The sheriff and his deputy ambled out of the garage moments later with cookie crumbs on their lips and a satisfied air about them. The sheriff struggled to keep his scowl in place; Oksana was an excellent hostess. Her charms were difficult to resist. Dimitri mentally thanked God she was his wife.
Dimitri nodded once. “Sheriff. Deputy.”
The sheriff cleared his throat and pulled on his collar. “We need to go inspect the house now, son. I didn’t get to that last time. You’re welcome to join us.”
“I would be happy to, Sheriff.”
While the men headed toward the house, Kat nervously scanned the trees and paced. Soon, she spotted Robert’s car emerging from the trees on the dirt driveway. He and Claire returned with groceries. They had to shop more frequently because of the limited pantry space.
Kat, thankful for something to do, hurried over to help carry the bags in. Steven soon joined her. Aside from Granny, Rebecca, Robert, and Oksana, everyone else was out in the woods while her uncle was in the house with the sheriff.
“We spent about twenty percent more on the same stuff today,” Claire lamented as she hoisted two bags onto each arm and plodded toward the garage. “I can’t believe how much the prices shot up in less than a week!”
“Did you shop somewhere else?” Kat asked as she followed behind with several bags of her own.
“We went to a different town, but it was the same chain.”
They hoisted the bags onto the small counter and Oksana immediately plucked items from the bags and put them away.
Robert hoisted his arm load of bags onto the table that had already been cleared of tea and sweets. “Yeah. I was kind of surprised, too. I remember when a loaf of bread was seventy-five cents.”
Claire chuckled. “I bet you do, old man.”
Robert pinched her bottom. “I’ll show you who’s an old man.”
Claire squealed and skipped out of the garage. Kat and Steven rolled their eyes and followed the giddy couple.
Anna and Christopher emerged from opposite ends of the tree line just as the last bags of groceries were hauled from the trunk. Both jogged toward the garage. Kat glanced around and noticed the rest of her family trickled out of the woods toward them, too.
Her stomach twisted as she eagerly waited to hear if they were successful. Christopher reached her first and gave her a reassuring nod and smile.
Kat’s shoulders relaxed; she hadn’t realized they had been tight. She looked at the sky for a moment and exhaled deeply. Her gaze landed on Christopher. “So, it worked? You guys got them all?”
Anna joined the group and nodded. “I think so. It would seem the sheriff is the only one under the influence.”
“But he’s the only one that matters,” Anastasia muttered and nodded toward the house where the sheriff, deputy, and Dimitri were walking toward them.
Kat tried to gauge the mood of the three men. Her uncle looked relaxed as did the deputy, but the sheriff was hard to read. He seemed determined to be in a perpetually foul mood. For the moment, it looked like his face was pressed into a softer scowl. That was something.
Dimitri’s voice came within hearing range. “Thank you, Sheriff. I’m sorry for all the time and resources you’re wasting here. As you can see, it was the kitchen that was the source of the explosion, which would be consistent with the report that it was a gas leak. Also remember that I smelled gas right before it exploded.” Dimitri clucked his tongue and looked remorseful. “My wife is sorry that her kitchen was destroyed – you know what a great cook she is – but we’ll do our best to rebuild. It will take time.”
The sheriff sucked his lips in and nodded. “Yeah, I can see that. Still, I have to be thorough. You understand it’s nothing personal, son. I’m just doing my job.”
“Yes, sir. I do understand that and I’m thankful for men like yourself with an excellent work ethic in law enforcement. I have the deepest respect for the law.”
The sheriff scowled at Dimitri, but there was a twinkle in his eye. “Don’t try to butter me up, son. It won’t work.” He squinted at the sky. “Looks like it might be an early summer this year. Gonna be hot, I’ll bet.”
Dimitri followed the sheriff’s gaze. “Maybe you’re right. I hope to get the house done before the sun blazes down too hard. Those tents aren’t air-conditioned.”
“Yup,” the sheriff replied.
