by Jen Talty
“I thought Dawn Lancaster was the owner.” Ethan scratched the back of his neck.
“She sold it to me.”
“When?” Ethan asked.
“Two months ago,” the girl said with a reassuring smile. “What kind of party are you planning? I can assure you that I’ll do as good a job as Dawn would. She’s introduced me to all her contacts, and we’ve been able to work well together in the time I’ve been here.”
Ethan held up his hand, needing the young woman to stop her sales pitch. “Did Dawn say why she wanted to sell?”
“She’s moving—to New York.”
“As in New York City?” He raked a hand through his hair. Devin lived in New York, and Dawn had slept with him on the night of his sister’s wedding.
Could they be an item?
“And she has nothing to do with the business anymore?” he asked.
“She’s available to me for consultation, but no, the business is all mine.” The woman leaned against the desk.
“Has she moved yet?” Ethan asked. His mind scrambled to sort through the puzzle pieces, but nothing fit together.
“I don’t think so. The last I spoke with her she said her boyfriend was coming down this week to help with the move. Did something happen that I should be aware of?”
“No,” Ethan said a little too curtly. “At least nothing concerning this business.” Ethan wished he had a photo of Devin to show Melissa to see if what he suspected was true. “Have you met her boyfriend?”
“I have not. I’m sorry, Officer, but you’re starting to worry me.”
“There’s nothing for you to be concerned about. I just need to speak with her and her boyfriend.” Ethan handed the lady his card. “Thank you for your time.”
Once outside, he pulled out his phone and texted Annabel:
Ethan: She wasn’t at work. I’m going to head over to her house. When was the last time you spoke to Devin?
Annabel: A couple of weeks ago. Why?
Ethan: I hate to ask this, but did he mention a girlfriend?
Annabel: As in one girlfriend or the soiree of lovers he has parading in and out of his apartment?
Ethan shook his head. He didn’t find it amusing, but he wasn’t shocked either.
Ethan: Has he seen Dawn since the wedding?
Annabel: I honestly have no idea. But you can’t leave me hanging on why you want to know.
Ethan: Dawn sold the business and is moving to New York City.
Annabel: Well, I’ll be damned.
The bubbles floated on the phone as if Annabel were still writing, but no text appeared on his phone.
Ethan: Everything ok?
Annabel: I found three other items on the stolen list. Your sister is going to be upset because I promised her after I sold some of this I’d take her on a trip to Key West.
Ethan now had a serial burglar and two potential suspects. Craig and Dawn. He understood Craig’s motivation for stealing the items, but Dawn, that left him a bit bamboozled.
Ethan: I’ll be in touch. If you have to leave for any reason, let me know. I need to get the stolen items logged into evidence.
Annabel: I’ve got a lot to go through, so I suspect I’ll be here for a while.
Ethan: Getting in the car. I’ll text you after I speak with Dawn.
Ethan slipped behind the steering wheel of his patrol car and picked up the microphone. “Dispatch, this is Officer Ferris. I need an address for a Dawn Lancaster.” He flipped open his laptop and keyed in the three letters from the license plate that had run Annabel off the road and Dawn’s name.
Nothing.
“And can you get me a vehicle registration, as well.”
“Only one Dawn Lancaster comes up and the address is 718 Hyde Drive, Unit 104. She has one car registered in her name. A white Hyundai Genesis. License plate JKH 456. One cell phone in her name. Number is 561-998-5322. No landline found,” dispatch said.
That ruled her out for the hit-and-run, but her name had been on the lease for the storage rental.
“Thanks. I’m headed to question her. She’s a person of interest in two open cases.” Ethan set the mic in the cradle and pulled out of the parking lot. Hyde Drive was only five miles away, but if he got stuck at the bridge, he could be stuck for at least ten minutes. He thought about calling her, but he didn’t want her to run scared and leave.
“Hey, Siri, call Palmetto.”
The phone rang once before Palmetto picked up. “Whatcha got?”
“The owner of the storage unit sold her event planning business and is moving to New York City.”
“What does that mean, exactly?” Palmetto asked.
“I’m not sure, but she was sleeping with Annabel’s ex at the time of my sister’s wedding.”
“Good Lord, that’s a lot to take in.”
Ethan turned the car onto Donald Moss. Luckily, he passed over the bridge before the flashing lights went off.
“I’m heading to her house now. It just seems odd she’d let the unit go up for auction with all that stuff.”
“It sounds like she’s making a run for it.”
“Not a fast one,” Ethan said.
“Call me when you’re done interviewing her.”
“Will do.” Five minutes later, Ethan pulled into the driveway of a townhome on Hyde Drive in an up-and-coming neighborhood not far from Daniels Country Club. A pearly white Genesis stood proudly in front of a one-car garage.
Ethan surveyed the area before strolling up the walkway toward the front door. He pushed the doorbell and heard the ding somewhere inside the home. Footsteps pounded across the hard floor. The sound wasn’t dainty, nor did it resemble the clicking of a woman’s high heels.
The door opened, and Ethan’s mouth dropped as he stared at Devin, who looked equally shocked to see him.
