Destroyed and Detained

by Danelle Helget

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Sara, it’s Kat. I’m calling from West’s phone. Mine apparently doesn’t work this far out in the sticks.” CRAP! I forgot they were coming today. “We’ll be there in about an hour.”

  “Great, can’t wait,” I lied. “I have a really good pizza for us for lunch. Sorry, nothing too fancy. It’s been a crazy week around here.”

  “Pizza sounds perfect. Thanks. We’ll see you soon.”

  I set the phone down and looked at the time. It was 10:45. How the heck did I sleep so late? I went to the hall and shouted to Derek that we’d have company in an hour. My parents were always early, so maybe less than that.

  I quickly showered and dressed. Then I did a quick hair and make-up routine and went to the living room to dust. If I didn’t, my mom would as soon as she got here.

  I called Tannya to make sure she was okay. She said she was just getting up and had called HCMC. Scooter had died. He had just passed just a few minutes before her call. She told me that she needed to make some phone calls and just wanted some time alone. I invited her over, but she said she just wanted to bake cookies, and eat them and watch movies. I understood and told her I’d check in with her later and to call me if she wanted company. I told her again how sorry I was. She thanked me and hung up.

  A few minutes later, my parents knocked. I let them in. They were greeted by Pepper. Aunt Val walked in just a few seconds later. We all hugged and then moved to the kitchen table. My mom had brought a bag of snacks and two homemade apple pies with her. I poured some snacks into bowls, and we all gathered around the table.

  A minute later there was another knock at the door. I got up and welcomed my long-lost BFF Kat and her boyfriend, West. I gave them a quick tour and ended it in the kitchen. After introducing West to everyone, we joined them at the table. Derek brought an extra folding chair from the closet and helped me get beverages for everyone.

  “All right, Sara and Val, tell me what the heck went on!” my mom demanded. “What’s all this about a pirate ship, and a fire, and bad men, and treasure, and Chicago gangs … what else was there?” she asked my dad.

  He shrugged.

  “Okay, well, it all started with the pirate ship and Aunt Val calling to get bailed out of jail,” Derek said with a smirk.

  Everyone was staring at me and Val, who was sitting on my left.

  “Ha, ha … funny story …” I started.

  An hour later, Val and I were done with the story. I finished with the news of Scooter’s passing this morning. We were all saddened by that, but Val toasted to the wellbeing of everyone else and that she was lucky to have so many good friends and family. I stood to put the pizza in the oven, and heard another knock at the door. I had no idea who else would be coming over today.

  Everyone was quiet in the kitchen. I opened the door to Rex and Officer Johnson.

  “Hi, come on in,” I said and stepped aside. They were in their uniforms. Rex had worked a lot of overtime this week, and his eyes showed it.

  “We didn’t formally meet, Sara,” Johnson said, I shook his hand.

  Derek got up and shook hands, too. “How’s it going, Rex? Jeff?”

  “Oh, it’s been better. I tell ya, if it’s not one thing it’s another,” Rex said with a sigh, and gave me a strange look. I turned towards the kitchen, and he and Derek followed.

  When they got into the kitchen, I introduced Rex and Jeff to Kat and West, and Jeff to my mom and dad. They shook hands with everyone.

  “So, Officer, it’s sounds like you had a busy week, too. Sara was just filling us in,” my mom said.

  “Yes, it was very busy,” Rex said with a half-smile.

  “I just can’t believe it. Pirate ships and treasures. I bet you haven’t seen that in this little town before,” Dad said.

  “I haven’t, and the details just keep coming. That’s actually why I’m here. Can I talk to you a minute?” Rex asked, turning to me.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Wait, we want to hear the juicy details too,” Kat said with a wink.

  “Yeah, tell all of us. We’re intrigued,” Mom said.

  Rex inhaled deeply and nodded to Jeff. “Sara, I have a search warrant for the property,” Johnson said handing me a piece of paper.

  “For what exactly?” Derek asked stepping to my side and taking the paper. He looked at it while Jeff talked.

  “For stolen property. It’s believed that Sara has some property stolen from a woman by the name of Milly Larson, here in Nisswa.”

  SHIT!

  “Sara?” my mom snapped with a parental tone.

  Derek lowered the paper and looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Louis Vuittons. Really, Sara?”

  I looked around the room. My mom and dad looked concerned, and West looked confused. Val and Kat had huge, excited eyes and smiles.

  I looked back to Derek and Rex … and Jeff, who now had cuffs in his hands.

  “Ha ha … funny story …” I said.

  The End