Mistaken Character

by R A Wallace

  She found a parking space around the corner and about a block away. When she went to drop money into the meter, she saw a new note saying that up to two hours of parking each week day were free. Pocketing her change, she continued walking. As she reached the corner, a blur whizzed in front of her from right to left.

  “Hey, wait!” Callie started running. “Robbie. Robbie Prince!”

  Instead of slowing, the man on the bike sped up. He took the first corner and was out of sight almost immediately. Callie stopped running and sucked in air. She retraced her path and went into the bakery.

  “That was pretty impressive,” the forty-something woman behind the counter said. Her name tag said Verna. Her short, dark hair was held captive by a white kitchen hair net.

  “Thanks.” Callie placed her usual order. “Do you know the guy on the bike?”

  “The one you were racing with?” Verna grinned as she set the bag next to the cash register.

  Callie pulled out her plastic card. “That would be the one.”

  “No. I’m surprised he’s still alive though. I’ve seen him dart in and out of traffic like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “Thanks.” Callie took her card back and picked up the cookies.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Callie parked her car around the corner from her office. She was surprised to see a car that she recognized parked in the spot in front of her. She expected to see her sister when she walked into her office. Instead, she saw Michael and Sierra.

  “Is Gemma here?” Callie asked.

  “She’s next door.” Michael’s eyes were focused on the bag in Callie’s hand.

  Callie put the bag of cookies on the table in the back next to the coffee pot. There was a large piece of plywood covering one section of the wall.

  “What’s this?” Callie asked.

  Michael stood from his desk and headed for the cookies. “That’s the access from the office area on the other side of the wall to here. They don’t have the door in yet so they put up that board to help with the noise for now.”

  “Sounds like they’re making progress.” Callie retraced her steps to the front door. “I’ll go check on Gemma.”

  She walked the few yards down the sidewalk and entered in the next door. She saw Gemma taking a measurement in one of the front windows.

  “I thought I gave you all of the numbers you need?” Callie said.

  Gemma looked up and smiled at her sister. “You did. I just wanted to double check them. Sometimes things change once the actual construction begins, especially when it’s a renovation versus new construction. Besides, I wanted to see your new space.”

  Callie looked around to see the changes since the last time she’d been there. They’d made more progress than she had expected.

  “What do you think?” Callie asked.

  “It’s going to be nice. Especially once I have your window treatments done.” Gemma wrote down some notes on her notepad then moved to the next window.

  “How are things going with you? Did you get your bill straightened out?” Callie asked as she stepped closer to the doorway of her new office.

  “Thankfully, yes. It took a lot of phone calls, but the insurance company is finally getting it all figured out.” Gemma extended her measuring tape. “Hard to believe that a data entry error could cause so many problems just by being one number off.”

  Callie crossed over to Greyson’s new office. They were similar in size. His was further along, however. Someone was already in there painting. Gemma appeared behind her.

  “Which office is yours?” Gemma asked.

  Callie pointed to the room on the right.

  Gemma pointed to the room on the left.

  “Whose office is that?” Gemma asked.

  “Greyson’s.”

  Gemma turned to look at her. “He has his own office?”

  “It’s a long story,” Callie said as the front door opened.

  “Hey, are they painting my office?” Greyson said as he joined them.

  Gemma looked pointedly at her sister.

  “Gemma, this is Greyson. You remember him from the play that he was in with Mom, right?” Callie said.

  Gemma reached out to shake Greyson’s hand. “I do. Nice to see you again.”

  “Same here.” Greyson turned back to his office. “Looks like we’re making progress.”

  “They cut the connector access to the other side in the wall too,” Callie said.

  Greyson turned to look at it. “So they did.”

  “Your window treatments should be ready soon also. I was just double checking the measurements.” Gemma tucked her notepad into her bag and flashed a finger wave. “I should get back to work.”

  “How did you do with the bicycle incident?” Greyson asked Callie as he followed her back outside.

  “I have some video footage to review.” Callie opened her office door and headed for her desk.

  “Sounds promising.” Greyson followed her in but stopped at Michael’s desk to take a cookie from the bag.

  “Probably not. The store manager said it’s a bad angle.” Callie turned her computer on and sat at her desk. “I did manage to speak with some witnesses though. I’m told there are others so I may go back.”

  “Did any of them see what happened?” Greyson asked as he pulled another chair over by Callie’s desk.

  “Not really. Someone did say a young kid took a video. I had another idea too.” Callie plugged the portable drive with the video from the grocery store into her computer. She pulled up the video and they both watched.

  “The store manager is right. The angle of this video isn’t going to help,” Greyson said. “The car blocks the view. It’s good in one way. It proves that the driver of the car was moving slowly.”

  “I might be able to find something else though.” Callie pulled up a web page and entered in an address.

  Greyson watched as the web site came up. “What’s this?”

  “I might be able to find out if Robbie Prince was ever in an accident before,” Callie said as she keyed in more information to filter her search.

