The Nut Case

by Rayna Morgan

  “He’s an efficient manager.” Sheldon removed his glasses, held them up to the light, and rubbed them on his vest. “He’s been with the company longer than I have since he entered the training program straight from high school.”

  The implication was clear. “What’s your degree in?” she asked.

  He sat up straighter. “I have a Bachelor of Arts in business with an emphasis on food industry management.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Three years. Long enough to know I’m ready to manage a store.”

  His candor surprised her. “You seem young to be a manager.”

  “The position should be based on ability, not age or experience. If it were, I’d be their youngest manager, maybe even the youngest district manager.”

  He’s ambitious, she thought. He could be breathing down Ryan’s neck. “What’s the rush? You’ve got plenty of time to gain experience.”

  A thin smile spread across his lips. “There are other companies with less stringent requirements for management positions.”

  A girl approached their table. “Sorry to interrupt, but the rep from the vitamin company is here. There’s a question about your order.”

  He didn’t attempt to hide his impatience. “My order was precise.”

  The girl stammered. “The supplier is out of several items. He needs to know if you want substitutions.”

  “Oh, all right. Tell him I’ll be right there.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand and turned to Lea. “This should only take a moment, or are we finished?”

  “I have a few more questions. I’m happy to wait.”

  He frowned and left the room. When the footsteps faded, she hurried to his office.

  Everything was neatly ordered in binders stacked on shelves. The only items on the desk were a pen holder and a tray filled with folders. She leaned over the single sheet of paper, a fax cover with the subject line Delivery Schedule.

  She glanced toward the door. The only sound was her rapid heartbeat pounding in her ears. Moving to the fax machine, she lifted the cover. Before she could examine the document, she heard voices. She fumbled with her bag, trying to arrange her thoughts. Seconds before he entered, she held her phone to her ear.

  “Do you need something?” His voice was cold.

  “I just received a call with information I requested. I needed a pen and paper to write it down.”

  His eyes traveled to his desk. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

  “I told them to call back later, but I should go.” She moved away from the desk. “Thank you for your time. You’ve been a big help.”

  He looked at his watch. “I’m expecting a call, but I’ll walk you out.”

  He’s as eager for me to leave as I am. “Don’t bother. I need to speak with another employee. I’ll find my way.” She walked past him with a parting shot. “I hope you aren’t planning to go to work for one of those companies you mentioned. Fresh & Healthy would hate to lose you. You’re so familiar with the operation.”

  “It’s the only store I’ve worked at; I know it inside out.” He had a parting shot of his own. “But you know what they say about familiarity.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  She proceeded to the dock where the young man she saw with Sheldon earlier was loading pallets. Seeing the headphones in his ears, she tapped on his shoulder.

  He spun around and yanked out the ear buds. “You startled me.” He turned off the player attached to his belt. “Are you lost? This is the loading area.”

  “I’m not lost unless you’re not Jason Jones. I’m Lea Austin. I believe Mr. Olson told you I’d be talking with employees.”

  His shoulders relaxed and he dazzled her with a big smile. “Oh, yeah, you’re the one writing about the store.” He leaned against the vehicle. “I didn’t expect you’d be interested in my job. It’s not that exciting, believe me.”

  She returned an easy smile of her own. “How could I not be interested? It’s part of the process. Tell me what you do when a shipment arrives.”

  “I check deliveries for shortages or damage, that kind of stuff. Refrigerated products, I inspect for temperature.”

  “You must need aptitude with numbers to verify the invoices.”

  “I do that stuff on a computer. You’re looking at a keyboard whiz.” His grin was infectious. “I’m taking night classes at junior college, working toward a degree in computer science.”

  She mentally applauded him, but it brought up a question. “Working and going to school can be rough. Does your salary pay your tuition?”

  “I wish. I pull in odd jobs on my days off around the neighborhood where I live. Washing cars and running errands for the old folks.” He had an easy-going charm wasted in a warehouse. “It helps them, and puts extra coins in my pocket.”

  I hope he isn’t using illegal means to get extra money. I need to figure out what I witnessed earlier. “Do you report to Mr. Olson or Mr. Palmer?”

  “Mr. Palmer. He’s in charge of ordering and receiving. But Mr. Olson has come around more since the robberies started.”

  “He told me about them. In fact, weren’t you driving the truck when one shipment was stolen?”

  The big smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Yeah, I still feel bad.”

  “Why? It wasn’t your fault.”

  “It might not have happened if I’d been paying attention to what I was doing.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was early when I picked up the delivery. I stopped for breakfast at a place outside town.” A grin oozed across his face. “I took my time with the eggs and fried potatoes. There was a cute chick waiting on me.” He began to pace back and forth. “Driving out of the stop an hour later, the truck didn’t feel right. I pulled over. When I opened the back, I freaked out. All the food was missing. There was nothing left but empty pallets.”

  “How terrible!”

  “At least I got the chick’s number ‘cause after that scene, I didn’t want to go back.”

  “How did they empty the cargo so fast?” she asked.

  “I think they followed me. I figure if I wouldn’t have stopped for lunch, they would have pulled me over on the road.” His dark eyes doubled in size. “Maybe they had guns. I could have been shot!”

