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“Turn around,” he barked when Theodosia finally stopped and rolled down her window. “This street’s closed for police business.”
“I need to get in there,” Theodosia said. “Haley, the woman who was in the house you guys just raided—she’s my friend. She called me asking for help.”
“No.” The officer made a twirling motion with his hand. “You need to turn your vehicle around right now. The detectives are still sorting things out.”
“There she is!” Drayton yelped suddenly. “I see Haley standing on the front lawn. Theo, you see her over there?”
“That’s her!” Theodosia shouted. Haley was standing in the front yard of a small duplex surrounded by a circle of police officers. Headlights from police cruisers and two black Suburban vans illuminated the scene, throwing low shadows and making Haley appear tiny and scared. “That’s Haley,” Theodosia said to the officer again. “She specifically requested our help.”
“Impossible,” the officer said. “I’ve got orders to maintain a hard perimeter.” He studied the jam of cars around them. “What I want you to do is pull your vehicle ahead ten feet, then turn around in that driveway over there. The one with the stone lion.”
“Okay, sure,” Theodosia said. She had no intention of turning around. If Haley needed her, then she would show up come hell or high water.
“What are you going to do?” Drayton asked in a low voice.
“Try to bull my way through, what else?”
“And if they stop us again?”
“Then we’ll... oh, thank heavens, I see Detective Tidwell up there. Wave to him, Drayton.” Theodosia tooted her horn. Three shorts, three longs, then three shorts. A sort of vehicular SOS.
Tidwell heard the commotion and turned around. Scanned the logjam of cars and saw Theodosia and Drayton waving at him like mad. His expression was dour as he seemed to consider their pleas for a few moments, then he gave the high sign for the officers to wave her vehicle on through.
Theodosia slowly picked her way through a lineup of police cars, then pulled halfway onto a sidewalk and turned off her engine.
“Come on, Drayton, our girl needs us,” Theodosia said.
They both hurried toward the circle of police that seemed to break apart as they approached.
Theodosia went to Haley and swept her up in a giant hug while Drayton patted Haley’s shoulder.
“You came,” Haley said tearfully.
“Of course we did,” Theodosia said. Then she turned and said, “Thank you,” to Detective Tidwell.
Tidwell held up a hand and said, “That’s enough of a reunion. You two will have to wait here while the suspects are being questioned.”
Haley was quickly led away; there was no sign of Ben.
“They’re not suspects,” Theodosia argued, getting right up in Tidwell’s face. “Especially not Haley. You know Haley, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. I doubt Ben would, either.”
Tidwell gave a dismissive shake of his head. “We received a tip about Mr. Sweeney.”
“Tip?” Drayton said.
“What kind of tip?” Theodosia asked.
Just then, a uniformed officer emerged from the front door of Ben’s duplex. He was carrying a folded white bundle with a beekeeper’s hat resting on top.
“A tip that just panned out,” Tidwell said. “Take a look at that.”
Theodosia gave the beekeeper paraphernalia a scornful glance. “It’s bogus,” she said.
“How can you be so sure?” Tidwell said.
“Let me guess, your tip was anonymous, right?” Theodosia said.
Tidwell inclined his large head slightly.
