Chapter 36

I asked one of Terrence’s officers to let Bennett know that I’d been called away and not to worry. McClowery left Wilson in charge and took off for the Emberstowne Police Department, where Rodriguez and Flynn were booking their prisoners.

By the time I arrived at my house, the place was quiet. No police cars. No nosy neighbors. The only thing out of the ordinary was Tooney waiting for me, just inside my front door. He had Bootsie in his arms.

He held the outer door open and showed me where the lock had been broken. “Sorry about this, Grace,” he said. “They jimmied the big door, too. You’re going to have to get them fixed right away.”

“I will,” I said as he handed Bootsie to me. I nuzzled her neck.

“Except for the doors and the mess,” he said, “I think everything is all right. They didn’t destroy anything. At least, not that I could tell.”

“What happened?”

Tooney gave me a quick rundown. Eric and Nina Buchman had successfully disarmed my burglar alarm but were unaware of the second alarm, which had sounded at Tooney’s house when they broke in.

“I didn’t know who they were, of course,” he said. “Not until Rodriguez and Flynn showed up. That’s when it finally made sense.”

Tooney knew that Liza and I were at Marshfield this evening for Bennett’s reception, so when the second alarm sounded, he wasted no time investigating. He’d first alerted the police, then trekked via the underground passage to my house to see what was going on.

“I could hear them upstairs,” he said. “They were searching through the bedrooms, making a racket opening and slamming drawers and doors.”

“Weren’t you afraid the police would burst in and shoot you by mistake?”

He shook his big head. “I called Rodriguez directly and told him I’d be here,” he said. “I also told him the front door was open, and that I’d unlock the back if he wanted.” Tooney gave a self-conscious shrug. “I mean, you just had the whole house all fixed up. I didn’t want them to ruin another of your brand-new doors.”

“You’re amazing.”

“Anyway,” he continued, waving the air as though his thoughtfulness meant nothing, “I could hear the two of them shouting to each other from different rooms. I got the impression they were looking for something. Sounded like they were searching for pieces of a key, but I didn’t understand what that meant.”

“They didn’t realize you were here?”

“I know how to keep quiet.” Tooney pointed to Bootsie, who purred contentedly against my chest. “I picked her up straightaway so she’d stay safe. I think the little girl knew exactly what was going on. She didn’t make a sound. I stayed on this floor, listening to everything they said. They were mad at each other, that’s for sure. I got the impression they expected Liza to be here.” He blinked, pointed to the closed front door, and asked, “Didn’t she come back with you?”

“Long story,” I said.

“I wish I could stay until your roommates get back,” Tooney said, “but I told Rodriguez I’d meet them at the station as soon as you got home.”

“I totally understand. Do Bruce and Scott know what happened?”

“Once the cops arrived and made the arrest, I called them at the shop. They both wanted to close up and rush back here, but I told them the situation was under control.”

“Thank you, Tooney. You have no idea what a good thing you did tonight.”

“The pieces Eric and Nina were looking for, you know what they are?”

“Another long story,” I said.

“For another time.” He grabbed the doorknob and started out. “Oh, one more thing. Eric and Nina did a number on your primary alarm system; it’s all torn up. I tried to get the company to send a repair team tonight, but the order has to come from you. Give them a call as soon as I leave. Tell them it’s an emergency.”

“I’m sure I’m safe.”

“You never know, Grace. Promise me you’ll call them right away.”

“I promise.”

The minute the door shut behind Tooney, I raced upstairs. I had to see what damage had been done. Now that we were alone, and the house was quiet again, Bootsie struggled to escape my arms. I let her down as I reached the top landing—the spacious square area where we’d positioned a wing chair, end table, and small stained-glass lamp. Bruce and Scott’s door was to the left and Liza’s to the right. My room was farther down the hallway, also on the right. We had two smaller rooms up there that sat empty.

