“You can say that again. He didn’t leave a room unturned.”
“Well, he didn’t find anything. I’m so glad you had the money. I don’t keep any cash at my place, and I doubt my keepsakes would be of any value to him.” She walked over to Herman and squeezed his arm. “This is not your fault.”
“Yeah it is. You can bet that creep won’t get out of my sight from now on.”
“I’ve got to admit—hearing that makes me feel better.”
After Herman left, Susan threw the dead bolt and looked with despair at the mess.
“Oh no, Marmalade! Kitty, where are you?”
Susan raced through the rooms calling the cat, but the fluffy fur ball didn’t answer. She checked her closet, under the bed, and behind the dresser.
“Please, please, come here, kitty. It’s okay.”
Nothing.
Dropping to her knees, she looked under the sofa. Pressed flat as a pancake, the calico was doing her best to appear invisible. She didn’t so much as twitch when Susan called her again.
“Okay, I know you’re scared, but I’m here now. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”
She reached under the sofa, grabbed hold of her front paw, and drew the cat to her. With gold eyes the size of marbles, the animal hissed at her. That was a first. Susan hoped her baby would never go through such trauma again. She held the cat close and gently stroked her. When she finally put her down, Marmalade slinked her way once again under the sofa.
Susan picked up the drawers to the secretary and slid them into place. Her papers lay scattered on the floor. No use trying to organize anything now. Main thing was to pick up everything and get it back in place. As she finished with the last drawer, the land line rang.
“Ms. Griffin, this is Home Light Security. The alarm at the Bawdy Boutique just went off. Police have been notified and are on the way. They’ll need you to turn off the alarm. I’ll have a representative contact you in the morning for any repairs that might be necessary to reinstall the system.”
Susan’s stomach turned a flip. First her apartment and now the store? “I’m on my way.”
This time, Susan didn’t hesitate to call Wesley. With the police involved, he would find out sooner or later. While she believed Gary was to blame, most everyone in the community was aware of the benefit sale. Anyone could have broken into the store hoping to find a large amount of cash.
When she pulled into the boutique’s parking lot, Wesley was waiting for her.
“They busted out the glass on your door. We should wait for the police and not disturb any evidence the thieves might have left behind. They might not find any, but that’s procedure. I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t a result of your trip to New Orleans.”
Susan dug her hand deeper into her jacket pocket and stared at the broken glass. “It’s possible. But we advertised the benefit sale everywhere. The burglar might have hoped to make off with the cash from the sale. Then again, it could have been anyone.”
A marked unit with two policemen arrived.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” a deputy said to Wesley.
“Ms. Griffin is a friend,” he replied.
The deputies entered the store, and after a few minutes, they turned on the lights.
“Clear,” the deputy called out.
Wesley took her arm and they entered the store.
“Don’t touch anything,” he said.
“The cash register is opened,” the deputy said. “Did it contain any money?”
“A hundred dollars operating cash.”
Susan took Wesley’s hand and walked to the office.
The deputy jotted down information. “Any other money on the premises?”
“I locked the cash and checks from the benefit sale in the safe. It doesn’t look like they managed to open it.” She crossed to the gray metal wall safe behind her desk and after a few turns of the dial, the heavy door opened. “As far as I can tell, nothing’s missing.”
“I have plywood at my place. Let me go get what I need and I can board up the front door,” Wesley said. “Would you guys wait with Ms. Griffin till I get back?”
“Sure.”
The deputy finished gathering the information he needed to make his report and handed Susan a card with the accident report number. “Give it a couple of days and you can get a copy for your insurance company.”
“Thanks.”
“Thank you,” the deputy said. “That’s a nice thing you’re doing for Terrance’s family.”
A few minutes later, Wesley returned, and the deputies left.
“I guessed about right,” he said, screwing a plywood panel to the door frame with an electric drill. This should work until you get it replaced.”
Susan swept up glass then inspected Wesley’s handiwork. “Nice job. I think I got most of the glass, but I’ll make another pass in the morning.” She carried the bag holding the broken shards and put it into the dumpster on the side of the building. “I might as well use the wood on the door to make another sign tomorrow. I’m sure A. K. will come up with something catchy.”
