by K. J. Larsen
“How exciting! Does Bob know?”
“Of course Bob doesn’t know. That’s the definition of ‘breaking in.’ It can get you a nickel in the clink.”
Her eyes widened and for a moment I thought she’d bolt. But she surprised me.
“I guess we’ll be roomies then.”
I grabbed her arm. “Walk.”
We walked around the block before cutting through the alley and barreling over Captain Bob’s fence. My eyes scanned the backyard. The front gate on the left side of the house would be where the monsters got Sammy. It had been a risky move and in full view of the street. But it was the only place where a dog could be lifted over the fence and scurried away.
Sammy, like Inga, is a trusting soul. A piece of bacon would seal their fates.
Sophie played lookout while I negotiated the back door. It had a deadlock with a combination and cracking it ate up precious time. But it was no contest for this hotshot PI. I did my magic and pushed Sophie inside before closing the door behind us.
Sophie’s eyes were shining. “I want to do that.”
I didn’t remind her that I tried to show her a hundred times when we were kids. Papa and his brothers were teaching me to pick locks when Sophie was force-feeding her dolls.
Sophie had a sudden thought. She gasped. “Is Captain Bob sleeping around? Is that why we’re snooping in his house?”
“The only thing Bob hides from Peggy are his lemon crème donuts.”
I moved through the kitchen, the dining room and to the living room closet. Lots of coats, shoes, and a blue-and-white-striped leash for Sammy. No black leather briefcase.
I checked Ellie’s old bedroom. She and I spent hours there reading Nancy Drew and mastering Super Mario. The four-poster bed was gone now. Ken’s remodeling had transformed the small room into an airy office with warm earth tones, intending to lower Bob’s raging blood pressure. I rummaged through the desk drawers and a file cabinet by the door. Nada 1999.
I think I felt a breeze move through the house before my mind registered the squeaking noise. It sounded like it came from the upstairs bathroom window. That squeaky window was Ellie’s escape route in high school; out the window and down the old oak tree. And back through the squeaky window before dawn.
Sophie’s eyes widened with panic. She ran into the kitchen for a weapon. There were knives. A meat cleaver. A cast iron skillet.
She grabbed a wooden spoon.
Oh, Barbie.
I motioned to Sophie. She followed me to the living room and behind the staircase where Ellie and I liked to hide when we were kids. It was smaller than I remembered, but so were we. I shoved Sophie inside and tapped an index finger on my lip. Then I closed the door and pressed my back against the wall.
I waited for the dog snatcher to descend the stairs.
I heard movement. Doors and drawers opening and closing. He was searching for something and it could have something to do with Bob and Papa’s secret. I tucked the stun gun back in my pants. Sam I Am was my first priority. I would stay out of sight and follow this asshole. He’d lead me to him.
Maybe I’d rescue Sammy and wave to Bob on live feed. Then I’d frame a picture for his office.
I reached in my pocket and dragged out my phone and hit the video record.
“Say cheese,” I whispered.
The dog snatcher slid silently down the steps. I craned my head back and videotaped his, er, make that her descent.
The dog snatcher was a woman dressed in burglar-Babe black. We wore the same purple latex gloves. She had long, honey-blond hair and aquamarine eyes. The diamonds in her ears tugged at my brain. But the necklace rang my memory bell.
It was the skulker outside Baumgarten’s Jewelry. The woman in green. The thief. This morning she’d been a redhead. But the wig and the green scarf were gone.
She was athletic and strong but I had three inches on her. And unless she grew up wrestling three brothers with Ninja Turtle combat techniques, I could take her down.
Besides, I had a stun gun.
I was well hidden in this dark corner behind the stairs, and unless she turned and looked deliberately my way, I was safe. I remembered her piercing aquamarine eyes in the jewelry store window. They saw me. They saw everything. I tucked my phone away and reached for the taser behind my back.
That’s when my switched-at-birth sister, stuffed in the dusty closet beneath the stairs, sneezed.
The dog snatcher twisted around and her eyes held mine. In a millisecond, they registered recognition. Impressive. It took me two earrings and a stolen necklace to make the connection. But then, I didn’t throw her off with a dodgy disguise.
She saw me reach for the taser behind my back and she lunged at me. She threw herself on me as if she grew up with bloodthirsty wolves. I fought back and knocked her to her knees with my mad Ninja Turtle skills. I grabbed at her and she escaped my grasp as if diffusing to thin air. I held a necklace and a fistful of honey-blond in my hand.
“What do you want with Captain Bob?” I said.
“Your captain has something that belongs to my pops. Now I have something that belongs to him.” She smirked. “Even trade. We can end this now.”
“There must be some kind of misunderstanding. Bob’s an honorable guy. He’s the most straight-up cop I know.”
She gave a bitter hoot. “He and his partner stole a medallion from a dead man. How honorable is that?”
I couldn’t have been more stunned if she’d slapped me. She looked at me and our eyes locked.
“You’re wrong. Papa is not a thief.”
“My pops may be a thief. But he’s not a liar.”
