“Can I take a message or you could try his cell?”
“He’s got a cell phone?” she questioned, wishing she had had that information before trying his home.
On his fixed income and school expenses she hadn’t imagined he could afford a phone as well, but then again every kid eight and older had a cell phone these days.
“Yup, not for very long. Would you like the number?”
“That would be helpful, thank you,” her pulse slowing, with the cheerful mood of the call.
“You ready? 229-412-3838, don’t have any idea where he is tonight but you are welcome to give him a try. Do you mind me asking what this is in reference to?” his mother questioned the stranger.
“No, not at all, this is Blanche Delaney, I work with Seymour at the library. I just had a couple of work related questions for him. While I’ve got you, I must tell you, he’s a very courteous young man and a pleasure to work with.”
“Thank you, thank you very much, it’s nice to hear once in awhile that your efforts are paying off. Hasn’t been easy ‘round here since his father passed but don’t know what I'd do without him. I’ve heard him talk about you. You the pretty red haired woman?”
Blanche could feel her cheeks warming and reflexively turning red, “I guess you could say my hair is a shade of red, everybody else at the library is graying so guess that would be me.”
“Well, this here boy of mine has got a tender heart and I believe a pretty big crush on you. I’d appreciate it if you’d be careful with his feelings,” his mother said, worried that she had perhaps overstepped her bounds but forging ahead anyway.
“No, no, it’s not like that at all, just needing to talk about some shift changes we’re considering and I needed his input.”
“Well that’s fine, he’s a grown man and all, but just don’t want to see him get hurt, if you know what I mean,” the concerned mother continued.
“I certainly appreciate your concern and will do all I can to avoid causing your son any distress,” Blanche replied. “Thanks for the phone number and it was nice talking with you Mrs. Wood, good night.”
His mother’s tone gave her pause. The phone shook in her hand as she considered both the up and down sides of making the call. Her mind made up she pressed the digits and lifted the small phone to her ear, a pause much longer than she expected, then a ring, ring, ring, ring, finally someone picked up at the other end.
“Hello Blanche, that really you?” the voice said.
“Yeah, it’s really me, how are you?” she excitedly said into her cellular.
“I can’t believe you’ve finally found time to phone me, thought maybe you’d forgotten about your best friend,” Holly said.
“Never, no way, just been so crazy with trying to get my life settled here and everything. You know how it can be?” Blanche responded.
The old friends picked up their conversation like it had been yesterday that they had talked last. The librarian filled her friend in on what she’d been doing, information about the job and the area. Holly was anxious to hear all that but was more than a little interested to hear about Blanche’s love life.
“So, I can tell you’ve been avoiding the topic, but what about the men out there, any Southern Gentleman calling on you,” she said, with a distinctively fake Southern accent.
Blanche filled her in on meeting Jasper and Rufus, and the bodybuilding thing that was happening the next day, as well as her run-in with Mikey and company.
“Blanche, you have got to be more careful, a babelicious little nugget like yourself is gonna attract every swingin’ dick in the county with a pea-sized brain controlling it,” Holly said laughing at her end.
“You sure know how to turn a phrase Holly, and with so much tact as well.”
They continued to joke with one another for some time not realizing how long they’d been talking or how much this call would cost Blanche. At the end of the call, Holly tried to be a bit more serious, expressing love and true concern for her friend located so far away.
“Really Blanche, how are you, you okay?”
“Holly, I have to tell you, I really miss you and everybody there, but moving here is the best thing I think I’ve ever done. I love my job, Valdosta is great, and I’ve had this funny feeling lately, it’s hard to describe, but I think it’s what happiness must feel like,” Blanche expressed.
She lay back on her bed and continued, saying more than she had intended to, “And I’ve met a young guy that makes me feel good, makes me feel special. Not so much in a love interest kind of way, but just makes me feel important and that I make a difference.”
“Blanche, I’m so happy for you and glad that it’s going well there. I miss you too, but I know you did what you knew you had to. So tell me, how much younger is he. What’s his name? You know, all the good stuff.” Holly anxiously awaited the answers.
“Well, he’s only 24, so that’s why I said he can’t really be a love interest or anything, but his name is Seymour, Seymour Wood,” Blanche detailed.
A loud laugh burst through the line that originated in Arizona and wound up in Georgia causing Blanche to push the phone away from her ear. Holly went on for what seemed like a minute or two before she could get herself under control.
“What? What’s so funny about a young guy maybe being into me, it’s only 9 years. I’ve seen worse and the fact that I’m his boss shouldn’t have anything to do with it.”
Holly finally contained her laughter and continued to snicker when she replied, “Oh Blanche, you are just too cute and naive. I think it’s great that you’ve got a younger admirer. Hold on a minute, did you just say you’re his boss. Oh that’s perfect, just perfect,” she started laughing again.
“What is so damn funny?” Blanche was starting to get a little irritated that her friend was having so much fun at her expense.
“It’s not that at all, it’s his name. Seymour Wood,” Holly chucked into the phone.
“I don’t get it, what’s the deal?”
“Are you serious, Blanche? You are kidding right?” her friend asked.
