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She was a tiny thing next to his six-foot-three-inch frame. Her light brown hair was down and wavy. He wasn’t sure if she put those curls in it herself, and again, he wondered why he was thinking that.
She had dark jeans on with heels. Maybe they were boots hiding under her jeans, but he only saw the spikes and could appreciate them. He was a man that liked sexy on a woman.
“I’m sure it will happen again until we catch whoever it is,” he said. “But if it helps any, no other house has been hit twice.”
“Thanks for that,” she said in a dry tone.
“He’s trying to help, Ivy,” Dahlia said. “Can we go see what is missing now? You need to know that, right?”
“Yes,” he said. “Once I’m done with you, I’ll talk to the other residents of the building and the neighbor who witnessed something.”
Their small apartment wasn’t completely trashed. Just a mess. Things were knocked over, papers thrown about. The kitchen had cabinets opened and food on the counters as if someone thought there were valuables in a box of cereal.
It amazed him that people saw shit like that on TV and thought it happened in real life.
These were renters, not wealthy residents hiding loose diamonds in their Cheerios.
“I’m afraid to go into my room,” Ivy said. “Dahlia, will you go with me?”
“I’ll go,” Jasmine said. “Dahlia needs to look in her room too.”
He followed Ivy down the hall to her room. He wasn’t sure why his feet wanted to be behind her, but there was something about her that he couldn’t put his finger on. He didn’t want to say he felt the need to protect her. She wasn’t in any harm right now.
“Oh my God,” Ivy screeched. “My clothes.” Her closet door was open and clothes were half hanging off of the hangers. Some on the floor. “He touched them. They all have to be washed. I’ll be doing laundry all day. I can’t wear them knowing he’s touched them.” She turned to her dresser. “He went through my underwear and bras too. Ewww.”
Brooks pulled his eyes away from the red lace thong that was hanging on a handle. Another floral print bra was peeking out an open drawer next to a black lace one.
“Do you know if anything is missing? Money or jewelry?”
She moved to a jewelry box right out in the open. He could see that it was pretty much empty. “Most of it,” she said. “I mean nothing of monetary value. More sentimental.”
“You can get anything missing from work replaced and you know it,” Jasmine said.
“I know. But the necklace Mom and Dad gave me when I moved is gone.”
He saw more tears falling. “I’m sorry, Ivy,” Jasmine said, hugging her.
“I know. It’s just that is the one from Haiti. I was so happy to not live like that anymore. It was kind of a reminder.”
“Since you don’t want to live like that anymore, you don’t need that piece of jewelry as a reminder,” Dahlia said, coming into the room. “We have enough memories. Jasmine and I will remind you how much of a pain you were and the complaining you did in case you forget. I’m sure I can get Mark and Chase to reach out to do it too.”
Ivy giggled a little, then she sniffled and found a tissue on the dresser. “You’re right. I’m being a baby. I know.” She opened another drawer. “I had about a hundred dollars in here and that is gone.”
“That’s less than me,” Dahlia said. “I had five hundred.”
“Why would you have that much?” Ivy asked. “I thought you of all people would keep your money in the bank.”
“It’s important to have a slush fund if the ATM doesn’t work or the power is out at the store and we need to buy something. Emergencies happen.”
Obviously one of these girls was a planner. He’d like to think he was in the middle somewhere. Had less than five hundred at his place for emergencies but plenty of bottled water and food that wouldn’t waste.
Of course if there were emergencies like that, he’d be called into work and be fine.
“If you two can make a list of everything that is missing. I’m sure once you start cleaning up tomorrow you’ll discover more. Then you can email it to me at this address.”
Ivy took the card out of his hand. “Thanks,” she said.
“We appreciate everything you’ve done,” Dahlia said. “We’ll be in contact.”