She didn’t flinch and I knew she was telling the truth. At least she believed she was. Her eyes darted toward the kitchen door. She was calculating making a run for it.
“Not so fast. Are you talking about the hit-and-run victim? What’s this medallion your dad said they took?”
She gave a hard laugh. “Ask your old man. I doubt he’ll give up his bullshit lies.”
“Nobody calls my papa a liar.”
A hell-bent fury unleashed deep inside me and I was fueled by an anger that would, at another time, scare the crap out of me. I hurled myself at her, clawing, and pushing her to the ground. I pounced on top of her, straddling her and holding her arms down with my hands.
The closet door swung open and Sophie’s terrified face emerged, eyes squeezed shut, screeching like a banshee. The wooden spoon was history. She wielded an aluminum baseball bat in her hands, swinging blindly.
“No!” I screamed but it was too late. A shattering pain scrambled my brain and I was aswim in a galaxy of stars.
Chapter Seven
I came to consciousness reluctantly, unwilling to open my eyes. The pounding in my skull was paralyzing. I tried to touch my head but my hands were cuffed behind me. My ankles seemed to be tied in a knot.
“She’s gone,” Sophie said in a hoarse whisper. “I scared her off.”
I opened one eye. “You scared her after she tied us up?”
“She’s a raging bitch.”
“What happened?”
“I guess she knocked you out, huh?”
I opened the other eye. “You know I’m going to have to kill you.”
Sophie’s lip trembled and her eyes welled. “I was scared. It was dark. I dropped the wooden spoon.”
And she found an aluminum bat.
“Sophie,” I said more gently, “next time, please stay in the closet.”
“Hmmm.”
It wasn’t exactly a commitment.
“And when you come out, open your eyes.”
“You’re not going to fire me?”
I shook my head and something sounded like loose marbles. This was going to be the longest week of my life.
I slid my hands down o
ver my bum and stepped through the cuffs. Voila! My hands were in front of me.
“Wow,” Sophie said. “I want Max to teach me to do that.”
I threw her a look and “I Adore Mi Amor” blasted from my front pocket. It was Chance. My fingers grappled the phone. I zipped a finger across the screen and punched speaker.
“Hey, Babe,” I said. “Where are you?”
“At your house. Your Indian dinner is hot. The wine is breathing. And I’m defending the curry chicken. Are you on your way? I don’t know how much longer I can hold Inga off.”
“There’s been a complication. I’m tied up here.”
“Can I help?”
“Not unless you pick Captain Bob’s lock like I did. It’s a deadlock with a combination.”
I heard him smile. “You make me proud, Babe. What’s tying you up?”
“Zip ties.”
His growl sounded dangerous. “The captain tied you up?”
“That was the burglar.”
“You followed a prowler into the house?” Savino bit his tongue and winced rather than call me an idiot. I figure if he hangs in there with me long enough, his tongue will be hamburger.
“The prowler came later. Captain Bob isn’t home yet.”
“I’m on my way. I may not be able to crack a combination-deadbolt but I can shoot my way in.”
“Hold on, Rambo. Bob will be home soon. He hasn’t gone to bed past ten in twenty years. Besides, if you charge in here, guns blazing, who’s going to bail us both out? You’re my one phone call.”
“Do you know a sleazy lawyer with a get-out-of-jail-free card?”
“Call Uncle Joey. He’s got a card for everything.”
Savino has an astonishing capacity for self-control that’s totally missing from the DeLuca gene pool. I suspect it comes from being raised by pot-smoking hippies.
“I love you,” he said unexpectedly.
“Ditto. Don’t worry. This is a hiccup. I’m not dying.”
“You dance that fine line, Babe.”
“Have a glass of wine and guard the chicken. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
Click.
“He loves you,” Sophie said. She didn’t have to sound so astonished.
I pushed two buttons for my second call. Mama has Father Timothy on speed dial. I have a man who’s always itching to arrest me.
“Captain Maxfield.” Bob’s voice was a soft roar.
“Bob,” I said.
Click.
I speed-dialed again. I was mildly surprised when he answered.
“Don’t hang up,” I said before Captain Bob could speak.
“Go away.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m a bit tied up. I’m in your house.”
His voice became menacing. If we weren’t such good friends, it would’ve been scary.
“You’re. In. My. House?”
“There’s no need to thank me, Bobby. You were the victim of a prowler. I’ve secured the premises.”
“What prowler?”
“A heartless dog-napper, Captain. We followed her in and we scared her away.”
Captain Bob sputtered.
“Help!” my sister screeched. “We’re lucky to be alive.”
“Sophia? My God, Caterina. What have you dragged your sister into?”
“She wanted an adventure.”
“I’m a detective,” Sophie sang.
“The intruder was wearing the teardrop necklace she stole this morning from Baumgarten’s.”
“The perp is tall like a model,” Sophie said all professional.
“Five-six, five-seven max,” I countered.
“She has short, dark hair,” Sophie said.
“Long, honey-blond. Flawless skin. Aquamarine eyes.”
“Did she hurt you?”
“I’m fine.”
“I was asking Sophie.”