  “You think he’s a repeat offender?”

  “It’s something the cookie lady said. Robbie darts in and out of traffic all the time. It made me think that maybe he might have tried something like this before.” Callie scrolled through the results.

  “A scam artist, of sorts.” Greyson pointed at the screen. “Try that one.”

  Callie clicked on the link. “There we go.”

  “This is from a year ago,” Greyson said as he scanned the report.

  “There aren’t a lot of details here,” Callie muttered as she read. “Still, it’s good to know.”

  Callie went back to the video of the incident she’d received from the store manager and played it again.

  “What are you looking for now?” he asked.

  “Someone said that a kid was there and took video with his phone. I have a description of him, but it would help if I could see him.” Callie paused the video and pointed. “There he is.”

  “Looks like he’s the only one with a good angle.” Greyson sat back in his seat.

  “I need to find the kid,” Callie agreed.

  “What is your plan for Crystal Delaney?” he asked.

  “Did you have any luck tracking her?” Callie asked.

  “I used the links you told me to try and also a few of my own.” Greyson reached for the other computer that he had been using and turned it on. “Once I found a few things, I made some phone calls. You aren’t going to believe this.”

  Callie laced her fingers together and rested her hands on the top of her head as she waited for Greyson to pull up the information he’d found.

  He pointed at his screen.

  “Are you kidding me?” Callie asked. “What are the chances?”

  “Looks like we’re both going to Colorado,” Greyson said.

  “How is it possible that the real Crystal Delaney is from the same area as
your missing professor?”

  “I can’t believe that the fake Crystal Delaney isn’t from there too,” Greyson said. “How else would she have known to impersonate the real Crystal?”

  “I was wondering about that too,” Callie said. “According to her application to the news station, she was from Idaho. Of course, we don’t yet know if that is true.” Callie pulled out her copy of the newspaper article about the camping fatalities of Crystal Delaney’s family.

  “Good point. She may have only listed it that way because the newspaper article listed the family as being from there,” he said.

  “Have you told the family of your missing university professor what happened yet?”

  Greyson sat back in his chair again. “Adam, yes. I’d like to speak with him in person though. Give him the rest of the details. The ones we know, at any rate.”

  “We can reach out to the police here. Try to learn more before we go to Colorado,” Callie said.

  Greyson nodded. “I’d like that.”

  “You’re really going to Colorado?” Sierra asked.

  Callie held up the newspaper article. “We need to find the real Crystal Delaney.”

  “According to everything I’ve been able to find, she’s now living in Colorado,” Greyson said. He looked back at Callie’s computer. “I can try to run down more information this afternoon about Robbie Prince’s accident with a car last year. And track down the teen with the video if you can figure out his name.”

  “Sounds good.” Callie sent the file to the printer.

  Greyson stood and crossed over to the printer to get it.

  “I’ll see you at dinner later,” he said to Callie. He paused by Michael’s desk and took another cookie from the bag. “There are only two left.”

  “There would be four if you hadn’t taken any.” Michael grinned at him and turned his music up louder. The sound began bleeding from his earbuds.

  Greyson laughed as he walked toward the door. He met Ariana coming in. He pointed at Michael.

  “He saved you the last two cookies.” Greyson waved before leaving.

  Ariana paused by Michael’s desk and took one of the cookies from the bag then continued to Callie’s desk.

  “Hey, Sierra,” Ariana said.

  “Hey, yourself.” Sierra opened another screen on her computer and began typing.

  “What are you working on?” Ariana asked Callie as she took Greyson’s chair. “Anything I can help with?”

  Callie thought for a moment. “Maybe.” She pulled up the video of the car-bicycle accident from the grocery store.

  “The driver of the car doesn’t believe they’re at fault for this accident,” Callie said.

  Ariana chewed as she watched the video. When it ended, she pointed at the computer with the rest of her cookie.

  “There’s no way to tell from that angle.” Ariana took another bite of cookie.

  “Agreed. But watch the video again closely. I’m going to stop it when I get to the important part.” Callie ran it again, then stopped it. She pointed at her screen. “Do you know this kid? It looks like he took video on his phone.”

  Ariana leaned forward. “Yeah. He goes to my school.”

  “Do you know how to contact him?” Callie asked.

  “I can do better than that.” Ariana put the rest of her cookie in her mouth then pulled Greyson’s laptop closer. She keyed in an address. “This is his social media page.”

  “Is there any video from this accident?” Callie leaned forward to watch as Ariana scrolled down the page.

  “How is your art teacher doing? Inez Chen?” Callie asked as she watched the social media page scroll.

  “She’s back at work,” Ariana said hesitantly.

  “But?”

  “She’s good. I think. She just seems a lot more cautious now.” Ariana slowed her scrolling to look at something then began scrolling again.

  “Maybe that’s not a bad thing,” Callie muttered as she watched the page scroll by.

  “Maybe. Wait. What’s this?” Ariana stopped scrolling.