“You’re something else, Susan. What’s that saying, ‘If someone hands you lemons…’
“I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
He stepped closer. “I like having you obligated.”
This time it was Susan who took the initiative. Pressing her body against his, she drew his lips to hers.
“We need to start this earlier tomorrow,” Wesley said. “You’ve had quite a day, and it’s getting late.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Lock up, and I’ll follow you home.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“I’m not asking your permission.”
When they arrived at the Pine Crest Apartments, Wesley waited until Susan reached her door. She was glad he didn’t get a look inside. After opening the door, she turned and waved goodnight. If he knew about the breakin at her place, he really would go in orbit.
That night, Susan’s bath came much later, and her good night’s sleep amounted to a mere four hours.
The next morning, a bleary eyed Susan pulled into the boutique’s parking lot. The sale was already underway, and crowds had gathered.
“Thought you’d be here early,” A. K. said. “Imagine my surprise when I saw our new, wooden door this morning. Debbie and Sheila were wondering the same thing.”
“The police think it was a smash-and-grab,” Susan said. “Cash from the register is missing.”
A. K.’s eyebrows did a Groucho Marx imitation. “Any suspects?”
“There’s no proof, but you know what I think. This isn’t the only bad news from last night.”
“Oh?”
Customers began arriving and Susan didn’t want to be overheard. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
The second day of the sale drew even larger crowds. The mayor of Palmetto, Karl Hightower, and his wife, Zelda, stopped by and made a few purchases. He also used the time to politic.
“I’ve made the rounds in Hammond and here, and the response is overwhelming,” he said.
“It surprised even me,” Susan said. “I think all of Palmetto turned out. You’ll be glad to know that even Myrtle set aside her protests and made a purchase, a beautiful scarf.”
“That is a surprise. I’m happy for her.”
The mayor excused himself and moved through the crowd greeting everyone. Lots of policemen arrived. They seemed especially interested in watching the young models strut their outfits. Strangers, mostly Hammond residents, turned out in droves.
Around one o’clock, Susan fixed a plate of refreshments and slipped away into the office to eat. A. K. stuck her head in and asked what she tried to tell her earlier. Susan told her about the breakin at her apartment and warned her to keep looking over her shoulder.
“That creep better not come around my place when I’m home. He’ll get more than he bargained for.”
“Now’s not the time for heroics. Just be vigilant.” Susan took a few swallows of water and was about to bite into a brownie when her cell rang. It was Herman, and he sounded out of breath.
“Is everything okay?”
“That depends on how you look at it. Things are definitely heating up. Gary left his house about an hour ago. Vera and I followed. Guess where he went?”
“I hope it wasn’t back to my apartment.”
“No, he went to Clarissa’s. He made such a ruckus banging on the door and calling her names, he got the attention of most everyone in the complex. Finally, she opened the door, and he charged in. I had parked a ways down, so I got out and crouched alongside her apartment hoping to hear what was being said. I could only make out a few things, but it was obvious they were arguing about money.
“I heard her say, ‘I don’t have any more.’ He said, ‘I don’t work for nothing.’ Then they got rather combative. She shouted for him to get out. I heard glass shatter. No telling what she threw at him, or maybe the other way around. Either way, it was getting really heated.
“That’s when I heard the sirens and got my butt back in the car. Someone in another apartment must have called the cops. The police didn’t stay long. After a while, the deputies escorted Gary to his car with instructions that he leave. Clarissa must not have pressed charges. I imagine neither one of them wanted to explain the reason for their argument.
“We followed Gary home. He’s still there.”
“I’ve got news, too. You won’t believe what happened after you left last night. Seems Gary’s determined to find his money or get more anyway he can.”
Susan told Herman about the break in at the boutique.
“That snake,” Herman said. “He isn’t getting out of my sight, and I’ll call a buddy to keep an eye on Clarissa’s whereabouts, too.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you and Vera. Two more days and it’ll be over. When I know for sure that Jack survives, I’ll tell Wesley everything.”
