Page 6 of Meant for Two

Arriving at his showroom, Jeff parked his truck and strode inside. Within a minute Zane pushed open the glass door and met Jeff's gaze, concern etched on his face.

"What do we know about the break-in?" Zane asked.

Jeff shook his head, frustration coursing through him. "Not much. I waited for you before I looked at the surveillance footage." He gestured for Zane to follow him to the adjacent room where the monitoring office was located.

Charlene, their fifty-five-year-old efficient office manager, was at her desk typing away on her computer. Because most security issues happened at night, she worked from ten at night to six in the morning. Her calming presence was what allowed him and Zane to focus on the fieldwork and do any troubleshooting.

She glanced up as they entered, her expression a mix of concern and professionalism. "You got here fast.".

"Came as soon as you called," Jeff replied.

In the near future, it wouldn’t take him much longer than a minute or two after being notified since he would soon be living above their warehouse. It was going to be his new bachelor pad—a very luxurious one at that. "Anything you can share with us about the incident?"

Charlene's lips pursed. "The alarm went off around 4:37 AM. The monitoring system automatically alerted the sheriff's department. Your uncle called moments later and said he was on his way to Woodland Estates.”

Jeff’s thoughts raced. "And the homeowners? Were they at home?"

Charlene shook her head. "No, they were away for the weekend, but they had let us know. Your uncle said he’d notified them already of the incident. Since they were only an hour away, I’m betting they’ll be back by the time you get there.”

She understood that they'd be checking it out.

“Did you watch the recording?” Zane asked.

“I did. It was the first thing I checked. But listen for yourself.” Since she’d called them, she had it cued up on her computer.

Both of them listened—to silence. “I don’t hear anything,” Jeff said.

“Me neither,” Zane told him.

Jeff frowned as he tried to process the information. “What about the video?”

“It’s the same thing. Here, I’ve got it ready for you on the other computer.”

The footage began to play on Charlene's computer. Jeff's gaze was fixed on the screen. “It’s black.”

The absence of any activity or sound was disconcerting. If someone had broken in, there should have been some visual or auditory cues.

"I've checked and double-checked. The cameras and audio equipment were functioning properly. I can't explain why there's no evidence." Charlene seemed as bewildered as he was.

Jeff sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "This doesn't make sense. The cameras should have picked up something."

“The homeowners might have tampered with the equipment, but I can’t imagine them doing something like that since it was critical to their safety,” Zane said.

“People are funny like that,” Charlene interjected. “They take their privacy seriously. You never got to meet my dad, but he didn’t want anyone to know anything about what he did.”

This was coming from his office manager? “The cameras and listening devices activate automatically if there is a breach. It’s made clear in the brochure.” He’d also made sure that Blair understood that—on his second attempt. Thankfully, she seemed to understand.

“Not everyone reads the instructions.” Charlene dipped her chin, implying he was one of those people.

“You might be right.” Though Blair would have made sure the homeowners were informed.

Zane nudged him gently, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the screen. "Let's head to the Development. Maybe the authorities have uncovered more information."

"Let's hope Uncle Adam has some insights." He faced Charlene. “See if anything appears on the outside cameras.”

“If their house was dark, we might not see anything.”

The owners might not think to keep a light on when they were away. “Please give it a try.”

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