelli looked worried as she asked the question.

  "No, you don't," he assured them. I told the chief I wasn't comfortable with that idea because if other officers were involved they might see you at the station answering questions. We talked about it, the benefits versus the possible problems, and he agreed to come over tonight instead."

  "Tonight?" Alana looked at him, eyes wide. "He's coming over here tonight?"

  "Yes. He's going to get one or two officers he trusts, and they'll come over to ask you questions here instead of at the station." Sensing some hesitation on her part, he asked, "Is that a problem?"