Susan looked through the glass window of the office in the store. “Speaking of Wesley, he’s here. I’ll talk with you later.”
Hanging up the phone, she eased up behind Wesley who was looking at merchandise on a display table. “Can I help you with something, sir?”
“Nice store. Looks a lot different than it did last night.”
“Glad it meets with your approval.”
“So where are the bawdy items?”
“The lingerie and personal items are in the rear of the store, but none of my merchandise is really ‘bawdy.’ Are you making a purchase for anyone I know?”
“Maybe. Let’s have a look.”
Susan couldn’t help but notice Debbie and Sheila ogling Wesley, and she couldn’t blame them. He cut quite an impressive figure. A deep blue shirt under a tan blazer accented his hazel eyes, and the nippy air had painted his cheeks rosy red.
He must have felt someone was watching him and turned in their direction. “Good morning, ladies,” he said, flashing a smile and his pearly whites.
Susan could swear she heard their hearts thumping.
Get in line, ladies
. “Wesley, I believe this is what you wanted to see.” She pointed to a sheer negligee draped over a mannequin. A variety of delicate items covered a display table.
Instead, Wesley picked up a black teddy and held it against her. “This is more what I had in mind.”
Her cheeks grew hot. “Not my size,” she said in a joking manner, “but I’m sure you can find something to help with the sale. If not, we also accept donations.”
Raucous laughter and deep voices filled the store. A swarm of men in black leather jackets descended on the lingerie department.
“Yeah, I can dig this,” one of the guys said.
They began picking up items and draping them over their arms.
“Just think,” another of them said, “we get to enjoy all of this, and our money will go to a good cause. Can’t beat that.”
Wesley took her arm and moved aside. “I think you have some serious buyers here. Let’s give them some room.”
Thank you, Herman.
A. K. called to Susan, “You got a minute? Someone wants to meet you.”
“Go ahead,” Wesley said. “I’m going to look around.”
A woman who looked to be in her twenties introduced herself as Melanie’s cousin. “I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing to help. Moral support is one thing, but it doesn’t pay the bills. Melanie’s going to need all the help she can get.”
“I’m glad to do what I can,” Susan said. “There, but for the grace of God….”
“Exactly. My name’s Frieda. I’m a hairdresser and live in Slidell. You can bet I’ll spread the word about your shop. Here’s my card. Maybe you can let me know about sales or when new merchandise arrives.”
“I most certainly will. If you’ll excuse me, I have to finish up with a customer, but A. K. will be glad to show you around the store. It was nice meeting you, and I hope to see you again.”
Susan turned and looked for Wesley, but he was nowhere in sight. She eventually found him in the parking lot watching the models.
“You should do more style shows. Those girls are very attractive.”
“Exactly what I was thinking. Well, did you decide on something?”
“I will before I leave. Would you like for me to pick you up for the memorial service tomorrow?”
“That’d be a big help. I plan to decorate a box to hold all the donations, and it will be a real hassle to get it in and out of my car.”
“The service is scheduled for eleven, so I’ll pick you up around ten thirty.”
A customer grabbed Susan by the arm. “I want to buy a nightgown for my aunt, and I’d like your advice.”
“I don’t want to hold you from your customers,” Wesley said. “Besides, I want to look around some more.”
“Sure thing,” Susan said to the customer. “Let’s go have a look.”
Susan watched as Wesley made a pass at the outdoor tables. She wasn’t the only one with eyes trained on him. Debbie and Sheila stood elbowing each other.
The crowds never stopped coming, and it was after dark by the time the last customer left.
Susan thanked Debbie, Sheila, and the models for doing such a great job and watched as they climbed into their cars.
“Well, let’s total up the sales,” she said to A. K.
A. K. emptied the register, and Susan collected the previous day’s sales from the safe. The donations and sales totaled over five thousand dollars.
“This turned out better than I thought. I hope the other businesses had as good a response.”
A. K. rubbed her temples then fluffed her hair. “Don’t know about you, but I’m pooped. How does a Margarita sound? I could use one about now.”