Opalescence

by Darla Jones

  Even before they left her apartment, their zoo excursion started off a little rocky when Matt scolded Cassie. “You can’t wear your tiara. I’m embarrassed to be seen with you.”

  Cassie cried out and shot back, “At least I not taking a stupid laptop wiff me.” LynAnn had to step in. “Matt, it hasn’t been long ago you tore around here with an old towel over your shoulders because you thought you were Batman. Your laptop is to stay in the car while we’re at the zoo.”

  Watching the sibling squabble, Jeff merely smiled with amusement.

  LynAnn didn’t know how she got roped into this trip to the zoo anyway. She didn’t intend to go anywhere with the man. But why was he so nice to her, and why did his smile have a way of making her breath catch in her throat? She didn’t want or need a man in her life…especially not him.

  Thankfully, the children were on their best behavior at the zoo. Most of the day, Jeff either had a child in his arms or one sitting on top of his shoulders. Cassie was especially drawn to him while the boys stuck with her a good deal of the time. They walked for what seemed like miles observing furred, feathered, and finned creatures, and then walked some more.

  The children especially loved the monkeys, and she and Jeff rested on a bench and laughed at them as they pressed their noses on the glass and imitated the monkeys.

  “Look, if you want to get some lunch, just let me know. My mother made breakfast for us late this morning so we’re not hungry.”

  She dismissed his suggestion with a wave of her hand. “We’re fine. Do you realize how lucky you are to have your parents nearby?”

  “Yes, I do. I’d be lost without them. Sorry, yours are gone. Are you still searching for your birth mother?”

  “My information is on every web site I can find, but I’ve had no luck. I’m beginning to think my search is useless. For all I know my birth mother could be dead. I know she’s not looking for me or she would have responded to one of the sites. I got a call from a woman the other day who claimed to be my mother, but she was a scam artist and wanted money.”

  “Oh, how repulsive.” He made a face. “I’m sorry. You should have reported her to the police.”

  “I kept her number and if she calls again, I will.”

  Digesting this information, Jeff was quiet for a time. “Don’t give up. Someday, you’ll find your mother.”

  “Mommy, look. The monkey is hanging upside down,” Cassie called out as she bent over and stuck her blonde head upside down in the dirt trying to imitate the monkey.

  “Seems all the monkeys are not in the cage.” She giggled at her daughter.

  “Three by my count.” Jeff’s laugh was deep and strong.

  The cell phone in her purse rang, and she took it out, checked the number, and shut it off.

  “Someone you don’t want to talk with?” His brows shot up.

  She frowned. “The supervisor from St. Luke’s. She wants me to come into work. This is her second call today. I hate to refuse because it takes a lot of money to keep Matt in his school.” LynAnn wanted to bite her tongue. She didn’t want the man, who seemed well off financially, to know she eked by from paycheck to paycheck.

  “You should get Social Security benefits for the children.”

  “I get it for Matt but not Cassie. I guess it got fouled up because she was born after my husband died.”

  He pulled his mouth into a thin line. “But that’s not right. You deserve the money for her, too. Let me look into it. Pro bono for you, of course.”

  His offer surprised her. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ve had an attorney check into it before, and he got nowhere.” Could this be the same man she’d met four years ago? This Jeff Kelley was kind and caring.

  “The offer stands if you change your mind.” He rose from the bench and held out his hand to help her up. “Come on. We’ve got to get our three monkeys moving before they get locked in the cage with the others.”

  She glanced at his hand, and then her eyes swept to his face. His lips were smiling and it radiated in his azure eyes. With reluctance, she accepted his hand, and his touch felt warm and inviting. She felt her heart pick up speed and hoped her cheeks weren’t flushed.

  His big automobile reverberated with loud animal sounds all the way home as the children tried to mimic the animals they’d seen. Busy with his laptop, Matt read about the animals and relayed bits of information to them. “A baby elephant weighs up to three hundred pounds at birth. Whew, how would you put a diaper on him?” he giggled.

