“What about the combination on the file drawer?”
“That one is way beyond me. You would need a cracker, or what the old guys used to call a ‘yegg man’. Basically anyone who can do a non-cutting box job would do the trick.”
She looked at me with a blank expression. I could see mental calculations running behind her eyes. When I reveal things like this to Beverly I always cringe inside. I have never been completely honest with any person before and it is scary. I am not even completely honest with Ann. There is a lie between us about how I got the properties we live in.
“Beverly is there anything else you need?”
“No Sarah. I have all the information I can handle right now.”
I called Ben and Sally and arranged for them to meet me in the office at nine on Saturday morning. I promised to have the coffee and donuts here, to sweeten our plan so to speak.
Of course they brought baby Crystal with them. This has got to be the quietest, sweetest baby I have ever seen. I had already moved the bookcase away from the closet door and placed it against a different wall. I unlocked the closet to get everything ready. There was a new laptop waiting for us on Beverly’s desk.
Sally has more mechanical experience then I do. I was glad to hold Crystal and watch as she and Ben climbed a small collapsible ladder they had brought with them. They measured the vents and talked about technical things outside my frame of reference. I never asked what Sally’s job was in the Air Force but apparently she is an electrical technician. The best support I could give was to keep them supplied with donuts and coffee while I looked after Crystal.
That little baby spent the entire time looking at me and smiling. Now I understand why Ann wants one so bad. Crystal and I had some nice conversations, even if they were a little one sided. However I still think I would be a better aunt then a mom.
There is a place in Norfolk near Wards Corner called “The Spy Store” that sells quite a bit of nifty stuff we apparently needed. I think it is mostly marketed to men who have a fantasy of being like James Bond. I gave Ben and Sally the cash and reminded them we needed receipts for everything. Since I had school that night they were to text me if there was any problem in getting what they required. Otherwise we agreed to get together again tomorrow at nine and take it from there. So far so good.
School was pretty boring that night but with the help of my friend ‘Red Bull’ I managed to make it to the end of class before falling asleep. Some courses are not as interesting as others. Also I had already gone over the lessons at least three times earlier this week. Maybe Ann is right, I am slightly obsessive.
Speaking of Ann, she sent a text saying she was in Philly and the company had put her and another girl up in a hotel room for two weeks. There were supposed to be a lot of ‘special events’ at several conventions so she was looking forward to making a good bank this month. I am happy for her but miss seeing her every day. It is funny. Before we met I never felt I needed anyone. Now I can’t imagine a life without my friends around me.
She later sent me a second text to let me know she told Jeffrey the reason she was out of town. Evidently she decided to let him know what she really does to see how he reacted. I hope things will work out well between those two.
I am still not committing to Allen all the way. Partly because Dave is still in the back of my mind. Mostly it is because if Jeffrey can’t handle what Ann does, then I can’t handle being with his best friend. We will see how it goes.
I picked up a selection of treats from Dunkin’ Donuts from Nickerson Plaza on my way to work. I moved the book case back in front of the closet door before I left last night and wanted to move it again before they arrived. After all everybody doesn’t need to know everything do they?
Fortunately Ben thought ahead more than I did. He had picked up brackets and a wooden shelf to attach to the inner wall. That meant we had a shelf to put the lap top on instead of leaving it on the floor. He also brought electrical cords that he hooked up behind the false ceiling so we could have power in the closet. I hadn’t thought of that and am thankful that he did.
Baby Crystal was fussy and fidgeting for a change when they arrived but as soon as I held her she looked at me and smiled. This is the first time in my life that I feel as if I am bonding with a child. It means a lot that they are comfortable with my holding their baby for hours at a time. Sally did however begin hinting that “maybe I should get a baby for myself”.
Really woman?
It took about five hours for them to finally finish the job. I fed Crystal two times and changed her three. No one likes diaper duty but I’ll be damned if this little one will get diaper rash because of me. Still I wonder how long it takes before kids get house broken.
Finally everything was done. Ben demonstrated how it worked. We had cameras in every office, and the reception area. We could see the door and the security panel, as well as the store room where the files were kept. I know they wondered why we wanted a camera in the storeroom but they both kept any questions to themselves. Maybe it’s that military training about keeping secret things secret.
While Ben explained everything to me Sally wrote down the important stuff in easy to read details. Bless her. I’m better with computers than I was, but will never be really good at it.
I almost hated to give Crystal back when they were leaving. I even surprised myself by volunteering to watch her for them when they needed a night out.
After they left I called Beverly to see if she wanted to inspect everything. She did and seemed well pleased. Which is good. I gave her the remainder of the cash she had fronted and the receipts. When asked what their fee was I told her that had not been negotiated and it was up to her. I also told her about Ben’s dream to have his own business someday, and that I had stated it might be good for him to know people in accounting when that happened.
