AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes. We’re just about finished here.”
“Do you have any suspects?” I cracked the water bottle and took a sip. “I’m sorry if you’ve already gone through this, but I’m curious.”
“Not a problem. If you’re an investigator, it’s an occupational hazard.” Officer Dembek nodded. “It’s too soon to have a suspect. We’ll let you know as the investigation develops. I can tell you that theinsurance company was burglarized here last month. Same MO. Crowbar the entrance, take the electronics, vandalize.”
“What about surveillance footage? We have security cameras, don’t we?”
“There’s a camera at the corner of every building, but not at every entrance. Your entrance is out of range.”
“What about the lot? What were they driving?”
“They parked out of range. They knew what they were doing.”
My father shook his head, angry. “I already have a call in to the management company. They should have informed us about the other burglary and upgraded the security system. It’s gross negligence.”
I needed information. “Officer, what time do you think the burglary took place?”
“We estimate around eight-thirtyp.m.”
“It seems early, doesn’t it?”
“No, not really. It’s after dark, and the other burglary was early evening, too. They come after business hours but before the cleaning crew. The last time, they walked out with the computers like they were moving them.”
I wondered if one of the burglars had driven a maroon Volvo. It couldn’t have been Barry Rigel because he’d been after me in the Hyundai. Or at least, it was likely he’d been driving his own car. “Were there any witnesses?”
“We didn’t get a report from anyone. Nobody called anything in. We’ll canvass tomorrow.”
“What about the cleaning crew?”
“They’re the ones who called us. They found the doors broken.”
My mother looked upset. “They took my laptop and my coral earrings from my top drawer. I can’t wear them on the phone because they click against the glass. I never should have left them here.”
My father touched her shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself. They took anything they could sell. They took my old Bose radio.”
“And my new laptop,” Gabby said, her lower lip buckling. “It figures, the one night I don’t bring it home.”
John met my eye, meaningfully. “They took my desktop, monitors, laptop, and my sports memorabilia, even Connor’s baseball.”
“Oh man, I’m sorry.” I flashed on the thumb drive of the files I’d copied from Lemaire’s office computer. I’d left it in my desk. “I wonder what they took from my office.”
Officer Pastona looked at me. “Is yours the one behind the file room?”
“Yes, my laptop was there.”
“They took it.”
My father straightened. “Officers, you had a question before TJ arrived. You asked whether we thought this crime could have been intentional. I told you no, but that answer was incomplete.” He turned to me. “TJ, do you know anybody who would do this?”
“No.” I suspected the burglary was related to Lemaire but couldn’t say so.
“But you know bad actors, from prison. Maybe one of them wanted easy money. Did you tell them about the firm?”
I felt my face go red. The cops turned to me with new eyes, since I’d been demoted from privileged son to certified dirtbag. My mother looked stricken, and Gabby flushed with embarrassment. Only John sat composed, as if he hadn’t gotten us into this mess in the first place.
I bit my tongue. “Dad, no, that’s not possible. If you mean that I know ex-cons, I do, but I don’t contact them. It’s a condition of my parole, and I follow the rules.”
“What about the people from your meetings?”