  “Can Jon come play my new Wii game with me?” Matt begged his mother as they pulled up alongside her house.

  LynAnn agreed and they all trooped up the sidewalk. But when she reached her front door and tried to unlock it, it fell open and she gasped at the sight before her. It looked like a wrecking ball had swung through her living room. She started to go inside, but Jeff stretched his arm out in front of her, halting her movement. “Take the kids back to the car and don’t come in until I come for you.”

  “What happened?” she gasped.

  “Take the kids to the car, LynAnn, now,” he ordered firmly.

  Upset and alarmed, she did as he asked.

  “What’s wrong?” Matt wailed.

  “I’m scared,” Cassie cried.

  LynAnn had no idea what was going on. “Just wait. Jeff will find out.” She tried to calm them. A few minutes later, he returned and the corners his mouth pulled downward. “There’s no one in the house,” he announced, sounding relieved, “but I’m afraid someone really did a number on your things.”

  “Who would want anything in our house?” LynAnn asked, her voice full of worry and disbelief at the same time. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  His jaw firmly set and his lips drawn tightly together, he shook his head. “Take the kids up to Stu’s, and then you come in with me to see if anything is missing.” He took control of the situation. “I’ll call the police.”

  She escorted the frightened children upstairs to Jean and Stu’s apartment. “Someone’s wrecked my house,” she loudly declared as soon as she threw open their door without knocking. She couldn’t believe the words were coming from her own mouth.

  “What?” Jean gasped and leaped from the sofa and the book she was reading plopped to the floor.

  “What the heck is going on here?” Stu jumped to his feet and bellowed when he noticed Jeff’s son with her and the look on his face was so fierce the kids shrank back from him. “What is Jon doing here? Is Jeff with you? I’m coming downstairs.” The man was tall and lanky with sandy hair in a short buzzed cut. A muscle in his cheek twitched and although his skin was tanned to a tawny brown, his face reddened with anger.

  LynAnn ignored his questions, at the moment she was more concerned with her apartment. “Jean, please watch the children ’til I see if anything was stolen. Jeff’s calling the police.”

  At the mention of Jeff’s name, a low grumble arose from Stu’s chest. “We’ll see about this,” he growled and traipsed behind her down the stairs.

  When LynAnn finally saw her entire apartment, her stomach twisted. The sofa and chairs in the living room had been turned upside down, the drapes pulled from the windows, and her computer gone. In the kitchen, the cupboards hung open and most of their contents were scattered over the floor, with broken glass everywhere. Their two bedrooms were also torn apart and some of the children’s toys were broken.

  “Holy Moses,” Stu exclaimed as he surveyed the mess and ran his fingers over his hair. “Jean and I have been upstairs all afternoon, and we heard nothing.” Then his expression turned dark again as he strutted to where Jeff stood in the middle of the living room and looked him square in the eye. “What are you doing here, Jeff?” His baritone voice was gruff.

  “Hello, Stu. I’m here because LynAnn invited me,” he calmly replied.

  Stu cursed under his breath while his squinting dark eyes shot daggers at him.

  LynAnn ignored the men and eventually both of them followed close be
hind her as she slowly walked through each room, scanning them carefully. Finally, she halted and gave her head a gloomy shake. “The only thing I can see missing is my computer. Strange though, if the person wanted money, Cassie has a jar full of change sitting in our bedroom and it wasn’t touched, and Matt’s Wii is still connected to the TV in his room.” Their apartment had two bedrooms. She and Cassie shared the larger one and Matt’s was smaller.

  Jeff shook his head in disgust. “Whoever the person or persons are, they’re looking for something.”

  “Why would they think whatever it is, is here? What do they think is of any importance on my computer?” Her head swam.

  “I don’t know.” Jeff shook his head slowly and absentmindedly rubbed his cheek.

  Stu’s piercing glares darted from LynAnn to Jeff and then back again as the two tall men and tiny woman stood amid the chaos.