I hesitated for a minute and let my insinuation sink in that maybe knowing us could help open up doors for them in the future. Not sure what she thought of this but I kept talking. After all, in for a penny, in for a pound.
“You said I should widen my circle of friends and contacts. These two seem to be perfect for that. Did I go too far?”
“No Sarah, I think you did just right. Keep close to them. They could be useful in your career.”
Beverly said that as long as she was there she may as well do some things before leaving and would lock everything up. That is her polite way of saying that it was time for me to go. When I was walking out, she handed me an envelope with cash to take over to Ben and Sally as payment. She simply said “I think they’ll be pleased with this.”
They were.
I called Allen when I got home to see if he wanted to come over but he sounded a little off on the phone. He said that there were some things he had to do and we could talk tomorrow. We both said good-bye and let it go at that. I guess Jeffrey told him about Ann’s text. No idea how this will go between everybody.
Allen didn’t reply to the text I sent him Monday asking if he wanted to hang out after my class. If he needs some time to think it is one thing, but if he wants to end things there are better ways of telling me. There is no need to be a dick about it.
I was not surprised to get a text the next day from Sally inviting me by to have dinner and see the baby. She works with those guys and people do talk, especially military people.
After some pretty good chicken and rice Ben said he had to go somewhere for a while and headed out. It was kind of a clichéd set up for Sally and me to have some girl talk. Polite but clichéd.
Sally got the ball rolling when Ben drove off. “Jeffrey told me about Ann’s text and that she worked as a dancer. I always thought she was a waitress.” She is being nice and polite, I have to be careful how I handle this.
“She usually just says she works in clubs because when people hear she dances for a living they get the wrong impress
ion about her. I know I did when I first met her.”
“Does she have any other jobs or just dancing?”
“She teaches aerobics at the ‘Y’ about twice a week.” Pausing slightly “Is this what the military calls a background check?”
She blushed slightly as she realized how this was coming across. “I don’t mean anything wrong. I was just surprised is all.” Slight hesitation “Do you ever dance with her?”
“Just once at a club when our dates were too busy getting drunk to have a good time.” I felt bad because I feel I am about to lose a friend. “Usually she only dates those who already know. People like bouncers, bartenders, and waiters. Folks like that. They’re not quick to judge.”
I got up to leave “If the guys can’t handle it I understand. Just tell them no hard feelings, see you at school.” Then I left.
Since Ann wasn’t here I called Rico and Marie to vent to them. They live nearby and invited me over for some wine and non-judgmental company. It’s good to have friends who understand.
I saw Sally at school the next day and there was a bit of awkward silence between us for a minute. I guess some friendships just weren’t meant to be. Too bad.
Learning about the true feelings of two guys I thought were decent people was hurtful. Unfortunately they turned out to be the least of Ann’s and my troubles.
* * *
Now that he was out of jail Bobby planned to meet Ann alone in some parking lot of where ever she was working and explain her role in their relationship. When he couldn’t find her at any of their usual places he had called her old company ‘Dark Desires’. They told him she was out of town but wouldn’t say where or for how long.
He still had a key to her house. Once before he had borrowed her car supposedly to make a booze run, but instead had driven to a hard ware store. He had duplicate keys made for all of her locks.
After all if she belonged to him then so did everything she owned. He sat there quietly in the dark of her empty house and thought about what he was going to do to teach her a lesson.
It was obvious his old man was right in how to treat bitches like her. He was enjoying the thought of it. He was only wondering if he should do it before, or after he used his knife to cut off that long red hair she was so proud of. Either way when things were over she wouldn’t be so pretty ever again.
But until then he knew exactly what he could do.
* * *
Chapter Twelve
I am a little lonely waiting for Ann to get home. Allen never replied to my text so I decided not to bother with him anymore. I talked to Cindy and Marie a couple of times. They understood about having ‘man troubles’, especially Marie. That makes sense. I am glad that she and Rico are doing well together.
The only thing bothering me in the back of my mind is I keep seeing a red VW bug car. It has passed by the house several times. At least once I swear it followed me to work. Not sure what is up with that. At one time I thought it might have been Allen, but it never shows up on base when I am at school, so probably not.
I went to raid Ann’s fridge for the last of her sandwich meat and cheese the day before she was due back. When I got there something didn’t feel right. I slowly walked around her place but didn’t see anything out of place. Still I just couldn’t help it. The only way I can describe it is that there is a little tingling on the back of my neck when something is wrong. I call it my ‘Spidey senses’.
Walking outside I looked on the ground to see if there were footprints under her windows but there are too many leaves and pine needles piled up for me to really tell.
Debating on what I should do I decided to text Ann and let her know about my being uneasy. Maybe I am foolish, but how many horror and murder movies begin with somebody keeping things like this to themselves? She is due back tomorrow while I am at work so I suggested that she crash at my place until we could both check things out together.
