“I’m telling you, Josh.” Randy leaned over his desk for emphasis and continued, “It looks to me like someone’s camping out in that barn. You could be right, maybe its kids, but my gut is telling me something is going on. Elizabeth is a well-known author of psychological books. That sort of thing can attract all sorts of unstable personalities.”
Joshua shook his head in disagreement, “I find it hard to believe that a crazed fan would be able to find Elizabeth half way across the country, way up in a cabin in the mountains. It’s just too farfetched to take seriously. On the other hand, a couple of hunters that lost their way might have taken shelter for the night or even used the barn as a base. That is more likely, given the fact that the cabin sat empty all winter.”
Randy leaned back and added, “Regardless, we need to secure the stables. Elizabeth isn’t using it, so I called Gene Weller. He’s agreed to allow us to board up the windows and padlock the door. Can you go out there with me tonight and give me a hand.”
Joshua leaned forward in his seat and said, “You really like Amy, don’t you?”
Randy’s face broke out into a sheepish grin. He said, “Josh, she’s a breath of fresh air. I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Josh smiled and rose to leave, “I’m happy for you Randy. It’s long overdue. I loved Mary with all my heart, but she wouldn’t want you to be alone.”
Randy’s smile softened as Josh disappeared through the door. He whispered, “I know she wouldn’t.”
*************
Elizabeth opened the door for Franklin. He was all business as usual with his silver Armani suit and Bottega Veneta briefcase. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed to join Amy at the kitchen table.
He pulled out a chair and glanced quickly around the room before announcing, “I saw the largest spider I’ve ever seen in my life skitter across your narrow little sidewalk. At first, I thought it was some kind of mutant fox with too many legs, and then I realized the truth.”
Amy burst into laughter and punched his arm playfully saying, “Don’t worry, Elizabeth has a shotgun. If it tries anything, she will blast its furry legs off.”
Franklin spun to face Elizabeth and added, “Well, now I’ve heard everything! You really have gone, hillbilly. I assume you both have a tiny pair of cut-off jean shorts in your closets?”
Elizabeth and Amy locked eyes. Franklin stopped and stared at Elizabeth. She turned to face him and said, “We had a break in.”
“What do you mean?” Franklin sat down.
Amy glanced at Elizabeth then explained, “Someone broke in last night, and Charlie got out. We found her in the middle of the road.”
Franklin looked confused and said, “Someone tried to steal Charlie?”
“No,” Elizabeth sat down next to Franklin and added, “They let Charlie out, then went through our bedrooms. They stole Amy’s jewelry box and my two pairs of diamond stud earrings.”
Franklin draped his arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders and said, “Last night?” He glanced around the room and back at the table adding, “They left all the electronics?”
Elizabeth nodded and said, “Yes, and the shotgun. It makes no sense. It’s almost as if they were looking for drugs or something similar. I am beginning to think that someone thought the owners were staying here. That would explain why they were looking for something in the bedrooms.”
Franklin glanced over at Amy and asked, “Could there be a hidden safe in one of the closets?”
Amy shook her head and said, “If there were, they would have found it. They stripped everything except the light fixtures and the drywall.”
“Did you contact the landlord to ask if there is a history of break-ins?” Franklin leaned toward the table concentrating on Amy. “Did I ever tell you, I grew up in Colorado? I can tell you from personal experience that empty houses in rural areas are common victims of vandalism and often hosts for Meth labs.”
Amy laughed and rose from the table saying, “Franklin! There never was a meth lab in this cabin! You are so funny!”
Franklin stared after her, watching as she walked into the kitchen and pulled a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. He added, “I think you both should move back to the hotel until the house is finished.”
Amy pulled three glasses out of the cabinet and filled them with ice from the freezer. She smiled and whistled loudly. Suddenly Charlie and Kilo came bounding down the stairs and across the room.
Franklin jumped to his feet and declared loudly, “You got a guard dog? That thing is huge!”
Kilo rushed toward Franklin barking and growling as the hair on his back began to rise. Franklin frantically rushed around to the other side of the table and said, “He’s an attack dog!”
Amy laughed, filled the glasses with lemonade and called to the dogs, “Come on Kilo, let’s take Charlie for a quick walk.”
Kilo stopped and stared at Franklin for a moment, then turned and headed for the door after Charlie and Amy. Once they were gone, Franklin came back around the table to Elizabeth and said, “I know your uncle was like a father to you, but you don’t have to live here. You have nothing to prove.”
Elizabeth glanced out the window at the large tree that stood in the center of the backyard. It was a willow tree. “That is a willow tree; it means there a good water source under the back yard. My uncle planted a willow tree at the side of his house where a small spring would erupt from the earth and flow across the yard during a heavy rain. That side yard had been like a soggy marsh for years until that tree began to grow, and boy did it grow fast. Soon the tree was full size, and the side yard grew damp only after a hard spring rain. I love willow trees.”
The late morning sun filtered through the trees that lined the yard sending shadows dancing across the tall grass. Her eyes wandered to the mountains in the distance. They looked like large green cat paws spread out across the horizon.
“I wonder if I need a lawn mower,” Elizabeth said softly. She turned to Franklin and asked, “Am I supposed to mow the lawn or does the landlord do that kind of thing?”
Franklin rolled his eyes and sighed, “You aren’t listening to me.”
She smiled at him and said, “I like it here. I have fond memories of the time I spent in these mountains with my aunt and uncle. The mountains are beautiful and soothing. Just knowing I am up in the mountains surrounded by wilderness relaxes me, inspires me.”
“What about last night?” Franklin answered somberly, unimpressed by her wistful expression.
She glanced down at her laptop and pulled out her chair. “I told you, it was related to the owners, or some bored teenage campers looking for easy money. That’s why they took the jewelry and not the electronics. They were probably on foot.”
Franklin smiled and raised his hands in surrender. He said, “I can see you are determined, so I’m done lecturing. I’m sure you and Rin Tin Tin have this all under control. Let’s review your itinerary for next month. Do you want me to take a look at your speech?”