  In record time, the police arrived, and the young daring duo looked as though they had graduated from the academy a day before. They took down information and asked some questions: “Did you lock the door when you left? Do you keep a large amount of cash in the house?”

  “Yes, I locked the door.”

  Both policemen strutted to the door to examine it. The taller man jiggled the knob. “It’s been picked,” he declared. The large old single dwelling house had been renovated to a duplex several years ago. The front porch had been closed in with the original ornate oak front door which opened to an entry area to both apartments. LynAnn’s door was on the right and the Harrington’s, concealing a flight of stairs, on the left. “Do you keep this door locked?” The officer turned the old brass knob of the heavy door, and it swung open.

  “There’s no need to lock our common area.” LynAnn shook her head.

  “Do you keep a lot of cash on hand?”

  Once again she gave her head a negative shake. But his next question made her think. “Has anything unusual happened lately?”

  “A car followed me from work the other evening.” She had completely put the incident out of her mind, but now it could be important.

  Jeff frowned. “You didn’t tell me.”

  She recounted the incident as best she could.

  “Do you know the make or model?” the policeman inquired.

  “We-ll.” She hedged and fussed with her shirt. “It was a big black thing with black windows and I think it’s called an SUB.”

  She glanced at Jeff, his head hung down and his lips were clamped together as though he tried not to grin. “It’s SUV,” he corrected her.

  “Oh, close enough,” she muttered.

  “Um hum.” His eyes remained fastened to the floor.

  “Did you happen to get the license plate number?” the taller policeman asked.

  She gave her head a doleful shake. “Sorry.”

  The policeman who had been taking notes finally quit writing. “There have been three burglaries in this area in the past two weeks. We’ll canvas the neighborhood. It’s possible someone saw the perp. Your house was probably ransacked by teens being mischievous or a drug junkie who intended to sell your computer for a fix. The black SUV is not connected with the robbery.”

  Stu had been listening to the conversation and spoke up. “My wife and I were upstairs all afternoon and didn’t hear anything.”

  The cop asked him his name and began scribbling in his notebook again.

  “That’s it? Are you kidding me?” Jeff’s brows knitted. “You’re sure what you say is true.”

  “It’s the same MO.” The young policeman nervously shifted on his feet. “The robberies all occurred in broad daylight.”

  “Look, guys, I want this case spread wide open and fully investigated, and I won’t take no for an answer. You both need to do your job. I’m calling your captain in the morning.” Jeff used a stern voice of authority, probably one he used in the courtroom.

  “Yes, sir,” they both replied at the same time. They knew the DA and were agreeable with anything he said. “We’ll speak to our captain right now,” the young trooper with an acne problem replied.

  “Great.”

  The policemen left the house, and Jeff followed them outside.

  Once Jeff was outside with the cops, Stu fired questions at her. “What’s going on here? Are you and Jeff dating? What are you thinking?” Stu paced the floor and curled his lips in disgust. “We tried to warn you and look at the trouble you’re in already because of him.” He ran his fingers over his hair. “You’ll soon become another pelt on his belt.” He raised his voice. “Another woman who fell for his charms and was left wondering what happened when it’s over.”

  “This is not Jeff’s fault.” She gestured at the mess in her house and then tried to hide her anger, but couldn’t. “No, we’re not dating. He kindly offered to take us to the zoo. Besides, it’s none of your business, Stu. I happen to like the man,” she snarled at him.

  Stu continued his tirade. “You’re a very smart woman but naïve about men. Of all the men you could have dated, why would you pick him? Jean tells me the young minister at your church almost breaks his neck to talk with you, and you try your best to avoid him.” He threw up his arms. “I don’t get you.”

  Executing a quick turn, she faced the window. “This is not the time to discuss our relationship and I refuse to hear anymore.” She raised her voice angrily. She had never used a harsh tone with him before.

  His rigid stance told her his anger hadn’t subsided, but he dropped the subject.

  She was sorry she raised her voice to him. He was a good friend.

