Page 29 of Call it Reckless

I swung toward the house. “And she just now called it in?”

Zane’s lips twisted as he threw his hands out in a what-can-you-do gesture.

“Any reason to believe the perp is still around?”

“None.”

“Has anyone spoken to her?”

He grinned. “She specifically asked for you. You must be her new hero.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please. You guys are just a bunch of cowards.”

He laughed. “I’d rather face a bear.”

“Come on. You’re with me.”

As we approached the house, I saw a curtain move in a downstairs window. Before I could knock, Beverly opened the door, clutching the edges of a terry-cloth robe between her fingers.

“Finally. We need to do something about your response time.”

I bit back my retort about her reporting delay. “You say you heard an intruder last night?”

“Yes. On my roof. Not only that, but I was held hostage for hours last night,” she exclaimed.

That caught our attention. “Explain.”

“I woke up hearing something on our roof. I woke up Earl, but he just mumbled and rolled over.”

“Where is Mr. Seymour now?”

She scowled. “He’s at work. I waited until he was gone to call you.”

“So, he wasn’t concerned?” Zane pushed, his eyebrows drawing together.

She waved her hand dismissively. “He said it’s just a bunch of squirrels.”

Something wasn’t adding up. “And what about the hostage-taking? Was he aware of that?”

“Oh, yes. He’s the one who told me if I didn’t stop talking and turn the lights off, they’d fly down the chimney on account they were probably flying squirrels and would attack us in our sleep. I couldn’t sleep a wink after that. I lay there as still as possible.”

Zane made a choking noise and turned around. His shoulders shook as he coughed to cover his laughter.

“Um, Mrs. Seymour. Let me make sure I have this right. You heard something on your roof last night, but no actual people came into your house, right? And there’s no one in here with you now, correct?”

“That’s right. But it was terrifying just the same.”

“I’m sure it was.” I held my radio. “All clear. False alarm.”

“What do you mean? It’s no false alarm,” she cried. “You have to do something, Deputy!”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to call animal control. Your husband is probably right, at least the part about the squirrels.”

“Or it could be rats,” Zane said helpfully, a wicked grin on his face.

Beverly gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand.

“But,” I said quickly, glaring at my friend, “they pose no harm to you. We don’t have flying squirrels around here, and if we did, I promise they won’t come down the chimney. Nor will any other creature. The chimney flue will prevent that.”

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