Once Upon a Summer

by Brooke Moss

  “Shut up.”

  “Go shower.”

  ***

  Thursday morning, we stopped for fried egg sandwiches and coffee on our way to the beach. Jake and Logan were headed to a farmer’s market to stock up on goodies. Jake had discovered Logan was a babe magnet. I got the feeling Jake might get a pup of his own when we left on Sunday. As we walked through the town, I pulled up short in front of an office.

  “What’s going on?” Linda asked.

  “My mind is stuck. I need something to distract me.”

  “From the hot and sweaty sex?”

  “Hush. Just follow my lead.”

  I walked into the real estate office. Inside were pictures of numerous houses for sale. Some were quaint little cottages. Others were massive. And everything in between. A lady named Cynthia came forward and offered to help.

  “I’m wondering if there are any people who rent out their vacation homes,” I said.

  “Of course. We have quite a few who are willing to do that. Many of them use our offices to screen clients. I’d be happy to show you some properties.”

  Over Cynthia’s shoulder I saw Linda roll her eyes. This was the last thing she wanted to do this morning. I persuaded Cynthia to give me a map of the area and a number of data sheets about the rental properties. She also gave me pages on a couple of units that were for sale. Jamming the papers into my straw bag, we went to our favorite spot on the beach.

  Linda stripped off her shorts and cover up. She threw them at me as I anchored my towel on the sand. “What are you up to?”

  “Nothing. Just curious about the area. It’s so nice here.” I took the bottle of sunscreen from her and began to cover her back and shoulders.

  “Bullshit, Jamie. I’ve known you forever. And I can hear the gears turning on your brain. You’re up to something. And it’s not late night skinny dipping off Randy’s boat.”

  “That’s a great idea!”

  She grabbed the bottle and squirted lotion on my shoulder. “Start talking.”

  During yesterday morning’s adventure, the uniformed officer casually mentioned the address of the earlier break in. It got me thinking about a pattern. The map was laid out on the towel. Linda dug a pencil from her bag. We circled the two locations. According to the information from the real estate office, there were four other houses nearby available for rent or sale. Which meant they were probably unoccupied right now.

  “You’re not going to let this go,” she said with disgust.

  “I’m just curious. What can it hurt?”

  “With you, that’s hard to say.”

  I called Cynthia. We made arrangements to go see the four houses later this afternoon. Now that I had a plan, I could relax. Stretching out on the towels, we talked about the concert.

  “There were several good looking men hanging around you,” I said. “Nobody caught your eye?”

  She was on her back, arms relaxed at her side. It was almost as if I could hear her skin toasting in the sunshine. “Nope. I didn’t come on this trip looking for romance. And I’m not interested in some one-night-stand with an aspiring lawyer from Chicago.”

  “I never expected to meet a guy.”

  “Sometimes, it just happens. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you and Randy connected. Besides, it’s fun to tease you.”

  “Glad my romantic activities have been the source of your entertainment.”

  “You deserve to have some fun, Jamie. Randy certainly enjoys your company. But, I wish you’d leave the investigating to the cops.”

  “Figuring out what’s going on with those robberies is fun.”

  She got up and threw a handful of sand at my stomach before heading for the lake. “You are very weird.”

  “But that’s why you love me.” I chased after her.

  “Sad, but true.”

  ***

  Cynthia was ready when we got back to the office. We started with the one closest to the scene of yesterday’s home invasion. It was more of a home than a cottage, with three large bedrooms, a combination great room and kitchen and a big screened in porch. There was no sign of anything out of order. The second house was a little farther away. This was more of a quaint little cottage. Nothing was disturbed, but it didn’t look like there was much of value there. Cynthia chatted away as we pulled up to house number three. Suddenly, my nerves tingled. Was this how Spider Gwen felt?

