CHAPTER 20
Monday was the same as any other day at work, except today Lainey was on a high. She’d said goodbye to her sister yesterday morning. They both agreed that her new coffee maker was better than any professional barista.
She’d talked to Robert last night on the phone before bed, slipping back into their habitual evening phone calls she’d missed in their separation. Though now there was a sense of liberation in allowing herself to be with him. No hesitation this time.
She’d finally accepted there was an incredible, gorgeous man who took an interest in her. He made her feel like she was famous, royalty, a freaking million-billion dollars!
The weight of being obligated to Geoff or his memory was gone. She was free from the guilt and shame she’d placed on her conscience. Finally, choosing to be disencumbered from her marriage to him.
The weather was growing colder, and a quick chill filled the lobby of the bank every time someone walked in the front door.
Usually, the warmth inside would recover within a few seconds once the door shut.
This time the cold draft lasted longer than usual, causing Lainey to look up from her teller window.
She watched a delivery driver struggle to hold a massive bouquet and pass through the door simultaneously. Ultimately, he entered the lobby without bumping into the doorjamb.
“Can I help you?” Lainey asked.
“Is there a Lainey Wickham here?” he said.
“That’s me.”
He slid the glass vase onto the counter in front of her. “These are for you,” he smiled. “Card’s attached,” and he hurried back out the door.
Emma and Connie rushed to her side. “Those are for you?” Connie said. “Girl, somebody likes you! They’re beautiful.”
Lainey plucked the mini-envelope from the flowers and opened it.
The card read:
Just because.
Robert
Lainey smiled, reading the sentiment. Inside, she was giddy, but she kept her composure.
Emma teased, “I don’t need to see the card to know exactly who those are from.”
Though Connie peered over Lainey’s shoulder, “Who’s Robert?”
“Uh huh, that’s what I thought,” Emma giggled, stepping away.
The bouquet swallowed Lainey’s entire workspace. “I’ll move them to the bureau in the lobby,” she said, not able to suppress the grin emerging on her face.
* * *
When Lainey finished work, she picked Vivian up from after school soccer practice, and they stopped by the grocery store on the way home. The days were getting shorter, and the sun had already set when they pulled in the driveway.
Lainey pushed the remote, and the garage door opened. “Don’t rush inside, Viv. Help Mama carry in the groceries, please,” Lainey said, waiting for the door to roll the rest of the way up.
As the door rose, it revealed the inside of the garage in total disarray. Shelves were knocked over, boxes and storage totes emptied. Cabinet doors remained open. Their contents jumbled all over the floor. Had someone robbed her?
Lainey put the car in park. “Vivian, stay here,” she instructed as she got out. It was a mess of Christmas decorations, oil jugs and gardening supplies strewn everywhere.
She walked into the house, entering the kitchen first. Plates were broken, canned food thrown to the floor, spices tossed on the counter. The lid of the cinnamon container had popped off, and brown dust splayed over boxes of pasta thrown beside it.
She turned the corner to the living room, and someone had ripped open the couch cushions. Furniture stuffing littered the floor. They had yanked pictures off the walls and swiped books off the shelves. She’d seen enough. She ran to return to Vivian and dialed the police.
As she and Vivian waited in the car for the police to arrive, she sent Robert a text. Just got home and my house was broken into. It’s a mess. Waiting now for the police.
She didn’t plan on getting a response until much later since he was with the trainees, but she was in shock and didn’t know who to turn to.
She told Vivian what she saw. She could have lied, but it would scare her more finding out later.
Lainey was mindful in keeping her voice tranquil as she answered Vivian’s immediate questions and the curiosity to see for herself.
“No, Vivian, we’re going to wait for the police.
We don’t know if the robbers are still in there or not,” she said calmly, but inside she was just as confused and afraid as her daughter.
Faint sirens grew louder until they were ear-piercing as flashing red and blue lights parked on the street in front. Jake was on the scene assigning officers tasks, and Lainey was relieved to see a friendly face.
After twenty minutes of the police clearing the house, making sure the suspects were gone, and taking Lainey’s initial statement, they let her inside to further inspect the damage.
She was in her bedroom peering down at jewelry thrown on the floor, checking to see what pieces were missing when she heard his voice. “Where is she?” he asked someone in the living room. And she heard the thumping of his boots coming down the hall.