The teams of volunteers emerged at various points from the trees and trickled back to the sheriff to report their findings, or rather, their lack of findings.
The sheriff scribbled notes in his pad to mark exactly where they had searched. Once all the volunteers were accounted for and he was satisfied with the work for the day, he turned to Dimitri and thrust out his hand. “We’re done for now, son. But you understand that we’ll be back.”
Dimitri smiled and shook the sheriff’s, and then the deputy’s, hand. “I understand, Sheriff. Would you like me to tell Oksana when we can expect you next? She can bake up a special treat for you.”
The sheriff’s and deputy’s eyes lit up for a brief second, but the sheriff cleared his throat and gestured for the deputy to get in the vehicle. “That won’t be necessary, son. We’re here on official duty only.”
Dimitri nodded and tried to look serious. He knew what buttons to push with these two. When they and their volunteers drove off, Dimitri turned to the family. “Well, maybe Anna and Christopher couldn’t shift the sheriff, but perhaps Oksana can stuff him enough to make him choose to forget.”
Everyone snickered and went back to their tasks. Kat hoped this would be the end of it and they could focus on rebuilding and getting on with their lives.
It was not to be.
Chapter Four
Two weeks passed. Dimitri had just hired the general contractor and finalized the deadline for the renovations. The house would be ready to move back into in six short weeks. They chose this contractor because he had a reputation for quality and speed while staying on budget; not an easy task. It didn’t hurt that Dimitri put a clause in the contract that if the contractor met the deadline, there would be a twenty percent bonus. If he went even twenty-four hours over the deadline for any reason, there was a twenty percent penalty, to be compounded for every forty-eight hours they went over the original deadline.
The family was huddled around the architectural plans which were scattered on the dining table and expanded seating they had set up near the makeshift kitchen. If they were going to live like this for months, they may as well be as comfortable as possible. None of them ever wanted to see another paper plate, however.
“That kitchen is going to be awesome!” Alexander hooted and pointed to the expanded space with all high-end appliances and a walk-in pantry.
Oksana beamed. “I cannot wait to cook in a real kitchen again!”
Dimitri slid his hand around her waist and kissed her cheek. “It will be the finest kitchen in Georgia for the best wife in Georgia.”
“I look forward to my own gaming room,” Granny chortled. “It will be da bomb!”
The others laughed at her use of slang. They all felt giddy seeing the plans of their new home.
“I think we should have a plaque on the door that says, ‘Sewing Room’.” Robert winked at his mother.
“Oh, you!” Granny patted his cheek and grinned. “After the house is built, we have a wedding to plan.”
Claire smiled and nodded. “Yes! Nothing too fancy, just family and a few friends will be great.”
Granny swatted Claire’s arm. “He is my only child. You will have a great wedding!”
A beeping sound came from the office area. Peter broke away from the group and wandered over to peer at the security screen. He frowned and clicked the gate open.
He rejoined the group and sidled up to Dimitri. “We have guests. The sheriff is back with another entourage.”
Dimitri shook his head in exasperation. “Of course.”
The sheriff’s car came down the driveway and emerged from t
he trees, followed closely behind by three more patrol cars and a heavy-duty truck with a large square machine in the bed held in place by several large straps.
“That’s new,” Anastasia remarked. “What do you think it is?”
Dimitri stared as the vehicles approached. “Beats me.”
“It can’t be good,” Mariya murmured.
Dimitri took a deep breath, planted a smile on his face, and headed over to greet the sheriff and his entourage.
Kat watched the sheriff and his deputy climb out of the lead patrol car. The sheriff nodded to Dimitri, said a few words, then gestured toward the woods behind the garage. Dimitri lifted his shoulders and shook his head, then pointed to the pick-up truck with the contraption strapped down in the back. The sheriff said a few more things, gestured again, then touched the brim of his hat with his index finger and walked toward the men who had climbed out of the other vehicles and were clustered in a group near the pick-up truck. Dimitri did not look happy as he made his way back to the family.