  Each house had a realtor’s lock box on the front door, where a key was kept. As we started up the driveway, I stepped behind Cynthia and caught Linda’s eye. Reluctantly she began talking about the landscaping. Linda led her away from the door. I dashed into the backyard. At first, the house just looked empty and dark. But when I got to the rear door, I saw the pry marks on the wooden frame. Standing on my tiptoes, I could see in the kitchen window. The place was trashed. I ran around front before they got to the door.

  “Call Jared.”

  Linda dug in her purse. Confusion clouded Cynthia’s face. Gently I guided her back to the car and explained what was going on. Linda joined us a moment later.

  “Jared said, and I’m quoting here, ‘stay out of the damn house’.”

  “I didn’t go in. Just saw the door and peeked in the window.”

  Less than ten minutes later, Jared arrived. A patrol car followed. Jared marched up the driveway and stood glaring at us for a moment. He knew Cynthia. After confirming her role in the discovery, Jared sent her on her way. He looked at me and shook his head in disgust. But I could see the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile.

  “Tell me what you figured out.”

  Spreading the map on the hood of his car, I laid it out for him. Linda joined in, describing the two other homes we visited. She also pointed out the next one on our list. All three properties that had been hit were within a mile of each other. Easy to cover on a bike or on foot. Jared sent the patrol car over to check the last place.

  “Going to the real estate office was a good idea,” he said reluctantly. “Got any others you’d like to share?”

  Linda shook her head, the mass of dark curls swayed in the breeze. Jared glanced at me.

  “All the break-ins were on the south side of the marina. From what we saw the other day, the north side has some very extravagant places. Has there been any action over there?”

  “Not that we’ve heard about. The majority of the folks with cottages to the north will be there all summer long. Still, it’s worth checking out.”

  Jared called the station. He sent another patrol unit to the real estate office to pick up a list of rental and sale properties from the north side. From there they would go inspect each unit for any signs of trouble. He had parked beneath a tree, so the car was comfortable in the shade. Linda and I sat on the hood, legs dangling off the side. Jared waited for the county’s forensic crew to arrive.

  “Know what troubles me?” I asked.

  “It’s certainly not a lack of pheromones,” Linda muttered.

  Jared scrubbed his face with his palms. “Okay, I’ll bite. What troubles you?”

  “What are they doing with the merchandise? Even if it is kids, they’ve got to stash it somewhere. The booze they’ll drink, but what about the other items. And the artwork doesn’t fit in. Teenagers are not going to grab paintings or sculptures.”

  “Unless the paintings were of naked teenage girls,” Linda said.

  Jared’s eyed her quizzically. “Oh yeah. High school teacher. So what do you think?”

  “I’m thinking someone’s garage or storage unit. Are there any nearby that can be rented? I didn’t notice anything when we were driving into town, but wasn’t really looking for one.”

  “There are several places, mostly on the outskirts of the city. Some vacationers will keep their boats or wave runners there. Or other equipment. We can talk to the owners but without probable cause, I can’t get a warrant.”

  I drummed my fingers on the hood. Linda poked me in the ribs. We were interrupted as the crime scene van arrived. J
ared held up a palm, indicating he wasn’t done with us yet. So we sat in the shade and waited.

  “Is this part of some merit badge you never got as a kid?” Linda asked. “If you keep this up, maybe they’ll make you a junior detective.”

  “It’s a mystery. I just want to figure it out.”

  “We could be basking in the sun.”

  I pointed to the front lawn, which was flooded in bright sunshine. “Bask away.”

  Half an hour later, Jared was back. “Looks like a bigger score. A couple of flat screen televisions, more booze and two more paintings were taken. The owners said there was also a small wooden box, with intricate carvings on it, that’s kind of a family heirloom. The wife kept her jewelry in it. A couple of nice diamonds and a pair of emerald earrings. They didn’t break anything, just like the last place. Drawers and cupboards were open, closets gone through. This wasn’t a five-minute job. These guys took their time.”