  “That’s a scary thought. It may have been good you were inside talking to that girl.”

  He smacked his hand against his forehead. “Or maybe she kept me busy while they did it. She might have been their...what do you call it?”

  “Their accomplice?” She smiled. The young man had a flair for the dramatic, not unlike someone else she knew. “I doubt that.”

  “All the same,”—he spread his legs and crossed his arms in front of his chest—“I’d like to know what her story is.”

  Her expression turned grave. “Stay out of it, Jason. Just because these thieves are stealing nuts instead of knocking off convenience stores, it doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. The stakes are high which makes the offenders more reckless.”

  He kicked his toe on the asphalt before bending over to brush the scuff marks off his shoe. “You’re right. I’m no hero. Besides, I can’t afford trouble. I want to land a great job when I graduate.”

  She whistled and pointed to his basketball shoes. “Those are nice.”

  He stood up, beaming. “I saved weeks to buy them. My mom was so mad we didn’t speak for days. She told me it was foolish to spend so much on shoes with tuition and books to pay for.” He lifted a foot, admiring the shoe. “But sometimes you got to treat yourself to the finer things in life. It was the end of my first semester. I made good grades. I figured I deserved a reward.”

  “Rewards can be motivation for hard work,” she agreed. “Speaking of work, I’ll let you get back to yours.” She reached in her bag and gave him a card. “Best of luck getting your degree. If I can ever help, call me.”

  “Sure thing. And if you ever have problems with your computer, I�
�m your guy.” He hit a button on his player and walked off, singing along with the music.

  She returned to her car, her head buzzing with questions. He’s a charming young man with a big imagination. Was the story of his harrowing experience meant to cover his own duplicity? Why was Sheldon giving him cash? How badly did Jason need money for his schooling?

  * * *

  In her car, she tapped a number on speed dial and waited for the familiar voice.

  “Elliot, Homicide.”

  “Hi, Tom, it's Lea. Do you have a minute?”

  “For you, always.”

  “I’ll pass that on to my husband. Paul is sometimes not so willing to take my calls.”

  His laugh rolled over the line. “I’ve noticed that about married people. What can I do for you?”

  “Would you check on someone for me?”

  “Give me a name."

  “Jason Jones.”

  Tom snickered. “Where did you run into Jason?”

  Lea's heart dropped. “You know him? He’s been in trouble with the law?”

  “To the contrary. The law got in trouble over him.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Let me get to my office.” She heard a door close. “That’s better. It gets noisy in the squad room. So, you want the scoop on Jason.”

  “Please.”

  “Several months ago, the kid went to an upscale store at the mall and bought a pair of expensive shoes.”

  “The ones with a basketball player on the side. I saw him wearing them.”

  “Those are the ones. They cost around three hundred bucks.” He paused. “Hold on, someone’s tapping on my window.”

  Lea held her breath, dreading to hear Jason had stolen the shoes he was so proud of.

  Tom came back on the line. “Sorry about that. Where was I?”

  “The expensive shoes.”

  “Right. He paid with a debit card and left. A block from the shopping center, the police stopped him and asked how a black kid could afford those shoes. The officers put him in handcuffs and hauled him to the station where he produced a receipt, his charge card, and identification. Jason sat in a cell until someone finally called his bank and received confirmation the card belonged to him. The cops released him, together with his shoes, and apologized.”

  “How embarrassing for Jason! Why did they suspect him in the first place?”

  “A clerk at the department store called to report he thought the card was fake. Our men should have known better than to react so quickly. It's not the first time that business has been accused of racial profiling. I heard his family considered suing.”

  She expressed her indignation. “Who could blame them! Are you telling me he has no record?”

  “He’s clean as a whistle. I never met the kid, but everyone at the precinct liked the young man. Even the officers involved admired the way he handled himself.”

  “Thanks, Tom. That’s good to hear.”

  “May I ask your interest?”

  “I'd rather not say. If Paul should ask, you’d feel obliged to pass on what I tell you. You know how he dislikes me sticking my nose where he thinks it doesn’t belong.”

  “Roger that. As far as he's concerned, we didn’t have this conversation.” He rang off and she dropped the phone in her purse.

  Jason hadn’t mentioned what happened when he told me about his shoes. Is he carrying a grudge? How resentful is he of people in positions of authority?

  * * *

  Lea walked inside and stopped at the first check-out aisle. “Hello, Libby.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Austin.” The young woman’s face lit up. “At staff meeting yesterday, Mr. Olson told us you’re working on a brochure. He said you might interview some of the employees. Will I be one of them?”

  “You’ll be talking to my sister Maddy who’s doing the artwork. I know she plans on using pictures of the cashiers.”

  “Wow!” Libby grabbed at her straight, brown hair. “My picture will be in the brochure?”

  “Maybe. Would you like that?”

  “I’ve never had my picture anywhere except my high school yearbook.” Red patches colored her cheeks. “Could I have a brochure for my mom?”

  “Of course. How about one to show your friends?”

  She spread her hands. “Most of my friends are here at work so they’ll see it anyway.” Her green eyes sparkled. “But I want my boyfriend to see it.”

