~*~
Susan’s mind certainly wasn’t on her class. Luckily it was a business class and not one that focused on using fire.
Her mind had been spinning since she’d seen her car drive away.
Why was someone messing with her? She wasn’t a Walker and she didn’t have anything to do with the land that Byron had lost.
The thought had crossed her mind, more than she’d have liked, that it was too dangerous to be involved with Eric. Now would be the prime opportunity to cut her ties and run.
But her heart wasn’t in that. She loved him and that too was equally as confusing.
As soon as her class let out she gathered her things and found Bethany on a bench outside with Douglas Brant.
Her purse was on her lap and gripped like an old lady afraid some man might steal her coffee candies. Douglas looked equally as uncomfortable.
They both stood the moment she neared them.
“Thought you were never going to get out of there,” Bethany huffed as she swung her purse over her shoulder.
“Officer Brant, why are you here?”
“It’s Douglas or Doug. You don’t have to be formal with me. But I was asked to watch out for you both. I figured you’d need to stop by the house and collect a few things before heading back out.”
Susan smiled, trying to diffuse the tension that surrounded the two of them. “That’s very kind. I think that would be very nice.”
Bethany glared at her through narrowed lids.
“C’mon,” he said. “I think she’d like to get out of here. She’s not a big fan of mine.”
“I still don’t see why you ticketed me or why you find it necessary to remember it,” Bethany said as she hurried ahead of them and toward her car in the lot.
Douglas laughed as he settled in next to Susan and walked at her pace. “She wants to hate me. I just don’t think she really does.”
Susan wasn’t sure about that. Watching her swing open the car door and throw her purse inside said differently.
“Thank you for looking after us. I’m sure we’ll be okay.”
“No taking chances. Besides, the last thing I need is Eric Walker coming after me.”
“He’s not violent.”
Douglas clucked his tongue. “I didn’t say he was.”
Then why had he clucked his tongue? There was more to that story too.
Bethany was strumming her fingers on the steering wheel when they approached the car. She kept the windows up and her gaze forward.
Douglas chuckled. “I get under her skin. I’ll follow you ladies to your house.”
“Thank you.” Susan said as she pulled open the car door and slid inside.
She watched as Douglas walked back to his car.
“Why do you hate him?” she asked as Bethany revved the engine and shifted into drive. “He’s a nice guy.”
“I didn’t deserve that ticket.”
Susan couldn’t help but laugh. “That was four years ago. You can’t still hold that against him, can you?”
“I most certainly can. It’s the only ticket I’ve ever gotten.”
“Really? I’ve had like six. Seven, I forgot about the parking ticket on Pearl Street.”
Bethany turned the corner quickly, forcing Susan to grab hold of the door to keep in her seat.
“You don’t understand,” Bethany gripped the wheel. “I have been able to talk myself out of every ticket anyone ever tried to give me. But not his. He was nice and sweet and damn it, he still gave me the ticket.”
“So? You were in the wrong.”
“By four inches.”
“It’s the law.”
Bethany huffed as she took the next turn as hard as she’d taken the last.
“I want to know what’s wrong with him. I’m a sexy, young woman. He wasn’t married. He wasn’t involved.”
“How do you know that?”
“It’s part of the charm I have.”
Susan let out a low hum as they pulled up in front of the house.
Bethany pulled up right behind Susan’s car which was parked on the street as if Susan had come home and parked it there herself.
“I told you it was here,” Bethany said as she put the car in park and turned off the engine. “I never heard it drive up and I never heard anyone in the house.”
“It all seems strange to me.”
“Maybe they just don’t like Subarus,” Bethany joked as they climbed from the car.
“Who wouldn’t want a Subaru? It’ll last forever.”
Douglas pulled up right behind them, parked, and climbed from his cruiser. “This is your car?”
“This is it,” Susan said. “Right where I would have parked it had I driven it home.”
Douglas walked up alongside of it. “They jimmied it to start it. Dash is kind of a mess.”
“Great.”
“I’ll see if I can lift anything from it. Did you have anything inside that would be missing?”
Susan gave it some thought. “No. I keep it empty to transport my containers in. So I don’t think anything would have been in there.”
Douglas looked toward the house and then at Bethany. “Which way did you leave the house early this morning?”
“Through the back door.”
“I’m going to walk around the house. I don’t want the two of you going in without me. Stay right here,” he ordered as he started around the side of the house and through to the back yard.
“He’s a pain in the ass. Do we really need him?”
Susan tried to conceal the smile she knew was forming on her lips by puckering them together. “I think you like him.”
“Bite your tongue.”
“Why else would he be under your skin like this?”
