Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
After he’d finished his phone call to the police, Brayden called Charlie to let him know the cops were on their way. “The dispatcher said they were in the area and would be here soon.”
“What else is new?” Charlie laughed. “They’re always in the area. It’s not like River Point is this teeming metropolis.”
“What are you talking about? We’re the Gotham City of southeastern Wisconsin.”
“Yeah, I wish.”
Brayden stayed on the line as he padded downstairs to open the front gate. “This is interesting,” he said, looking at the touch pad near the front door. “The display for the security system says it’s currently inactive. My parents must have forgotten to set it.”
“My dad forgets all the time,” Charlie said. “And when my mom finds out, she complains that we all could have been murdered in our sleep.”
“All of you? In your sleep? Wouldn’t someone wake up at some point?”
“You’d think so.”
Brayden swung the door open and peered out onto the driveway. “How long do you think it will take the police to get here?”
“Not a clue. Do you hear sirens?”
“Nope. Just the usual quiet.” River Point was always quiet, something that his parents seemed to think was a selling point, but to Brayden, quiet meant boring. He couldn’t wait to leave for school next fall and go where things were actually happening.
“The drone could be gone by the time they get here.”
“Yeah.”
Charlie’s voice rang out through the phone. “Do your parents know you called the police?”
“Not yet.” Brayden could only imagine his parents’ reaction—his dad’s exasperation and his mother’s shrill voice asking him what in the world he was thinking. No one in their right mind would wait around for that reaction. “I thought it would be a fun surprise.” He looked out the door again. Nothing. “I think I’m going to leave the front door open and go back to see if I can see the drone myself. Maybe get some pictures.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
He left the door a few inches ajar and walked back through the house, talking to Charlie as he went. “I doubt the police can do anything about it, but if they’re checking out the neighborhood, they should know.”
Charlie’s whisper came through the speakerphone: “I’m almost to the back of my yard, and there’s a car parked in the service drive. I see two guys looking at a laptop propped up on the hood. I bet they’re piloting the drone.”
“Don’t scare them off.”
“They don’t see me. I’m going to stay in the trees and keep an eye on them.”
“Okay, I’ll circle around and find you.”
“I just took a picture of the license plate. They have no idea I’m here.”
Charlie’s voice was so low, Brayden had to strain to catch every word. He answered as he slipped out the back door. “I’m just leaving my house,” he said. “I’ll let you know what I see.” He let himself out and headed toward the statuary garden. Off in the distance, he spotted Courtney coming out of the greenhouse, a hoe in one hand. He almost called out her name, but something about the look on her face and the way she wielded the gardening tool made him stop. She looked fierce. Determined. Like she was in warrior mode. Mousy Courtney had somehow transformed and become more assertive. Brayden had never seen her like that before.
As he watched, Courtney walked around the greenhouse and took off into the woods. He quickened his pace to follow her.