  “You can have as many brochures as you want.”

  “Thanks a lot.” Seeing Sheldon Palmer headed in their direction, she turned to wait on a customer.

  “I thought you left, Mrs. Austin,” he said in a clipped voice.

  “I’m leaving now.” She paused. “I almost forgot. When I arrived, I saw you give money to Jason. Are employees typically paid in cash?”

  His face flushed a deep shade of crimson. “I wanted him to bring me a cheeseburger from McDonald’s on his way back from making deliveries.” He pushed open the front door. “Good day, Mrs. Austin.”

  Walking to her car, she couldn’t help but smile. I wonder if Sheldon’s secret is as innocent as being a junk food addict.

  * * *

  That night, Lea called to remind her sister of the upcoming interview. “Your turn at Fresh & Healthy. I told Libby to expect you. She’s excited to have her picture featured.”

  “Great! I don’t suppose you clued her in that the brochure is a fabrication to cover up our snooping.”

  “Of course not. How could it be a cover if people know?”

  Maddy moaned. “Won’t she be disappointed when she finds out?”

  “Yeah, I feel bad about that. She wants to show the picture to her mother.”

  Her sister’s temper flared. “Thanks a lot, Lea! You feel sorry, but you’re making me the bad guy.”

  “It doesn’t have to be that way. I may do the work for free and use it to advertise my business.”

  “Are you suggesting we actually produce a brochure?” Maddy’s voice squeaked. “For free, as in zip?”

  Lea laughed. “Yep, the same fee we’re earning for our investigation.”

  “I’m glad I didn’t give up my day job.”

  Lea ignored the sarcasm and dished out some of her own. “Do you need directions to the health food store?”

  “I know it’s close to the Ice Cream Shoppe.”

  “Have you ever been inside?” Lea asked. “I’m referring to Fresh & Healthy. I don’t want to think how many times you’ve been in the ice cream place.”

  “I went in once for a snack. There weren’t any Cheetos, so I ended up with a disgusting veggie drink which reminded me not to go there again.”

  “It’s never too late. Try visiting the produce section before you leave.”

  “Sure thing, Sis. Gotta go. I’ve got a burrito in the microwave.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Maddy entered Fresh & Healthy early the next morning so she could complete the interview before her late shift at the furniture store. From Lea’s description, she knew the cashier at the check-out aisle was the person she wanted to interview. “Hi, Libby.”

  “Your sister told me you’d be coming.” The girl’s cheeks flushed with excitement, adding more color to carefully applied makeup. Her hair shined.

  “I’ll take pictures and then we can chat.”

  When they had enough shots, Libby put a closed sign in front of her register and they moved to a table where they talked about the company. It was easy to see the girl liked her job, but Maddy wasn’t getting the answers she was looking for. They needed a place where Libby would talk more freely.

  She pointed to the produce section. “Those are great-looking apples, but I’d go for a scoop of chocolate mint at the Ice Cream Shoppe. How about you?”

  Libby’s face lit up. “I’ll tell the other cashier I’m taking my break.”

  The young woman babbled eagerly on the short walk, less inhibited away from her place of employment. They stood at a light waiting to cros
s the street. Maddy’s attention perked up at the mention of a familiar name. “Billy thinks I should transfer to the deli department.”

  “Who’s Billy?”

  “Billy Duncan, my boyfriend.” The words brought a sparkle to Libby’s eyes and a rosy glow to her face. “He says I’d earn more money.” The light turned green. “My friend who manages the deli wants to have a baby.” They hurried before the color changed to yellow. “I could fill in for her when she takes maternity leave. By the time she returns, I’ll be trained for a deli position in another store.”

  “You might have to move from Buena Viaje. Would Billy quit his job to follow you?”

  “That won’t be a problem since he doesn’t have a job. We moved in together a couple of months ago. He’ll go wherever I go.”

  I’m sure he will, Maddy thought. It appears your boyfriend is a leech.

  The only person in the shop was a clerk wearing a soda jerk hat, standing behind a glass counter displaying gallons of ice cream and containers filled with candy toppings.

  Maddy wasted no time placing her order, but Libby walked back and forth inhaling the sweet scents of chocolate chips and strawberries before deciding on a sundae topped with caramel, nuts, and whipped cream.

  At the cash register, Libby reached for her purse, but Maddy insisted on paying. “It’s my treat as long as you promise not to tell my sister. She’d scold me for not having a spinach salad instead.”

  Libby giggled and they sat at a table beside the window. “My friends and I came here once a week after basketball practice. Now that I pay for everything, I don’t come often.”

  Maddy licked her cone. “For me, some things in school were good; others, not so good. How was it for you?”

  “My parents split up when I was in seventh grade.” Libby lifted the cherry from the top of her sundae and popped it in her mouth. “I divided my time between them. My dad’s a cross-country truck driver. He’s gone a lot. When he was in town, I’d stay with him.”

  “Was his house close to your school?”

  “After paying support to my mother, he didn’t have enough money for a place of his own. He stayed with my grandmother at a mobile home park on the edge of town. There were only two bedrooms. When I was there, I got the second bedroom and Dad slept on a couch in the living room.”