Any thoughts I entertained about leaving work early were dashed when Beverly brought in files for some of Charles’s accounts. He was out sick and she decided that I knew enough to handle these. It figures that the one time I really wanted to leave, was the first time she showed this confidence in my ability to get things done.
After sending a quick text to Ann, I dove in and got down to work. The accounts were simple, but details are everything. I was not going to let Beverly down or give Charles something to comment on. I focused on the work and first double, then triple checked myself. When I looked up it was dark outside. Beverly was standing in the door way saying it was time to go.
I had even worked through lunch time without realizing it. However my stomach soon let me know it was not happy with my inattention. Ann texted me three hours ago to say she was at my house and intended to crash there until I arrived.
* * *
While Beverly watched Sarah walk to her car she could not help being pleased with how hard Sarah had worked today. Having Sarah do Charles’s accounts had freed her to take care of other, more pressing, matters. Sarah jumped in like a veteran and had not asked any questions, she didn’t even take a break. Granted the accounts were simple, but they were necessary. It was good to know she could depend on Sarah for the routine matters as well as for anything ‘special’.
* * *
Ann was dozing on my bed when I got home. She was so zonked out that I even managed to change clothes without waking her. When I called her name enough times to drag her from whatever dream she was having I could tell she was still exhausted.
She was also famished. We decided to wait before ordering food to be delivered. We needed to go over to her place and see if my instincts were right.
When we walked in there everything seemed normal. She was always a neat house keeper and nothing seemed wrong. Maybe I am being paranoid. Ann headed into the bedroom to check it out then called to me.
“Sarah, did you go in my underwear drawer?”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
“Someone did.”
When I walked in I could see her holding up a pair of panties. Least wise what was left of them. They had been cut, well - let’s just say shredded, with a knife. Neither of us knew what to say. Silently she went through the rest of her clothes. All of them were in the same condition. Even the things she had hanging in the closets. All ruined beyond repair.
“Any idea who?” I asked her. She silently shook her head and sat on the bed. We looked at one another for a long time. I tried to analyze things so that they could make sense to me. Any kind of sense.
Whoever did this had a lot of rage built up inside. Scary rage.
Ann’s eyes were wide and scared looking. I can tell she is in a mental overload. The obvious person to do something like this is usually the last one a girl is seeing. That would be Jeffrey. But this didn’t feel like anything he would do. Even so, I have to ask her some tough questions.
“Ann sweetie, did you ever tell Jeffrey you lived across the street? Did you ever park your car over here or anything like that? This happened while you were gone so I doubt it was any one you met out of town. They have to know you from here.” I can see her mind beginning to think. Good.
“Never. I always made sure that he thought you and I were roommates. It would have been a nice surprise for him to know that I had my own place where we could have a little privacy.”
“Well guess what sis. We are definitely roommates now. There is no way you are going to stay another night here until we find this bastard.” She is still shaken but relieved. “You can bed with me for tonight at least. If you want to we can have the boys come by tomorrow and bring your bed over to my side. The other room is small but there is enough space for it and we can bring over anything else of yours you need. Right now we are going to go home. I’ll get you something to eat, and make a few phone calls.”
She quietly said “Okay” and followed me ou
t the door.
On the way across the street Ann began to show some of her old self saying “We can bunk together for tonight but tomorrow I am going to need my own bed. I love you sis but you spend half of the night kicking off the covers plus tossing and turning.”
“Do not!”
“Do so. If you don’t believe me just ask Dave.”
“Ann, when and why were you discussing my sleeping habits with my boyfriend?”
She smirked and asked “Are we ordering Italian or Chinese?”
After splitting a large order of baked Ziti and bread sticks from Anna’s Ann went to crash and was out like a light. I sat in a reclining chair in the living room with all the lights off. The thoughts in my head were as dark as the room, but I still nodded off.
The next morning I woke to the smell of bacon cooking and fresh brewed coffee. ‘If this is what it’s like having her as a live in roomie then I hope she never leaves.’ Unfortunately as soon as I moved, my neck let me know exactly why it is never a good idea to sleep in a chair.
Ann silently handed me a cup of coffee.
“Did you figure out anything or just stay out here to keep watch all night?”
“Only what we already know. It was rage, it was personal, and I bet it was a man.” I also told her about seeing a red VW bug that seemed to follow me around at times. “The boys will be here around six to move your stuff. Until then I don’t want you to go over there by yourself, understood?”
“My, my, aren’t we a little bossy today? Who put you in charge?”
“You did.”
“Bull hockey. I think that is something I would have remembered.” She almost looked like she wanted to laugh, probably as a stress relief.
“You did.” I repeated “The first time you said we were sisters. There are a lot of things you do better than I ever will and we both know it. But this is something that I am better at. Promise me you won’t go there by yourself.” Still looking at her “Promise.”
Opening the Door Page 19