  “So we need to figure out how they’re hauling all this away and what they’re doing with the goodies,” I said.

  It took me a moment to realize Jared was smiling. Not a broad grin, but something that might build up to it. He stared beyond us at a house across the street.

  “What’s up, Columbo?”

  The grin went up another notch. “The owners tell me the house across the street is owned by a friendly guy from Lansing. The friendly guy owns a security business. He’s forever upgrading his system. Last summer he installed some cameras around the outside of the house as well. High definition stuff.”

  “And the cameras?” Linda asked.

  “Just so happen to cover the front of this property.”

  I looked over my shoulder at the other house. “So you can see what kind of vehicle was used. And maybe get a plate.”

  “Got it in one,” Jared said.

  Not only did the neighbor have video cameras, the system was always on. He could also access it remotely. Jared took a call a few minutes later. The guy had checked the files. The homeowners had been there the previous weekend. On Monday night at eleven-fifty-five, a dark blue or black van pulled into the driveway. It went all the way to the rear of the house. The van was parked until three-nineteen Tuesday morning when it reversed down the driveway. Then it swung right and slowly drove out of the camera range. The neighbor was emailing the video file. Jared was anxious to view it at the police station, on a bigger screen. Linda and I climbed off the hood as he headed around to the driver’s door.

  “See ya later,” I said.

  “What do you mean?”

  I shrugged. “As in, we’re going home. More than likely, we’ll see you later.”

  “Don’t you want to see the video?”

  “You’re going to let us tag along?”

  Jared slid his sunglasses down his nose and looked over the frames at us. “We wouldn’t have learned about this crime yet, or the one yesterday, if it wasn’t for the two of you. With your help, we may be able to catch these guys soon and recover the goods. So get in the damn car. You can go with me to the station or I’ll give you a ride home. Your choice.”

  Linda giggled and grabbed the handle for the front door. “Shotgun. Can I play with the siren on the way?”

  “You’re as bad as my kids,” he muttered, climbing behind the wheel.

  ***

  We went into a conference room at the station. On a big wall mounted screen, Jared pulled up the video from his email. Together we watched it several times at regular speed. Then we did it slowly, advancing the frames one at a time to get as much detail as we could. The lighting wasn’t great. There was no natural light and no streetlights nearby. If there was supposed to be a light bulb above the license plate, it had been loosened or removed. We were about to view it again when Jared got a call. He didn’t say much.

  “We’re checking to see if there are any merchants on the main roads who have exterior security cameras. Unless the guy drove past one of those or a bank with an ATM camera, we may be out of luck.”

  Linda glanced at me. The initial excitement of discovery and being part of the investigation had worn off. It was already six o’clock. Jake was cooking dinner and expected us within half an hour. I picked up on her vibe.

  “We should take off. Something tells me you’re going to be at this a while,” I said. “Can you give drive us home?”

  Jared flashed a quick grin. “Arrangements have been made.”

  “What arrangements?” Linda asked.

  The door to the conference room opened. Randy entered, beaming his crooked grin. “Your limousine awaits.”

  I leaned over and kissed Jared on the cheek. “Go get ‘em, Columbo.”

  “Damn straight. Thanks again for your help. I’ve got patrol units checking rental homes on both sides of town. If we’re lucky, we won’t find any other crime scenes.”

  ***

  Jake insisted Randy stay for dinner. He had enough food for six people. There were grilled tuna steaks, potato wedges and a salad teeming with fresh produce. He’d even picked up a lemon meringue pie from a bakery near the farmer’s market. We sat around the hexagonal picnic table, enjoying a leisurely meal. I thought Randy might be uncomfortable but he and Jake quickly hit it off. Logan entertained by fetching beers from the washtub. We filled in the guys on the day’s discovery. Jake slowly shook his head.

  “Sorry state of affairs. Kids breaking into people’s houses like that. This isn’t the big city. We don’t get much crime. Ain’t been a murder up here in forever.”