“What are you doing here?” Devin asked with a tight jaw.
“I need to speak with Dawn about a police matter.”
“About what?” Devin kept one hand on the doorknob while he blocked the entryway, puffing out his chest.
“I’m sorry, but it’s official police business. Is she home?”
“Hang on.” Devin closed the door halfway. “Hey, babe, the police are here. He says he needs to speak with you.”
“About what?” Dawn’s voice echoed through the hallway.
“Won’t say.”
A few seconds ticked by before Dawn appeared at the door. “Oh, Ethan. How are you?”
“I’m well. May I come in?” Ethan didn’t want to spend any time in Devin’s presence, but he had a job to do.
Story of his life lately.
He worried Annabel might still be hung up on the man, and him being here, with Dawn, could potentially sour the budding romance he hoped to pursue as a long-term thing. But if that were the case, better to know now, and give her some space to deal with whatever she needed to.
He could be a patient man.
“Sure, why not.” Dawn waved her hand.
Devin, however, groaned as he pulled back the door.
“Can I get you a drink?” Dawn asked, her smile sweet, but her words clipped with frustration.
“No, thank you,” Ethan looked around as he took a seat in the modest family room. Boxes were piled up in the corners, and all the artwork had been removed from the walls and leaned against one of the coffee tables. “I’d like to discuss the storage unit you owned at The Public Storage facility on Military.”
“I don’t own it anymore. I stopped paying on it months ago.” She sat on the sofa, Devin sliding in next to her, draping his arm over her shoulder.
“But it went up for auction a few days ago,” Ethan said, keeping his tone level when he really wanted to rip Devin a new piehole.
“What does that mean?” Dawn tilted her head to the side with an inquisitive arched brow.
“It means the contents of your unit were sold to the highest bidder,” Ethan said, studying her face, looking for signs that she knew exactly what he was referring to
, but thus far, he saw nothing. “And in your unit, we uncovered some stolen items.”
“It’s not my unit, and I had nothing in there.” She folded her arms across her chest, pursing her lips.
“We also found this.” He handed her the receipts for a wedding dress and ring.
“What is this?” She took the papers in her hand. “Where did you get this?”
“In your storage unit. Were you engaged once?” Ethan asked, eyeing Devin, who didn’t seem to care one way or the other based on his relaxed body language.
“No. I wasn’t. And this isn’t mine.” She handed the receipts back with a steady hand. “And that unit isn’t mine.”
“You were listed as owner with all your contact information.”
“They must have screwed up the paperwork.”
“Didn’t they bill you?” Ethan asked.
“No.”
“You mentioned stolen items. What kind of items?” Devin asked.
“Things related to weddings. A couple of rings have been identified. All contained in your unit. We’ve also had a rash of burglaries where wedding items have been stolen. We believe it’s all connected.”
“Well, I sure as hell didn’t steal anything,” Dawn said. “I used that unit when I cleaned out my father’s house after he passed. Once I sold everything, I had no use for it.”
“Do you have the storage unit records?”
“I might, but as you can see, I’m moving.”
“Until we solve this case, I’m going to have to ask you not to leave the area. I’m going to need a full statement and any proof you canceled that contract and that nothing in the unit belonged to you, or was stolen from you.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’m moving next week,” she said with a frown.
“You’ll have to put it on hold, or I’ll get a warrant for your arrest. I have enough just on the fact that you rented the unit.”
“That’s crazy,” Devin muttered. “You’re just dealing with sour grapes, as is my ex.”
Ethan clenched his fists then took a calming breath. “Neither one of us holds a grudge, and I’m simply doing my job.”
Chapter Fourteen
Thus far, we—I say we because Annabel is smart and efficient—have found most of the items on the list.
I hear the crunching of boots on the pavement, but I can tell by the vibration under my paws, this is not Ethan. I turn, arching my back with a puff of erect fur. Slightly undignified, but useful in the protection of my humans.
Hissing, I weave through the boxes, leaping over one and landing on my paws just where the sun hits the opening of the unit.
Officer Palmetto stops a few feet from me.
“Hello, kitty,” he says.
Really? Kitty? I hiss, letting him know my displeasure before turning and sauntering to where Annabel sits, going through more boxes, itemizing everything in a list and taking pictures. I like her methodology. She’d make for a good detective with a little training.
And a better wardrobe, though, I will admit, since Ethan’s been prowling around, her taste has improved ever so slightly.
At least she dumped the baseball cap.
“Hey, Officer Palmetto. What brings you by?” Annabel asks as she stands.
“One of my team is coming over to take what we know is stolen into evidence.”
“What about the rest?”
“For now, it stays here until we know for sure it wasn’t stolen. Any item that wasn’t, will belong to you.”
The roar of an engine pulling into the parking lot catches my attention.
I catch everything.
Nothing ever gets by me.
“I don’t want any of it,” she said softly.
“That’s up to you, but it’s going to be a while before we can release it anyway.”
I step out of the unit and into the sun, eyeing the street, waiting to see the source of the vehicle I hear approaching.