“Feeling the love,” I said. “Please. Come home and untie us.”
“I’m pulling in front of the house now.”
A moment later, Captain Bob’s frown darkened the doorway.
Sophie gave a little wail. He moved to her quickly and removed the zip ties from her wrists and ankles. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
“Uh, hello!” I said. “Untie me, please.”
“I should have you arrested.”
“Probably. But you won’t. I was trying to save Sam I Am.”
“You endangered your sister. She’s a mother.”
“She’s a baby factory. And a detective,” I added.
Sophie’s face brightened. I’ve never seen her smile so big.
“What’s happened to Sammy?” she said.
“Sammy’s in Philly with Peggy.” A vein pulsed on his temple.
I waved my wrists. “Hello!”
Captain Bob took his time releasing my zip ties. Then he walked Sophie to her car.
A handful of honey-colored hair was tangled in my fingers. I scooted to the kitchen and stuffed the hair strands in a baggie. Then I scooped up the stolen diamond and sapphire teardrop necklace off the living room floor and pocketed it.
I poured two glasses of Bob’s best whiskey. The bottle was a gift from Uncle Joey. His gifts have dubious origins. There are no sales receipts. Refunds and exchanges are out of the question.
When Captain Bob returned he sat on the couch and opened his laptop. Sammy’s woeful eyes filled the screen. I brought his whiskey and sat next to him. He tossed the contents of his glass down his throat and took the glass from my hand. I waited for him to finish it before I spoke.
“She was upstairs, going through your drawers and closets. Who is she? What was she looking for?”
“How the hell would I know?”
“Because you and Papa responded to the hit-and-run that killed Daniel Baumgarten. September 9, 1999.”
His face went red and a pulse hammered his temple. I wondered if his head would explode.
“We worked a lot of cases in 1999,” he said.
“Are you seriously going there? I can’t help Sammy if you won’t be straight with me.”
Sammy’s woeful eyes on the computer screen seemed to narrow on Bob. He closed the laptop and stomped onto the back deck where he lit a cigarette. He inhaled deeply and choked a little. His lungs were protesting but not as loudly as Peggy would when she returned from her sister’s. Bob gave up smoking when he and Papa were partners.
Whatever happened the day Daniel Baumgarten met his maker had been, for Bob, more horrible than I could imagine.
I stood beside him staring up at the sky. It was a moonless night and the lights of the city snuffed out the stars. He growled and killed his smoke after a few unsuccessful puffs. He’d probably restrict his self-abuse to lemon crèmes.
“You’re a pain in the ass, Caterina.”
It’s true. “I know.”
“I’m not going to talk about what happened that day.”
Bob shuffled into the house and filled two glasses. I gulped down my whiskey before he could snatch it from my hand.
“Tell me what you can about the people who took Sammy. It might help me find him.”
“How the hell am I supposed to do that? I don’t know who they are or how they know what happened that day.”
“They haven’t contacted you?”
He shook his head. “They will. They’re scum. They’ll blackmail me. And when the money’s gone, they’ll destroy my family and my career.”
He knocked back his drink and frowned at my empty glass. His face twitched.
“When I find out who these assholes are, I’ll take them out.”
I almost laughed. “You? Really?”
“Someone will have the stomach for it.”
I felt awkw
ard and it was hard to say. I took a deep breath and spit it out.
“Why don’t you give it back?”
“What?”
“The dog snatcher said you and Papa took something off Baumgarten’s body. A ‘medallion’ she called it. She said her dad claims it belongs to him. That’s why they took Sam I Am.”
“Come again?”
“They want the medallion back. That’s all. When you return it, he’ll give you Sammy.”
He stared as if I’d lost my mind. His expression was ludicrous. And the allegation I’d made was as well.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
A heaviness lifted from my chest. Bob was genuinely mystified. What I’d always known about Papa and Bob was true. They were the two last good guys. They didn’t take bribes. And they didn’t steal medallions off dead men.
“What happened to you tonight?” Bob demanded. “Did you get nailed in the coconut again?”
“Yes, but…”
“Go home, Caterina. See a doctor.”
Bob shuffled tiredly to the door and opened it, prepared to shove me outside.
“The man is a thief,” I said.
The defeat on his face lifted and something curious burned behind his eyes. “A thief?”
I shrugged.
The door slammed. Bob crossed the room and seized my shoulders. “What else did she say?”
“Easy, Captain.” I shook his hands off me.
“Tell me.” He said it in a low growl.
“She said her dad doesn’t lie. She’s convinced he’s telling the truth about this medallion. She seemed proud of him. I’m guessing he’s a thief by profession. Maybe a conman or a burglar.”
Bob whipped out his cell and punched some numbers. It was picked up right away.
“Tony. We’ve got to talk…Tonight. It can’t wait…Thanks, man. I’ll be here.”
I plopped on the couch, smiling broadly. Papa was on his way. I would finally get some answers.
Captain Bob was grinning too. “Don’t get too comfortable.”
“What are you saying?”
“Leave. Now.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Out!”
Captain Bob was whistling when he shoved me out the door.