“What did he say, Dad?” Mariya asked. Today, she sported a white straw hat with a soft pink scarf underneath. Her skin continued to heal quite well but was nowhere near the peaches and cream complexion she had before her encounter with the Barotkoffs. The hair on her head that was growing back remained sparse and clumpy.
His face was grim. “He received several anonymous tips that claim we have multiple bodies buried on our property. That machine is a portable x-ray. They can run it over the ground and see any bones without having to dig. It’s an archeologists’ tool.”
Mariya’s hand fluttered to her mouth. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes.” Dimitri scratched the side of his head. “The anonymous tip, which I don’t think it is at all, said there are bodies buried specifically in that part of our property.” He dipped his head in the direction the sheriff had pointed to.
“Is that where the bodies are buried for real?” Kat asked.
Dimitri looked at her. “Yes.”
“How did they know that?” Alexander demanded.
“Keep your voice down,” Dimitri cautioned. He looked over his shoulder. The sheriff and his men were unloading the machine.
Alexander watched the men. “This has the Barotkoffs written all over it.”
“Yes, it does,” Dimitri replied.
“It still doesn’t explain how they know where the bodies are,” Robert said.
Dimitri’s brow creased with concern. “Modern technology is a beautiful thing,” he murmured. “It has enhanced our lives in so many ways and made things much easier on a day-to-day basis, but,” he looked at the men again, “it can also be the bane of our existence.”
“What do you mean?” Anastasia asked.
“Drones, my dear daughter. They could have found the graves with drones. They could easily fly high enough to escape our sensors and our cameras. As long as they never touch the ground near the fence, we would never know they’re there.” He glanced up at the sky.
Kat followed his gaze and her chest tightened. She wrapped her arms around herself.
Christopher pulled her against him and kissed the top of her head. “It’ll be all right. Anna and I will make sure of it.”
“It may not be so easy.” Dimitri watched the men hoist the machine onto a device with four wheels.
“Why not?” Christopher asked.
“The sheriff said we all have to stay here and he’s going to post two deputies to watch us.”
Christopher chuckled. “No big deal. We’ll take care of those deputies.” He smiled at Anna. She smiled back, but her eyes were tense.
Dimitri rubbed his hands together. “Something tells me that may not work this time.”
“What makes you say that?” Robert asked.
Dimitri slowly shook his head. “Just a hunch. The deputy is acting strange, more hostile than he was before.”
Two of the men walked toward the group. They were all business and didn’t even smile.
“If you folks would like to have a seat inside, we’ll be as unobtrusive as possible,” one of the men said.
Dimitri put his hands on his hips. “No, I’m afraid not. We are not your prisoners, Deputy. We have been charged with no crimes and are free citizens. We will stay out of the sheriff’s way, but we will not be held hostage. We have work to do.” He nodded toward Claire. “She is a medical doctor and needs to get to work. We also have errands to run in town. I’m sure you have no objection to that.”
The deputy opened his stance. “The sheriff gave us orders to keep an eye on all of you. That means all of you. If you leave, we can’t do that.”
Dimitri took a step toward the deputy. “Are you trying to tell me that you are confining me to my own property?”
The deputy gave a firm nod of his head.
“Do I need to remind you, Deputy, of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution which states that in order to effectuate an arrest in the home or on private property, absent consent or exigent circumstances, police officers must have a warrant? Do you have a warrant for my arrest, Deputy?”
The deputy glared at Dimitri. “You are not under arrest, sir. You are being detained here.”
“Detention is the same as arrest, Deputy, for the purposes of requiring a warrant. You cannot detain me without a warrant. The Fourth Amendment applies to seizures, to include seizures of a person, and it is not necessary that a detention be a formal arrest in order to bring to bear the requirement that you have a warrant. Some objective justification must be shown to validate all seizures of a person, including seizures that involve only a brief detention. Do you have objective justification to detain any of us?”