“There are still a couple of boxes I haven’t gone through and five items on the list that I haven’t been able to locate.”
I see the car that had been in Annabel’s parking lot this morning. Wasting no time, I scratch at Palmetto’s leg before I race toward the car.
Annabel looks after me as I run toward the facility’s entrance. “That’s the car from this morning,” she says.
“Stay back,” Palmetto admonishes.
“No way.”
A man, whom I’ve never seen before, steps from the driver’s side of the vehicle and hurries around and opens the passenger door. A tall, elegant woman emerges, perching on a pair of designer wedges. I’ve never seen her either, but I know that car.
I may not know these people, but I know this is not the man we’re looking for. Annabel is safe to join the fray.
Palmetto turns his head. “Please, Annabel, stay at the unit.”
I run ahead. I want to get to the couple before they enter the building. I pop over the fence with the ease of a professional pole vaulter and the grace of a cheetah.
Palmetto doesn’t have the same expertise as Ethan, so my skills are most definitely needed.
And I need to get in that car.
Thankfully, the window is rolled down, so I leap into action.
“Hey. Get out of there, you darn cat,” the man says.
He can bug off for now.
The first thing I notice is that the car has too many human scents to decipher one from the other.
“Excuse me,” Palmetto says, just in time to keep the man from dragging me from my search. “May I ask who holds the rental agreement of that car?”
“I do,” the woman says with a slight tremble in her voice. “Why?”
“How long have you had the vehicle?”
I comb the back seat, looking in every nook and cranny. I find what I think might be a five-day-old French fry, a stick of gum, and a straw.
But nothing useful. So I climb to the front and begin scouring, while I continue to listen to the conversation outside the car.
I’m a master of multi-tasking.
I’m a master of most things and if I’m not, I will be, given five minutes.
“A couple of days,” the woman said.
“What is this about?” the man asks. “And more importantly, do the police have any more information on the break-in at my house this morning?”
That caught my attention, but I continued to examine the vehicle.
“I’m sorry, who handled the call?” Palmetto asked.
“Officer Ethan Ferris.”
“The tuxedo?” Palmetto asked as he pulled out a notepad. “May I ask your names?”
“I’m Colin Colby, and this my fiancée Jessica Lindy.”
I’m unaware of this case, and by the way Palmetto scratches the back of his head, he’s not completely up to speed. “I’m sure Officer Ferris will be in touch when he knows something. For now, I need to know your whereabouts this morning.”
“I was home until shortly after Officer Ferris came to take the robbery report,” Colin said. “And then I went to Jessica’s place.”
“I was home until we went to pick up the rental that I left overnight in a parking lot,” the woman said.
I find a small coin on the driver’s side. It’s not money, and it has the same logo that the man from this morning had on his cap. I take it between my teeth and leap out the window with style and grace.
“What parking lot?” Palmetto asked.
I sit at Palmetto’s feet, keeping my ears sharp.
“After I dropped the tux off at Colin’s place, I went to work for an hour and then met a friend at the bar in the plaza. I had too much to drink so I took a Lyft home.”
“Did you let anyone use your rental?”
The woman shook her head adamantly. “No.”
“So, how is it that a man was seen driving this car, early this morning at Ocean Way?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” the woman said.
“Annabel, is this the m
an you saw this morning?” Palmetto asks, his hands looped into his belt in what I find to be a standard American police stance.
It’s meant to be intimidating.
It doesn’t work for Palmetto.
“I don’t know. I didn’t get a good look. But I know Ethan got the license plate and that’s it.”
“I wasn’t there,” Colin says with irritation in his voice.
“Any witness to attest to that?” Palmetto asked.
The man shook his head. “I was passed out drunk until I called the police.”
“What brings you by here today?” Palmetto asked.
“We have a small unit we’re clearing out today.” Colin said.
“Where is the unit?”
Jessica pointed to a building two across from Annabel’s. “It’s the smallest one. It’s just stuff from his late father that we’ve been storing for his other dad.”
“Mind if I take a look?”
“No, but why do you need to?” the man asks with a scowl. His puffy eyes narrow to slits.
“We believe that car might have been used for a crime and—”
The man raises his hand. “Neither Jessica nor I did anything. I told Officer Ferris that there was no way Jessica would have stolen my father’s tux, even considering how mad she is at me.”
“I’m getting over it,” Jessica says softly, resting her hand on Colin’s bulging biceps.
Palmetto raised his arms, palms facing the sky. “I’m just doing my job.”
Colin nods. I walk next to him and his pretty fiancée. Though I would never say this out loud, the dark circles under her eyes tell a story of a slightly broken heart. The concerned creases on his forehead and the way he touches her indicates he was probably what put that hurt on her lovely face.
I tug at Annabel’s pant leg.
She immediately bends down. “What is it?”
I show her the coin. She arches her brow, but takes it in her hand, studies it, and then smiles before putting it in her pocket.
“It’s this one,” Colin hands Palmetto the key and steps back.
Once the door is pulled open, I dash inside, examining the contents. A couple of chairs, some boxes of clothes, and pictures. I paw at one of the open boxes, peering in.