All the doors were wide open, even Bruce and Scott’s, which they usually kept closed. I peeked in. The overhead light was on, but otherwise nothing appeared to have been disturbed. I couldn’t tell for sure, of course, but the bed was made, the dresser tops were tidy, and the door to their washroom was shut. I could imagine Eric having thrown the door open, realizing his efforts were better focused elsewhere, and moving on.

Liza’s room was trashed. My sister could never be accused of being a neat freak, but this mess was far beyond anything she’d created before. Dresser drawers had been yanked out and upended on the bed and the floor. Liza didn’t own a lot of clothing of her own, so the items strewn about were mostly the extra sheets and guest items I kept stored there. Her bed was unmade and stripped bare, the mattress and box spring tipped off the bed frame.

What made me saddest were the gouges on the newly painted walls where they’d pulled things down and tossed them aside. I picked up one piece of artwork, a landscape my mother had painted when she was very young. The gold metal frame was ruined. At least the painting had survived.

With a heavy heart, I made my way past the two vacant rooms, steeling myself against the disaster I might find in mine. Before I made it halfway down the hallway, however, I remembered my promise to Tooney. I pulled up my cell phone to dial the alarm company.

The woman on the other end of the line was brisk, professional, and efficient. When I explained the evening’s events she assured me that a repair person would be dispatched immediately and that I would be hearing from him or her soon. I thanked her and hung up.

Deep breath, Grace, I said to myself and then stepped into my room.

So devastating was the wreckage that it sucked my breath away. Maybe because I’d left it clean and uncluttered, this damage seemed far worse than what I’d found in Liza’s room. “No,” I said, closing my eyes and wishing that, like a bad dream, it would all go away in a blink.

It didn’t.

Behind me, Bootsie yowled a protest, then wound herself between my ankles, offering whatever solace she could. I picked her up.

With my hand over my mouth, I took a tentative step forward, seeing every piece of clothing I owned scattered across the bed, my dressers, the floor, looking like rummage sale offerings. I didn’t wear a lot of jewelry, but what I had had been dumped and strewn about as well. My bed hadn’t been upended the way Liza’s had. Perhaps the police arrived before they’d had the chance to toss it.

When my cell phone rang, I jumped. Swallowing my stinging anger in an attempt to sound calm, I answered. “Hello, Bennett,” I said. “How are things going over there?”

“Mr. Tooney called me, Gracie. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. The excitement was over by the time I got home.” I struggled to keep things light. “Seems that Tooney saved the day again. The alarm you insisted on worked perfectly, and both Eric and his girlfriend have been arrested.” I forced a chuckle. “McClowery must be ecstatic at this turn of events.”

“Is Bootsie all right?” Bennett asked.

“She’s fine. She’s keeping me company while I clean up. There’s a lot to put away, unfortunately. I may have to cut this conversation short.”

“I’m leaving Marshfield right now. I should be there in less than a half hour.”

“You don’t have to come, Bennett. I’m fine. Really I am.”

“This is not up for discussion. You’ve been victimized. You shouldn’t be alone.”

I wrinkled my nose as I took in the shambles that used to be my personal haven. “Maybe you’re right,” I said. “Thanks.”

When we hung up, I returned to the hallway, left my phone on the table out there, and lowered Bootsie into the wing chair. “I’m going to need two hands,” I said to her.

One by one, I slid my drawers back where they belonged. I began replacing the contents of the first one when the doorbell rang. I hurried down the stairs to answer, thinking that if this was the alarm company, they weren’t lying about being tops in customer service. More likely, however, it was a neighbor being nosy.

Remembering to check before opening the door, I peered out the side window as I flicked on the outside light. It didn’t work. I flipped the switch up and down several times as though that would make a difference. Nothing. Eric and Nina had apparently broken that, too.

I couldn’t make out much beyond the fact that two people stood outside my door. By their shapes and sizes I guessed them to be the brother-sister team who lived across the street and whose names I couldn’t keep straight.

Prepared to politely turn them away, I swung open the door.

“This really isn’t a good t—”

Jim Tuen pulled open my outer door. “Good evening, Grace.”

Daisy brushed past to storm into my home. “Where’s your sister?”