Page 36 of Calling All Angels
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Aubrey and Jacobprowled through the wreckage of Emma’s house, marveling at the thoroughness of the chaos. Nothing was left untouched. Filming the wreckage with her phone, Aubrey stared at the chaos in disbelief.
“You’re not going to post that,” Jacob said.
Aubrey shook her head. “Just documenting. But nobody would believe this.”
“Better to keep this part of it private. Who knows who watches those posts.”
Aubrey sat on the edge of a chair, scraping her fingers through her hair. “I can’t believe any of this is real. It’s so crazy. Who would want to hurt Emma?”
Winston wound himself around her ankles. She picked up the cat, resting him across her shoulder. The cat purred loudly, happy to have familiar company.
“Do you see anything missing?” Jacob asked.
“I don’t think so. My computer is broken,” she said, pointing to it upside down on the floor, “but it’s here. TVs, everything. Winston.” She ruffled his fur with her fingertips. “Youknow who did this, don’t you?” she said to the cat. “Can’t you just tell us?”
Winston yawned, baring his teeth.
“Right. That about sizes things up. I know I totally forgot to feed him that night because I went directly to the hospital from our dinner with your parents. So, what kind of a robber feeds the cat on his way out anyway?”
“An animal lover?” Jacob suggested, topping off Winston’s nearly full bowl of dry food.
“Sure. Probably rescues baby bunnies when he’s not breaking and entering.”
“Yeah, that is a mystery.” Jacob lifted the scattered silverware drawer contents, putting the knives and forks on the counter. “For that matter, we don’t know it was a guy. Could have been a woman.”
“And leave this mess?” She shook her head. “No, a woman would have been much more methodical. This was definitely a man’s doing.”
Jacob side-eyed her while filling a glass of water from the sink. He handed it to her. “I’m sorry. It’s a lot.”
She nodded, gulping down the water as a knock sounded at the back door. The two of them exchanged alarmed looks. “Who could that be?”
“Stay here,” he told her and opened the back door.
The middle-aged woman at the back door was smiling timidly at him while peeking into the house behind him as she spoke.
“Oh, hello,” she said, her voice scratchy as an old LP. “I’m Clarissa Meyer. I live next door. I saw you and Aubrey drive up. I just wanted to come by and check on how Emma’s doing.”
“It’s okay, Jacob. Hi, Ms. Meyer.”
“Oh, Aubrey!” she said, edging her way into the house past Jacob. “Oh, dear. I was so sorry to hear about your aunt. How is she? Oh! My! Look at this place!” She tsked with a sigh. “I saw the police in the neighborhood yesterday. I told them what I know. They interviewed me you see. How is Emma, dear?”
“Holding her own. Thanks for asking,” Aubrey said. “What exactly did you tell the police?”
“Well, just that I heard some noises over here late that night of the accident and there weren’t any lights on. Not anything too loud, you understand. But loud enough to make me sit up in bed and wonder. But I just thought I should mind my own business, don’t you know?”
Well, that would certainly be a first.Aubrey suppressed her grin. “Did you see anyone over here? Through the windows?”
“No. Not even a light. I thought maybe I had imagined the noise after a while. But I can see now that I hadn’t.”
“See anyone leave or any cars parked where they shouldn’t be parked?” Jacob asked her.
At first, she shook her head, then said, “You know, now that you mention it, I’d forgotten this, but before I went to bed that night, I let my little dog, Reno, out for his nightly business. There was a car parked down the street that I didn’t recognize. But that in itself isn’t all that unusual. The odd part was that someone was just sitting in the driver’s seat. Smoking. I caught the glow of a cigarette burning. It kind of gave me the creeps, but I just decided whoever it was was waiting for someone in a house down the street. I didn’t think much more of it. I hurried Reno back in the house and went to bed.”
“What kind of car was it?”
“Maybe…an SUV of some kind, I think. It was dark. You know how long we’ve been after the city for streetlights in this neighborhood? But if I had to guess, I’d say it was dark colored. Blue or black, maybe.”
