Life-changing Discovery

Pulling up to the Jenson's, Rachel looks around. It's another Victorian in an established neighborhood just like Kirk had said, she concludes. She eyes the row of houses on either side of the street, and asks, how can someone rob this place in broad daylight and not be seen? Tapping on the door, she gazes around the peaceful neighborhood hoping she can figure out how the robber pulled it off. Shaking her head she says. It's not possible. 

Rachel starts to knock again when a petite young woman opens the door, a feather duster in hand.

"My name is Sergeant Webb, I'm with the Berryville PD. I'm doing a follow-up on the robbery." She takes a notebook from her pocket and flips it open.

"That was such a terrible thing to happen to them, especially after everything they've done for this community."

"What do you mean?"

"They've helped dozens of charities. They've also helped individual families who are facing hard times. I'm surprised you haven't read about all their contributions in the papers."

Rachel glances up from her notebook and says, "I can't say I have."

"Mrs. Jenson is always helping out at the soup kitchens, the local food banks, shelters and such and Mr. Jenson has restored several of the older buildings around the square." He also helped renovate some of the landmarks, and a few of the older historical homes."

"That's very kind of them."

"The Jenson's are very generous people, always giving back to the community they love so much."

"Is either of them here?"

"Neither of them will be home until late this afternoon."

Rachel quickly scans through her notes. "You're the one who discovered the robbery, correct?"

"Yes, I reported for work like I do every day and found the house in shambles, and a few of their collectibles missing."

"Mr. and Mrs. Jenson were already gone?"

"Yes, they leave about half an hour before I arrive and they don't return until late afternoon, early evening."

"Is this an everyday thing?"

"Yes."

"You wouldn't happen to know where they go, would you."

"They do so much in a day's time it's hard to keep track. I have their numbers in case of an emergency, would you like me to get it for you?"

"No, just have them call me when they return." She hands the maid her card.

The housekeeper glances down at it, smiles and says, "I sure will, Sergeant Webb."

"Thank you." Rachel walks back to her car thinking about what the maid had said. I wonder if any of the other victims do charitable work.

She pulls her cell phone from her pocket and punches in a number. "Jerry, it's Rachel, I think I've found a connection."

***.

Tommy is standing frozen in the center of the room. His eyes staring straight ahead, not sure if what he's seeing is real. It can't be, it just can't be, he says, darting across the room. Reaching inside, he pulls out a stack of cash. Shoving it into his backpack, he grabs more. This should take care of Jen's aftercare and some, he thinks as he continues to clear the safe. 

Tommy sees two rectangular objects in the far corner of the box. He starts to investigate when he sees white powder scattered around them. It's probably drug money. He glances in his knapsack again. Shrugging he says, it'll keep Jen alive, and that's all that really matters to me. Shoving the last of the cash in his backpack, Tommy zips it up. I wonder what other goodies they have up here, he thinks, stepping into the hall.

A putrid smell overpowers him the moment he steps into the second bedroom. "What the hell is that?" he says, covering his nose with his hand. Tommy glances over to find two bloody figures sprawled out across the bed, each with a bullet wound in their head. Tommy then sees fresh blood and what looks to be brain matter splattered on the ceiling, floor, and walls. He then finds a young man lying in a puddle of blood on the far side of the bed. He has bite marks on his lower extremities and a bullet wound in the center of his back.

I've got to go. Tommy darts into the hall. He's halfway down the rickety stairs when he sees the ferocious beast pacing across the porch. I can go out back and circle around. 

Carefully working his way down the steps, he tiptoes through the house. He opens the squeaky barrier to find a larger dog on the steps. 

Startled, the dog springs to his feet as he growls.

 Tommy slams the door closed. Now what, he thinks? 

****

Finished with her last interviews, Rachel heads back to the station. She wants to compare notes with Kirk, see if Jerry has followed up on her hunch. She finds the detective pounding away on his computer when she walks over to their cubicle.

"Did you find anything, Jerry?" Rachel plops down at her desk.

"You're right about a couple of things, sergeant, all the victims have helped out at the local charities at some time in their life, but they've all worked at different locations and at different times. So, I'm thinking our robber is involved in several charities and he uses these organizations to choose who he robs."

"Do you have anyone of interest?"

"Not yet, but I'm still looking."

"How about my hunch with Mr. Langston?"

"The police were called out to their home on several occasions, but she never filed charges against him; which is often the case with these types of calls; why fourteen percent of homicides are domestic violence related."

"Why didn't the responding officer's step in?"

"They claim they didn't see anything to warrant an arrest. Since the tips have all been anonymous, the officers couldn't follow up with the call."

"Did you find any similarities in the victim's phone records?"

"I've found a few local businesses. So, if this lead is right, the robber might be a business owner or an employee at one of these establishments."

"Why would a business owner rob places?"

"Maybe his shop isn't doing well, so he's turned to a life of crime to keep the place afloat?"

"That's possible I suppose. Make a list for me, ok."

"I'm almost finished, Sergeant."

The three look up to see the captain rushing over to their desks. "There's been another robbery out on the old farm road, only this time, the victims are dead."

"Dead, sir?"

"From what I was told, they were shot in their beds."

"We're on it, Captain."

***

Tommy is packing back and forth in the hall, trying to figure out how he'll escape when a thought suddenly comes to mind. Maybe there's a door off the kitchen. He runs through the hall. "Thank God."

 Pulling the sliding door open, he takes off running across the yard. His legs begin to ache, and his lungs burn as he continues towards his car. Tommy is almost to the fence when he hears the dogs barking behind him. You're not getting me again, he thinks, picking up his pace. 

 He's almost to the metal barrier when sirens sound in the distance. "It's the cops!" Leaping over the fence, he makes his way down the drive. Looking back, he finds the dogs jumping over the metal barrier. Throwing the door open, Tommy jumps into his car. 

Hearing a loud thump, Tommy glances over to find the larger dog clawing at the window. "You're not making dog stew out of me today." 

Taking his keys from his pocket, Tommy starts to shove them into the ignition when the second dog thumps on the driver's glass. Startled, Tommy springs back. His keys fly out of his hands. "Damn mutt." Tommy says, frantically searching the passenger floorboard. The sirens continue to get closer.

The second dog pounds on the passenger window; Tommy jumps again. I hope my window holds; he thinks slinging empties everywhere. The sirens are now just a short distance away. "Please let me get out of here, please," he begs as he continues to toss the trash around. The dogs continue to pound on the window. The sirens are less than a mile away.

"I found them." Throwing his key in the ignition, the car roars to life. "So long, mutts. "Tommy says, peeling out of the drive. Floating over to fourth gear, he gives his vehicle more gas. I need to make it to the highway before the cops get here, he thinks, quickly shifting to fifth. 

The sirens are now ear piercing loud. 

Go, car, go, he yells. Pushing the pedal to the floor, he skids onto the highway. That was close. Tommy starts to relax when he hears a horn blaring behind him, he looks back to find a diesel on his tail.