it. Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe it was junk left over from when her parents lived up here. Maybe, just maybe, Mike was right and they were about to get their first break in the case. Turning his SUV around, he flipped on the lights and headed towards Rachel’s cabin.
Todd arrived shortly after Mike did, parking his truck behind him in the driveway. Mike got out of his SUV and walked over to Todd. “Hey, Todd, this place still looks deserted to me. Why would a woman want to live up here by herself?”
“That’s a pretty sexist remark, Mikey. Why didn’t you ask the lady herself?” Todd replied.
“I was waiting for you before I went in, she sounded kinda frightened on the phone, figured it might be easier on her since you two know each other and all.”
“I wouldn’t say I know her. We met the other day. I thought she was a trespasser. I was a little surprised to see she intended to stay out here too. She’s a lot tougher than you’d think she is. Come on, let’s go see what she’s found.”
Todd walked up and knocked on the front door. “Rachel, it’s Sheriff Bradley and Deputy Logan, will you open the door and let us in please?”
Rachel looked out the living room window to verify it was really him. He saw the relief wash over her when she saw him standing there. She rushed to open the door. “Thanks for coming out so quickly. I wasn’t sure if Deputy Logan was going to believe me or not. He sounded a little skeptical over the phone.”
“It’s all right, Rachel. He’s the skeptical one and I’m the suspicious one. It’s kind of a bad cop, bad cop routine. We work really well together that way.” He flashed her that crooked little grin. “Can you take us out to the garage and show us what you found?” Todd asked, trying to lighten the mood of an already tense situation.
“Okay, but I have to warn you, there’s a raccoon family living out there and Mama doesn’t like anyone getting near her kittens.” She led them through the house.
Todd scanned the living room and kitchen as she led them out to the garage. He noticed the prepped walls and partially sanded floor. He had to admit, he was impressed with what she accomplished in such a short time. “The place is coming along nicely. You’ve already done some really great work in here,” he said as she stopped in the laundry room with her hand on the garage door knob.
“Thanks, I still have a long way to go, but I can envision it when it’s all done. It’s amazing how much better a place looks when you remove an inch of dust and dirt.” She gave him a weak smile and opened the door. “After you left, I came out here to switch on the lights and thought it was strange to find all this,” gesturing with her arms, “stuff out here and so little in the house. When I talked to my dad today, I asked him about it and he said they left the place all but empty with the exception of some old stuff on the shelves.”
Todd walked around the boxes and stopped. Just like she said, there was Mama Raccoon guarding her nest of babies. Teeth bared, she sat there growling at him. Slowly backing away from her, he turned to Mike. “Get on the radio to animal control, have someone get out here ASAP. I’m not risking either of us being attacked by a protective mother. Too bad she can’t talk. Something tells me she’s our only eyewitness.”
As Mike walked back out to his patrol SUV to make the call, Todd pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket. “Here is a list of pieces stolen from homes in the area. I’m not an art buff, but some of this seems to fit the descriptions. We’ve got pictures from the insurance companies as well. We’ll wait for animal control to get the raccoons out of here and then go through everything. How are you holding up, Rachel?” he asked while walking towards her.
“I’m okay, I think. What if he comes back and this is gone? Do you think he will come after me?”
“I don’t know. So far in his illicit
Todd arrived shortly after Mike did, parking his truck behind him in the driveway. Mike got out of his SUV and walked over to Todd. “Hey, Todd, this place still looks deserted to me. Why would a woman want to live up here by herself?”
“That’s a pretty sexist remark, Mikey. Why didn’t you ask the lady herself?” Todd replied.
“I was waiting for you before I went in, she sounded kinda frightened on the phone, figured it might be easier on her since you two know each other and all.”
“I wouldn’t say I know her. We met the other day. I thought she was a trespasser. I was a little surprised to see she intended to stay out here too. She’s a lot tougher than you’d think she is. Come on, let’s go see what she’s found.”
Todd walked up and knocked on the front door. “Rachel, it’s Sheriff Bradley and Deputy Logan, will you open the door and let us in please?”
Rachel looked out the living room window to verify it was really him. He saw the relief wash over her when she saw him standing there. She rushed to open the door. “Thanks for coming out so quickly. I wasn’t sure if Deputy Logan was going to believe me or not. He sounded a little skeptical over the phone.”
“It’s all right, Rachel. He’s the skeptical one and I’m the suspicious one. It’s kind of a bad cop, bad cop routine. We work really well together that way.” He flashed her that crooked little grin. “Can you take us out to the garage and show us what you found?” Todd asked, trying to lighten the mood of an already tense situation.
“Okay, but I have to warn you, there’s a raccoon family living out there and Mama doesn’t like anyone getting near her kittens.” She led them through the house.
Todd scanned the living room and kitchen as she led them out to the garage. He noticed the prepped walls and partially sanded floor. He had to admit, he was impressed with what she accomplished in such a short time. “The place is coming along nicely. You’ve already done some really great work in here,” he said as she stopped in the laundry room with her hand on the garage door knob.
“Thanks, I still have a long way to go, but I can envision it when it’s all done. It’s amazing how much better a place looks when you remove an inch of dust and dirt.” She gave him a weak smile and opened the door. “After you left, I came out here to switch on the lights and thought it was strange to find all this,” gesturing with her arms, “stuff out here and so little in the house. When I talked to my dad today, I asked him about it and he said they left the place all but empty with the exception of some old stuff on the shelves.”
Todd walked around the boxes and stopped. Just like she said, there was Mama Raccoon guarding her nest of babies. Teeth bared, she sat there growling at him. Slowly backing away from her, he turned to Mike. “Get on the radio to animal control, have someone get out here ASAP. I’m not risking either of us being attacked by a protective mother. Too bad she can’t talk. Something tells me she’s our only eyewitness.”
As Mike walked back out to his patrol SUV to make the call, Todd pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket. “Here is a list of pieces stolen from homes in the area. I’m not an art buff, but some of this seems to fit the descriptions. We’ve got pictures from the insurance companies as well. We’ll wait for animal control to get the raccoons out of here and then go through everything. How are you holding up, Rachel?” he asked while walking towards her.
“I’m okay, I think. What if he comes back and this is gone? Do you think he will come after me?”
“I don’t know. So far in his illicit
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