“No, I know it’s an old school name but I don’t find it that funny.”
“Blanche listen, k. Just listen. See More Wood,” Holly said, with distinct gaps in the syllables.
“Yeah, so what?”
Holly was stupefied, “Wood, Blanche, Wood. His last name is Wood! You know erection, stiff dick, hardon, woody.....See More Wood.”
“Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh, Holly! I’d never even..., oh that is kind of funny. Bet he gets crap for that all the time.”
The two shared a good laugh that only the best of friends can share; all that was missing was the extended hug that should follow.
After having caught up with each other, and everything, the two parted, a promise to talk again soon. Blanche placed the phone on the bed next to her, new thoughts flooding her mind, thoughts of home, Holly and Seymour.
“Seymour Wood,” she said it out loud, and laughed again before getting ready for bed.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Sheriff, can you give us any more information about the nature of the crime and the injuries sustained by the victim?” the reporter for the newspaper inquired.
Sheriff Angelo Lupo, or 'The Wolf' as he was known by his fellow officers, stood before a handful of reporters gathered at the front steps of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, a two story structure with offices, conference area and a computerized dispatch room. The two-acre facility was dotted with other buildings, including a minimum-security lockup, motor pool and forensics labs with an annex to the main structure. There were a cluster of microphones arrayed before him that he didn’t feel was necessary, but the techno types had insisted.
“Now I know you all are anxious to get the details about the crime in question but we are not prepared to share very much with the public at this time. I can tell you that we believe the episode a short time ago, involving Ms. Riddle, and this latest event are linked. We believe
they perhaps involve the same individual or individuals. Our investigation is ongoing but for now our leads are limited and we could use your help in getting the word out to the public to report anything suspicious, and to double check that their homes are secure before turning in for the night. We are not releasing the name of the most recent victim but we can report and stress that she was not harmed as the crime was perpetrated. She was taken to the hospital with minor injuries from a fall she took once she discovered the nature of the crime and she has since been released. Our office will be conducting the investigation with the cooperation of the Valdosta Police Department and the State Police if necessary. The crime was committed beyond the city limits and that is why our department is involved. You’ll note that we had responders from several jurisdictions yesterday and we’d like to thank all those involved that helped us secure the scene, and who are and will help, in the processing of clues found at the location.”
A balding, mousey little reporter interrupted the Sheriff, “So there are some clues that were left at the scene?”
The broad chested Sheriff stared the reporter down, not accustomed to being interrupted, “I said, we are not prepared to release any details at this time and I’ll take a couple of questions but nothing related to the scene, victim or our investigation at large.”
The same diminutive reporter spoke up, a high pitched whine accentuating his nasal tone, “You indicated that you believe the Riddle woman and this latest crime are somehow related, can you expand on that thought?”
“Not at this time. Next question,” Angelo curtly replied, wondering if the dogs in the back were having issues with the reporter’s voice.
A beautiful, young and very eager woman stepped forward, her hand waving in the air, “Sheriff are you able to clarify the nature of the crime. We’d like to inform the public if their safety is at risk? Secondly, does your department handle this type of crime regularly and are you equipped to deal with a serial criminal as it seems we have here?”
“Let me first say that the Lowndes County Sheriff Department is perfectly capable of dealing with this type of criminal behavior. We have seasoned veterans on our staff that have worked similar cases and I have no doubt that we will bring the perpetrator to justice quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, we have been assured if outside resources are needed and requested that they will be made readily available to this office. I cannot stress enough that in both of these crimes; the victims were not physically harmed. They were shaken up, as anyone would be under similar circumstances, but neither victim confronted the subject in question or was assaulted in any way.
We believe the public to be safe for the present time but vigilance is the key. I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that we're not dealing with a classic serial criminal as you've suggested, but I believe as we thought in the first instance, that this is more of a prank, most likely kids with too much time on their hands. Thank you for coming; we will notify you when we are prepared to release further details. Good day.” He slipped his aviator style sunglasses on but gave the annoying little reporter a stern look over the top of the shades before sliding them on fully. Questions continued to be fired at him as he turned his back on the small group and walked up the stairs that led to the front entrance of his domain.
Sheriff Lupo was a very no nonsense kind of guy, from Italian descent but raised in the suburbs of Savannah, he spoke no Italian but could understand some of the older family members that spoke a combination of English and Italian, he liked to call Itanglish. His father had served in Vietnam as a grunt, fighting the Viet Cong in the fields and villages all along the Laos and Cambodian borders. He’d returned home with two Purple Hearts, Silver and a Bronze Star and had taught his son the value of patriotism, love of country and the importance of selfless service. Angelo had learned at a young age that there was a time for patience and understanding and a time to kick some ass. Well into his third term for the people of Lowndes County, Sheriff Lupo was elected rather than appointed, he was not only respected but liked by the populous, and in the most recent election he had run unopposed.