  “If it is kids, there’s got to be someone else behind it. Somebody with more of a criminal background,” I said.

  “What makes you think so?” Randy asked.

  “The artwork, for one. The fact that these guys are taking their time. Kids would break in, grab the booze and run. And they wouldn’t be so thorough. From what Jared said, they haven’t found any real fingerprints either. The prints they are able to get will likely belong to the homeowners.”

  Randy shrugged. “Kids watch a lot of television. They probably saw it on a detective show and have enough sense to wear gloves.”

  “I noticed that none of the homes have burglar alarms,” Linda said. “Would kids know which houses to avoid?”

  Jake had been quietly listening to the discussion. He finished his beer, smothered a belch and fired the empty can in the general direction of a recycling bin. It bounced off the side of the house, hit the rim and dropped in. As if on cue, Logan bounced up and trotted over to the washtub for a fresh one. He stood beside Jake with his tail waving like a pennant in the lake breeze. The dog dropped the can in the old man’s outstretched hand and claimed his reward.

  “Dog’s smarter than most of the kids in this area. If there wasn’t somebody behind them, they would have been caught robbing the first house.”

  “I think he’s got a point,” Randy said.

  “Jared’s got his work cut out for him,” I said.

  Linda wanted to spend some time with Logan. With a little persuasion, she dragged Jake along. He was reluctant to move, until she reminded him of the two divorcees he’d been dancing with last night. I offered to clean up after dinner. Randy pitched in. Working together, we had the leftovers put away and most of the dishes done quickly. I washed. He dried. The last plate was in my hands, deep in the sink filled with warm, soapy water. Randy’s arms went around my waist and drew me close in a vertical spooning position.

  “Ever done it in the kitchen,” he whispered in my ear.

  “Not this one. Don’t get any ideas.”

  He was nuzzling my neck now. “Too late.”

  “They’ll be back soon.”

  “How soon?”

  Laughing, I pushed him away and flicked soap bubbles at him. “Forget it.”

  “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He playfully snapped the towel at my ass. It was just damp enough to sting.

  “Despite your efforts, my mind is still on the home invasions. There has got to be something we’re missing.” />
  Randy shrugged. “I’m not a cop or an investigative reporter. Nothing about this makes much sense.”

  I handed him the last dish and drained the sink. Through the window I could see Linda and Jake head back. Randy gently set the plate in the cupboard and handed me the towel. “Think I’d better head out. Got a couple of things I need to do tonight.”

  Somehow we were standing together, arms around each other’s waist. “Thanks for the ride home.”

  “Thank Jake for the dinner.” He leaned in and kissed me, soft and gentle. “Can I see you tomorrow night?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  He hesitated, looking up at the ceiling. “I don’t know. But we can make it memorable.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Sure.” We started kissing again. Only when I heard Logan bark outside did I push Randy away. Letting him go had become more difficult.

  “I’ll meet you at the boat.” My voice was a little shaky.

  “Six-thirty. And Jamie…”

  “Yeah?”

  “Bring your jammies.”

  With a nod, he went out the door. I stayed by the sink, waiting for my heartbeat to return to a normal rhythm. Through the screen, I heard Randy say goodnight to the others. This whole vacation was filled with unexpected turns. First, the robberies, then the romance. Or was it the other way around? It all seemed so odd. Maybe Linda was right. I was overdue for attention from a nice guy. She must have caught my vibe, because Linda walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the refrigerator.

  “You look like you’re off in fantasyland.”

  “More like wonderland.”

  She poured two generous servings in plastic cups. “As in you’re wondering how this is all going to play out?”

  I nodded. “It’s a fling. Nothing more. We both know it. There’s no chance I’m moving from Motown to pursue this.”

  “So enjoy it. Don’t overthink it. You’ve caught the eye of a handsome man who wants to spend time with you. Isn’t that good enough?”