  Jeff returned from outside, and his glance went to her and then to Stu. She could feel her cheeks burning, and Stu’s handsome face wore a sulking frown. Jeff surmised immediately they had been discussing him. “This is not your concern, Stu. Stay out of our business,” he warned, his voice edged with anger.

  “I know what you’re up to, Jeff,” he grumbled, bearing his teeth. “I refuse to stand by and allow you to use this woman.” He tilted his head toward LynAnn.

  “We are both adults, and LynAnn is capable of making her own decisions,” he growled back and then began to upright the sofa and chairs.

  Stu begrudgingly helped, and it took several hours to put the house in some semblance of order. Still seething, Stu hadn’t uttered a word as they worked, but before he left he spoke softly to her. “If you’re afraid, I’ll be glad to spend the night here with you,” he volunteered.

  “Thank you, Stu, but you’re right upstairs and I’ll call if I need you.” His kind offer embarrassed her after the way she’d spoken to him earlier.

  Still frightened and strangely quiet, the children returned. The boys went to Matt’s room to play Wii and Cassie to hers which she shared with her mother. She and Jeff sat at the kitchen table and sipped diet sodas.

  “Are you sure you’ll be all right?” he asked. “You and the kids could stay at my house tonight.”

  “Is there any reason to think these people will be back?” She always worried about her children’s safety.

  His hand reached across the table and covered hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “They won’t be back.”

  “But why would they pick my house? The only thing I had of value is my computer, and if they were teens wouldn’t you think they would have taken Matt’s Wii?” LynAnn was frightened, more for her children than herself. But she didn’t intend to let him see her fear. She would get through this senseless ransacking, as she managed to get through the many hurdles she’d already faced in her life.

  He breathed a long sigh. “I did talk with the police captain, and a cruiser will be going by every hour to check on you.” The unruly lock of hair she’d noticed before fell over his forehead. “Jon and I could stay here. I’d sleep on the couch, I promise”—he flashed a smile and held up his right hand as though swearing an oath in a courtroom—“and Jon could sleep with Matt.”

  She chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Besides, Stu is right upstairs, and I’ll have my cell
phone within reach.”

  It was late, and Jeff examined the lock on the door. “Be sure to have your landlord replace the lock in the morning.” At least, she had the dead bolt she could lock from the inside for the night. He methodically checked all the windows and decided her house was secure. Finally, he called to his son and all the children came running.

  Cassie wrapped herself around his muscular leg. “Thank you, Jeff, for the zoo.”

  He ruffled her curly head. “I had a great time.”

  In all the confusion, she realized she hadn’t thanked him either, and so she tried. “Thank you, Jeff. We had a wonderful time.”

  He took her hand as he walked to the door, and this time she not only allowed it, she wanted it. His touch was gentle and comforting. “The zoo was my pleasure, and I’m really so sorry about the rest.” His eyes scanned her living room. “I’m also sorry about the way I spoke to Stu. Somehow, I will prove to you I’m not the same man as before. Call me for anything, anytime, I mean it.” His blue eyes swept over her face and then her body as he spoke. “I’ll call you first thing in the morning.”

  It was the first time the conversation with Stu had been brought up, and LynAnn didn’t know what to make of his declaration. He picked up his son in his muscular arms, and she and her children waved from the front window as they pulled out in his big car.

  Chapter 6

  When LynAnn woke the next morning, she was relieved to find Cassie sleeping in the bed next to hers and Matt in his sleeping bag beside her bed. Nothing had been disturbed. Before she went to bed the previous night, besides making Matt sleep in her room in his Highway Burner sleeping bag, she checked again to make sure all the windows were locked, pulled the dead bolt on the door twice, and tucked a heavy baseball bat she kept for protection beside her bed. She’d slept on and off through the night hearing every little creak and moan made by the large old double house.

  She traipsed barefoot to the kitchen and put on the coffee pot. Then she showered and dressed in her work scrubs. “Matt, Cassie, up and at ’em,” she called the kids. They were all dressed and eating breakfast when the phone rang. She knew it was Jeff and she smiled.