Early in life his friends had nicknamed him ‘The Wolf’, as Lupo denotes wolf in Italian, but more for his tenacious personality, once he set his mind to something he wouldn’t leave it alone until he’d conquered it. This ‘never give up’ attribute had served him well as Sheriff. 'The Wolf' was a big man, 230 lbs, with a broad hairy chest, tight abs and arms that had done their share of lifting. Two tours of duty in Iraq with Delta Force had honed his skills and his compassion for the weak and oppressed. He’d seen battle not only in the streets of Baghdad and Tikrit, but also on almost every major military base on the planet. He’d held the Heavyweight Division Championship belt for 8 years running and his knockout record still held firm.
It had just been over 24 hours since they discovered Ms. Katherine Criddle lying near her entry on the floor, a small bruise on her temple but otherwise unharmed. Finding her living room in its reorganized state with the words emblazoned across her wall, ‘We’re Back’, was more than she could take and she had fainted, hitting her head on the edge of the television. First to arrive on the scene were the Valdosta PD, two squad cars blocked off the street and cordoned off the area so a thorough search could be conducted. Once they were confident that the perpetrator was no longer on the premises, they had allowed the ambulance crew into the house to assist Ms. Criddle and get her to the hospital for a complete assessment. The Sheriff’s Office arrived a short time later, Angelo taking command of the scene after extending his sincere thanks to the men and women who had been first to assist. No one was allowed into the house once the ambulance had departed except for Angelo who did a cursory walk through to get his first impressions while the scene was still untouched.
Several things stuck out in his mind, and without a statement from the owner, he was unsure if they were pertinent or not. She had said, as they were wheeling her to the ambulance, “He moved my furniture. Who does that? Who goes into a person’s home and rearranges their furniture?” It appeared the motive for the intrusion was not theft. Typically a burglar wants to get in and out in the least amount of time, capitalizing on small, expensive items that won’t slow him down as he makes his departure, but here it was in reverse. He still didn’t know if anything had been taken but the perp had spent hours in this home. It would take time and an agenda to perform such unusual tasks. He stood facing the text on the wall, saying the words over and over again, letting it sink in and trying to determine the meaning, “We’re back. We’re back...Who’s back?” He suspected this was in reference to the Riddle woman and the connection between the two, indicating that they had successfully pulled off another break and enter, but he still could not put his finger on a motive other than that which he alluded to with the press. Some individual or group was having some fun at the expense of these poor women and the authorities. Adding to the list in his head, he noted that the furniture was undamaged but simply moved about in what might be considered a functional layout for the items within the room, however, the kitchen was a different story.
'The Wolf' called the deputy with the digital camera into the kitchen, “Get some shots of this before forensics gets here.”
The deputy carefully and methodically photographed the entire kitchen, paying special attention to the table and chairs and the items sitting on the drying towel near the sink. Sitting toward the top of the chair pyramid was the small item that Katie had noted earlier in the day. It had not been disturbed. The Sheriff directed the deputy to get a couple pictures of the item before he reached up with a pair of rubber tipped tweezers to bring it down. He closely inspected the picture, checking the front and back of the Polaroid image before placing it into a clear, plastic evidence bag.
“Sheriff, Sheriff Lupo, the K-9 unit is here,” another deputy yelled from the driveway as a station wagon styled sheriff’s vehicle pulled in front of the house. A petite woman dressed in a uniform stepped out of the wagon and put on
her hat, brown sun-streaked locks extended from the hat to her shoulders, framing a pretty face with an upturned, button nose. Her skin was darkly tanned with a golden hue accentuating taut, lean muscles. She stood five foot two and could not have weighed more than 120 lbs. Deputy Natalie Guest was the newest member of the department, with little experience but a fiery temperament.
The tiny young graduate had quickly won the respect of her male counterparts when, on her first day, one of the men had jokingly patted her on the bottom and said something about her small stature. Her response had been quick and decisive. She had spun, jumping in the same motion, bringing both legs high off the ground, whipping the right leg out with the foot extended to the height of the male officer's nose, breaking it across the bridge. Her skills, demonstrated for the office, left little doubt that the young officer could take care of herself. Being a black belt from the age of 17 had paid off on more than this occasion, but she had felt bad and admitted that it was an overreaction. The officer in question was now her most vocal supporter and he enjoyed the friendship that had developed since the incident.
Natalie had been hired to serve as a full time deputy based on one skill and one skill alone, she had an uncanny ability to communicate with dogs. Her reputation had preceded her with the highest recommendation from the academy where she had received her training. They had reported that it was almost magical the way she could read a dog's signals and the animals responded to her like no other trainee. 'The Wolf' had been looking for such an officer for some time and was happy to bring Ms. Guest into the fold. He suspected she would have to win the hearts and minds of the other officers, as each new recruit had done prior to her, but he was surprised in the manner in which it happened, however, a broken nose is much easier to deal with than a sexual harassment claim.
Officer Guest retrieved the shepherd from the back of the K-9 Unit and stood near the vehicle awaiting instructions from her boss. A moment later, the Sheriff exited the home and approached the small woman. Seeing the hulking frame of Angelo towering over Natalie was almost comical as the other officers looked on. Her size made absolutely no difference to Sheriff Lupo, he knew of her abilities and he intended to capitalize on them to help solve this crime.
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