The deputy shifted his weight and swallowed. His partner looked at him. “I have my orders to detain you.”
“That was not the question, Deputy. I will only ask one more time before I reserve the services of an attorney. Do you have a warrant to detain any of us?”
The deputy’s neck reddened. “No.”
Dimitri smiled broadly. “Then we will go about our business as usual, Deputy. Please make yourselves comfortable. There is fresh coffee, hot tea, sweet tea, and water over there. If there’s anything else you need, Oksana will take care of you.”
The deputies looked around nervously as the family dispersed. Christopher, Anna, Kat and Alexander headed toward one car while Claire and Robert climbed into Claire’s car.
“Where are they all going?” the second deputy demanded and glanced toward the woods where the sheriff, the other men, and the machine had disappeared.
Dimitri lifted an eyebrow. “As I said, she is a medical doctor and we have errands to run.” He waved at the cars as they pulled away.
The deputies shifted their weight and looked at each other.
Oksana approached Dimitri and handed him a mug.
“Thank you, love.” He took a sip of the strong hot tea.
Oksana glanced at the deputies and murmured to Dimitri, “Can we go outside?”
The couple strolled outside and headed toward the house. When they were well out of earshot, Dimitri turned to Oksana. “Is everything all right?”
Oksana cast a nervous glance at the deputies, then turned away from them. She wrung her hands. “Is it all right to talk to the police like that?”
“Yes.”
“They will not come for you later?”
“Love, this is not Russia, nor is it the Soviet Union. That is one reason my family left when the Communists took over. We wanted freedom. We weren’t free under the Czars, but it was much worse under Stalin.”
Oksana looked at the ground. “I know. My family suffered greatly under the Communists. But, even now, in Russia you do not talk to the police like that. They can come back in the middle of the night.” She shook her head and closed her eyes. “Mama told me stories. Horrible stories. She lost two uncles. Four of her father’s brothers were killed in the Great Purge. Even her sister was imprisoned.”
Dimitri pulled her in close and recalled
his previous wife Daria’s family experience. “Yes, it was horrible. I’m sorry your family suffered so much.”
Oksana turned her gaze on her husband. “How do you know so much about the law?”
Dimitri smiled and sipped his tea. “I have had much time to learn and to observe. When the citizens of a nation do not know the foundational rights afforded to them, they are easily taken away. I am an American citizen and it is my duty to know what my rights are. Otherwise,” he gestured toward the deputies, “we open ourselves to abuse through ignorance.” He sighed. “There is much ignorance out there today.”
KAT RAN ALONGSIDE CHRISTOPHER and just behind Anna and Alexander. They had pulled their car far off the road and hid it as best they could behind some shrubs. The foursome circled back toward their property by cutting through fields and a small forest. Kat prayed they weren’t too late. The others seemed to be in sync with her thoughts because they picked up the pace.
Alexander slowed to a crawl as they came to the edge of the forest that led to the field that butted up to their property. The foursome stopped just inside the tree line and out of sight while they scanned for any sign of the sheriff inside their fence.
“Do you see anything?” Kat asked.
Everyone murmured they did not.
Alexander turned to Kat. “We’ll shift and see what we can see. Christopher and Anna, you wait here, but keep your eyes peeled. I’ll text Peter to shut off the electricity to the fence when we get there.” He tapped the screen of his cell, then slipped it into his pocket. He looked at Kat. “You ready?”
Kat rubbed her hands together eagerly. “Never readier.”
Alexander and Kat shifted into small red foxes, then took off across the field. The unkempt field grass, even in early spring, was tall enough to hide them as they made their way across the field.
“I hope this works, Christopher,” Anna sighed. “I’m scared.”
“Don’t be. We’ll be all right.”
She turned to her brother. “How do you know that? You know our family. They are cunning, and brutal.”
“Yes. But they won’t win, whatever game they’re playing.”
Revelations: The Shifter Series: Volume Three Page 7