“I’m not interested. I just want all of this to be over. It’s quite humiliating knowing my father started all of this. If he didn’t have his problems Eric wouldn’t be having all these issues. We wouldn’t have to leave our house and wait for some cop to let us into it. I can’t believe I’m related to Byron Walker,” she said with a wince.
Susan thought perhaps that was some of the truth, but she was still going to hold on to the thought that Bethany liked Douglas Brant more than she was letting on.
However, she didn’t even know what to say about what her father had done to everyone. It was true. Had he not gambled away the land, perhaps none of this would have happened.
Douglas came around the side of the house. “Do you have your key?”
“Of course,” Susan said as she fished it from her purse.
“I’m going to go in through the front door. Do not follow me,” he said very curtly as he took the key from her hand. “No sign of forced entry.”
Bethany cocked her head to the side and blew a strand of red hair from her eyes. “If there is no sign of forced entry, we can just go in, right?”
“I said no sign of forced entry. I have every reason to believe your residence was compromised.” He bore his stare into Bethany. “In fact, I’d venture to guess they waited for you to leave. So if you don’t think you’re in danger, perhaps you’ll change your mind in a few moments. Don’t follow me in,” he restated as he turned and walked up to the house.
“They were in my house,” Susan’s voice quivered as she said it. “They were in my car and in my house. Who the hell is doing this?”
“Maybe it’s one of my brothers or even my dad.”
Susan shook her head. “I don’t think so. Your dad might have gotten the Walkers involved in this, but I certainly don’t think he’s the one doing all of this.”
“How would I know? I don’t really know them at all.”
“Well, as soon as this is over, I think that needs to change. You need to get to know your brothers and sisters. I’d assume they’re hanging their heads in shame too.”
Bethany’s shoulders dropped as if she’d been deflated. “I didn’t think about that.”
Susan wrapped her arm around Beth
any’s shoulders and pulled her close as Douglas walked out of the front door.
“It’s clear, but I’m going to need you to come look at it. I’m going to call for backup.”
“Backup? Why?”
“I assume whoever stole your car let themselves into your house once Bethany left this morning. I’ll need you to tell me if anything is missing. I’d never assume your housekeeping skills are this bad.”
Susan felt the blood drain from her head and now Bethany was holding her up.
Slowly they walked toward the house.
She didn’t even have to enter to see the destruction. Pictures were off the wall. Her office had been nearly turned inside-out. “My computer is missing.”
Douglas took his phone out of his pocket to make a note. “Look around and make a list.”
Susan nodded slowly as she scanned the cute house she’d been so proud of. Now she felt violated.
“Will you please call Eric?”
Douglas nodded and backed out of the room to make the call.
“Why would they do this?”
Bethany, with her hands firmly on Susan’s shoulders, followed her into the room. “If this really has anything to do with the land then maybe they think you have some documentation.”
“I met the Walkers a week ago. This is ridiculous.”
“Maybe they don’t know that. They just know you and Eric are very involved. If I were a stranger, I’d assume you knew everything there was to know about him.”
“I know so little.”
Bethany gave Susan’s arms a little squeeze. “I’m related and I know just as little.” She released Susan. “Maybe they think I know something. Maybe this has nothing to do with you at all. After all, I’m Byron’s bastard daughter.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. I’m not going to mix my words. But if he’s involved they’d assume I knew something.”
Bethany turned and ran out of the room and up the stairs.
Susan followed and Douglas after her.
Bethany ran to her room and stood there, frozen. Not one thing had been touched. She looked at Susan. “Nothing has been moved.”
“Most of the damage is up and down the stairs to the pictures,” Douglas said. “The office. And some of the cabinets in the kitchen.”
Susan turned to see her photos hanging as if they’d been run into as someone walked down the stairs, but one was missing. She walked out of the room and looked down. She hadn’t noticed it as she’d run after Bethany, but the generational photo of wedding bands was broken and on the ground. As she picked it up, a shard of glass stabbed her finger. She quickly dropped the frame again causing it to crash with a horrific noise.
“Are you okay?” Douglas moved to her quickly and took her hand. “Tell me where to find the Band-Aids and I’ll get you one. I don’t think you’ll need stitches.”
“In my bathroom. In the medicine cabinet.”
Susan held her throbbing, bleeding finger and looked down at the picture, which held such sentiment.
Douglas returned a moment later with the Band-Aid and wrapped it around the cut.
“You’re good to go. Have you seen anything else missing?”
Susan shook her head. “So far just the computer.”
“What did you have on it?”
“My business information. Proposals. Bookkeeping. Menus.” She winced.
“I want you to look around a little more. Just make sure.”
Susan nodded and headed back downstairs to check things out.