  “Bingo.” Callie smiled at Ariana as she pulled out her phone to text Greyson. “Good job.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  She found her mother by the pool with a group of friends, a cooler, and a pitcher of daiquiris. Callie declined the offer of a drink and pulled a chair away from the pool into the shade of the clubhouse. It gave her a clear view of her mother. Margaret was stretched out on a chaise lounge at one short end of the pool. Callie was on the long side of the pool on the other side of the corner.

  “I’m taking a trip to Colorado tomorrow. We should only be gone the one night,” Callie said.

  “We?” Margaret lowered her sunglasses to look at her daughter.

  “Greyson and I, yes.” Callie ignored the look of extreme satisfaction on her mother’s face. “We’re working.”

  “What is it this time?” Margaret slid her sunglasses back up her nose.

  “Greyson has been working a missing person case,” Callie said.

  “Did he find them?” Margaret asked.

  “Not yet, but it looks like we’ve found the killer.” Callie watched as Sally picked up the half empty pitcher and topped off everyone’s glass.

  Margaret made a noise of compassion.

  “It’s more than the family has had for nearly a decade,” Callie said.

  “That is something then,” Sally said on her way past Callie to the clubhouse.

  “Which case are you working?” Margaret asked.

  Callie explained where they were with the Crystal Delaney case. When she was done speaking, she had everyone’s attention.

  “That sounds like a movie on television,” Trudy said. She wore clip-on, flip-up shades over her glasses and a wide-brimmed hat.

  “It happens more often than you think,” Howard said. A retired police officer whose son followed in his footsteps, he was more aware of the realities than most.

  Sally popped out of the clubhouse. “I need more ice.”

  “I’ll get it.” Elaine stood up from her chaise lounge and opened the cooler. She pulled out a bag of ice. “This is our last bag.”

  “That sounds about right,” Vanessa said. “We’ll be done just in time for dinner.”

  “Did you have any luck with Vanessa’s problem?” Margaret asked.

  “Turns out, your Robbie Prince may have done this before,” Callie said.

  “I’m not surprised,” Howard said before finishing his daiquiri.

  Sally and Elaine emerged from the clubhouse with a new pitcher.

  “Did we miss anything?” Elaine asked as she sat back in her chaise.

  “Callie was just explaining about Vanessa’s con artist,” Howard said.

  “What about her trip with Greyson?” Sally asked.

  “Yeah, that’s the important part,” Elaine agreed.

  “She’s trying to gloss over that part,” Paula said as she held her glass out to Sally.

  “She’s hoping we’ll forget about it,” Trudy agreed.

  Callie ignored them. “He must have known where the cameras were at the grocery store.”

  “He probably studied it beforehand,” Howard said as Sally filled his glass.

  “What he didn’t take into account was the teenager with his phone,” Callie said.

  Vanessa slid her sunglasses down. “He videotaped it?”

  “He did,” Callie confirmed.

  “What’s his name? I want to thank him.”

  Callie gave her the particulars and began to rise.

  “Greyson is trying to track him down now. With luck, the case will be dropped without a fight. Even if Robbie continues to press the issue, the videotape from the teen should exonerate you,” Callie said.

  “About the trip with Greyson,” Margaret said.

  “Sorry, I’ve gotta go. I still have a lot to do.”

  “Thank you for your help, Callie. I mean it,” Vanessa said.

  ***

  The
tiny grill in her driveway didn’t get much use. She didn’t often take the time to grill dinner for herself. This dinner was different, however. She and Greyson were meeting to go over their plans for the trip to Colorado.

  He pulled into her driveway just as she got the grill started. He’d taken the time to change into more casual clothes but was still wearing long pants rather than shorts.

  “This looks promising. I don’t get to grill as often as I’d like.” He stood next to her at the grill. “What can I help with?”

  “I still have things to get ready in the kitchen. Think you can handle this?” she asked.

  “No problem.” He flipped the lid up and checked the flame. “Doesn’t look like you use this much.”

  “I don’t. I’ll get the meat and bring it out for you.”

  Callie returned a minute later with two plates. After Greyson transferred the meat from one plate to the grill, she took it back in the house leaving him with a clean plate for the cooked meat.

  “Do you want some tea?” she asked on her way back into the house.

  “When you have a chance. And some seasoning for the meat.” He adjusted the flame and lowered the lid.

  She returned a few minutes later with a glass of tea and the seasoning.

  “Any luck with Robbie Prince?” she asked.

  “Oh, yeah. I found him. He’s going to drop the charges. I also spoke with the teen and got a copy of the video.”

  “Good. Vanessa will be happy.”

  She left him with the seasoning and returned to her salad in the kitchen. It didn’t take long before she set it out on the table with the place settings. She carried her own glass of tea outside.

  “I cheated and picked up some potato salad at the store when I got the meat,” Callie said.

  “I won’t complain. This is nice.” He lifted the lid and checked the meat as he flipped it over. “I think it’s about done.”