“Lain?” he said impetuously, stepping over displaced dresser drawers to get to her. He was wearing fatigues and a patrol cap. Before she could answer, his arms enclosed around her.
An instantaneous sense of safety came over her, but she was aware of his busy schedule. “I didn’t mean for you to come. I was in shock and only wanted you to know,” she said, leaning into him, taking in his smell, which seemed to ease her nerves even more.
“No, I’m glad you texted. Where’s your daughter?”
The fact that his very next priority was Vivian pleased her further. “She’s outside with an officer. But she wants to see her room.” Lainey surveyed her surroundings. “I don’t think I should let her. She’s already upset.”
He sighed, “Pack some clothes for the both of you. You can’t stay here tonight.” Robert released her. “I’m going to speak with Jake and then we’ll deal with Viv. Ok?”
Lainey nodded and started gathering what she could. She didn’t know where to go, but she was too stunned by her house in shambles to think straight.
Robert found Jake in the basement inspecting the gun safe with another uniformed officer. “What do you think happened here?” Robert asked.
Jake shook his head. “Good news, they didn’t get into the safe. Though they tried. Look at the marks there,” he pointed. “Looks like they were trying to pry it open, but didn’t bring the right tools.”
“You think they were after guns?” Robert said.
“Not sure. The TV’s still on the wall, and other electronics were left alone too. I asked Lainey to check her jewelry, but it’s clear they were looking for something.”
“You need to talk to that motherfucker, Mac, immediately.” Now that he was away from Lainey, Robert couldn’t hide his frustration.
“I think he found out about those missing coins, and he’s looking for them.
” Robert rubbed his forehead. His brain was in hyper-drive, “Shit, the more I think about it, it was probably Mac that the kid witnessed, handing them over to Geoff through the window!”
Jake promptly pulled Robert to the side. He glanced around. “Robert, no one knows about that kid’s statement,” he said in a hushed tone. “You can’t be announcing privileged information like that.”
“I’m sorry,” he sighed. His emotions had gotten the best of him. “I don’t trust that fucker. It was only a few weeks ago I caught him trying to break into her file cabinet.”
Jake nodded. “I remember, and trust me, I’m on it.”
Robert accepted Jake at his word. Years of friendship proved Jake could be trusted to see this through.
* * *
Lainey’s phone rang. It was Emma. She pressed answer on the car’s console screen. “Hello?”
“Lainey? Jake called me. Are you all right?”
She exhaled, “Yes, Viv and I are on I-70 now, following Robert to his place.”
“I can’t believe this happened! Do you need anything?” Emma asked.
Lainey followed Robert’s taillights as he passed a slower moving car on the four-lane interstate. “I don’t think so. But I’m not coming into work tomorrow. I have to clean it up.”
“Of course. Connie and I will be fine, and I’ll let them know. Is anything missing? Jake said, they left the electronics.”
“I don’t know what they were after.” She didn’t have expensive jewelry by any means. “I checked my jewelry, and the only item missing is my grandmother’s blue topaz ring. My wedding ring was still there though.”
“That’s strange,” Emma said, and Lainey shared the thought.
“Since I have you, can you text me the info for your friend the realtor?”
“Sure. Theresa is outstanding. Wait. Are you selling your house?” Emma asked.
Viv could hear the conversation over the car speakers, and this was something she hadn’t talked to her about.
But after seeing everything in shambles tonight and feeling too frightened to stay there, she was more than ready to get the ball rolling.
“Um...Well, I only need to ask her some questions and need her expertise. Vivian, say hi to Emma.”
“Hi,” a little shy voice sounded from the back seat, showing Emma extra ears were listening.
“Hi Viv. I’m sorry about what happened,” Emma said. “But you are going to spend the night in one of the safest places in the entire world,” she said with enthusiasm. Lainey got the sense Emma was trying to cheer them both up with this factoid.
“Emma’s right, Viv,” Lainey said, looking in the rearview mirror at the silhouette of her daughter, only seeing the innocent, sweet face when passing headlights lit it up.
“We have to go through a guarded gate,” Lainey explained. “They’ll search our car to make sure we’re safe, and then they’ll let us in, and the guards will be there all night.”
“Really?” Vivian said.
Emma had perfectly segued the topics, and Lainey was thankful for it.
Once they got through the main gate and onto base, Lainey realized Vivian had never met Robert before, or vice versa. A huge oversight on her part, with all the craziness that had happened.