Renee took a deep breath as she pulled into her garage. She was home. She knew it wasn't, but she felt like she had been gone a month. She felt she should have come home the day Caleb left the Island. Followed him back to Texas and saved herself the slut feeling she had right now. Caleb had already proven she was not the problem with her marriage. Perverted self-centered Martin was the problem was Renee's final thought as she opened her car door. Sure, Keith was good, and amazing. His body was fantastic, and his moves were impressive, but she had thought about Caleb far more than she had thought about Keith. It could be that Caleb had three days to impress her and Keith had only one night.
She took her much heavier suitcase out of the trunk and walked into the house. Renee knew the second she stepped in her house that something was wrong. The cabinet doors in the laundry room were open the items stored there had been rifled through and the room was a mess. Backing out of the room she left her suitcase in the garage and got back in the car. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed 911 as she backed out of the garage slowly. She quickly locked her car doors.
"Um yes I just got home from a week's vacation, and it looks like my home has been broken into.
I only entered my laundry room and saw the damage and left.
I'm out front on the street in my car.
Yes, please send the police.
I'm afraid that someone may still be inside if the lights are on.
Ok, I'll wait for someone to come," Renee told the operator and hung up as her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Shit all I wanted to do is relax after that flight," she complained to the silent world in front of her house. The house wasn't dark that should have been the first warning sign. Blanca would have never left the lights on. There was a sold sign out front that was encouraging and she wondered how much damage was done to the place.
Will the buyers still want the place? The way the laundry looked it probably messed up. Slamming her head back against her head rest she just realized the washer and dryer were gone. They are behind the door and when the door opened all the way it hadn't banged against it as usual. That had been her biggest complaint about that room. The washer was bent where the knob hit it every time she came in the house. If they are gone is there anything left in the house Renee wondered.
The reality that she was alone hit her hard. No one was going to come and hug her and tell her it would be Ok. No one else is going to deal with this mess so she hides in her room.
"Damn you Martin this is all your fault. I wouldn't have put the house up for sale if you hadn't screwed me over," she complained as the blue and red lights filled the night sky. Thank God he didn't have his serine on. The officer approached the house his hand on his revolver.
Renee opened her car door catching his attention. "The door in the garage is open. I just got home," she told him.
"Ok you stay there, and I'll check out the house and then come and get you," the officer told her and cautiously moved towards the house. He disappeared into the garage as Renee slipped back into her car.
A light tap on her window scared Renee half to death. Seeing a familiar face, she rolled the window down.
"Is everything Ok?" the man asked. He was her next-door neighbor.
"No I just got home, and my house was burglarized."
"Oh no, we thought you were moving out. There was a U-Haul truck in the drive yesterday with three or four guys here half of the day. We thought you had hired them to move you," he said sounding very concerned. His wife came walking up slowly and he turned to tell her. "She was robbed; you're right we should have called the police," he said as she approached the car.
"See I told you she wouldn't use a damn U-Haul to move her beautiful furniture," she grumped to her husband.
"Hey Betty; well at least I don't have to worry about moving my stuff now," Renee told her trying to make a joke of the situation if her washer is gone everything else should be. She ducked her head and looked up at the house as a shadow moved across the window upstairs. Moments later the officer came out the front door.
Renee opened her door as the man backed away, she needed to talk with the officer.
"Well not much left and some damaged. It appears they tried to remove your safe, but it was built into the wall very securely."
"They wasted their time it is empty," Renee told him. "These are my neighbors and they saw a U-Haul in the drive yesterday."
Betty stepped forward, "Yes we were suspicious, but their place has been crazy for weeks, so we didn't know what to do," she explained.
"True it has been for sale," Renee told the officer.
"So, anyone could have toured your home and come back for your stuff?" he suggested.
"Right and I was gone for about a week to help them feel like they could take their time," Renee complained.
"Did you post this to Facebook or tell a lot of people?" the Officer asked.
"No, only my general manager, my sister, and I left the money for my maid and yard man with a note. So yeah, some people knew I would be gone."
"Sure, and then the sold sign went up and they knew the realtors wouldn't be coming anymore." Betty offered. "But I do have a picture of the U-Haul truck I just had a feeling things weren't right."
"I'll give you a number to send that picture to," the Officer told Betty and then turned his attention to Renee. "If you would follow me you can come in a see what is left. Just don't touch anything we will be dusting for prints in the morning."
Apprehensively she followed him into the house. Seconds later she realized she had nothing left and the asses used spray paint and tagged the walls and messed up her granite countertops. The tears came back as she tentatively followed the officer around her home. If they didn't take it, they destroyed it. Her clothes were gone, and she wondered who was going to fit in her tiny clothes. Some damn twelve-year-old businesswoman. They took the big recliners and her big TV. They even took the beds. The house was empty.
"You have homeowners insurance, right?" the officer asked sounding very concerned for her.
"Yes, I do," she said scanning the next room.
"Good so your insurance will pay for you to stay in a hotel until this place is livable again," he told her.
Visions of going back to Paradise filled her head. She shook her head she knew she had to stay here and deal with this mess.
Hank and Betty stood at the front door looking in as they came down the stairs. "Are you going to need somewhere to stay?" Betty asked looking sadly at Renee. She thought she was being so nice considering they have barely spoken besides hello in the five years she has lived here. Maybe they felt bad they hadn't called the police.
"No, I think I will go to a hotel while this all gets worked out," Renee told her as the officer handed her a piece of paper with the police report of the burglary. She was glad she put all the paperwork for the house and her jewelry into her safety deposit box at the bank before she left for vacation. She was concerned someone would get into her stuff and now look. She was glad she saw the list of before you go on vacation tips on YouTube. She probably did herself in by leaving a note for Blanca. It was sitting on the hall table where anyone could read it telling them when she would be back.
*
She rolled her bag into the lobby of the Windom. She knew Martin brought his girls here, but it was the best place to stay and was close to the dealership. Choosing an expensive room, she figured her insurance would have to pay to keep her in the type of place she was used to. She will go to the bank in the morning and call them to make sure.
She sat down in her room. Not exactly as nice as she expected but better than the one, she had when she left Martin.
Her phone rang and she dove for her purse.
Caleb, she saw and breathed a sigh of relief. "Hello," Renee called out her desire to cry was so strong.
"Hey, I hope I didn't call too late, but I wanted to tell you to welcome back home," he said sounding so sweet that made it harder to not cry. So, she did all the pain burst out of her mouth as she explained to him what she came home to.
"Ah, sweetie I'm so sorry what can I do?"
"Nothing I just needed to cry. Thanks for listening. I have to deal with the insurance people in the morning," she told him getting her tears under control.
"So, they took everything?" Caleb asked.
"Yep, even my clothes. I'll be able to look it over better when they are finished taking fingerprints."
"Wow they are going to all that," Caleb asked. He knew most break-ins were just another report.
"I guess because it was such an expensive home they are going to put in an effort. Who knows maybe they won't? I don't care I have good insurance and they must put it right. I'm amazed they got all my stuff in one U-Haul."
"Me too but if you pack it right you can put a lot in one."
"True so how have you been?" Renee asked him so happy to talk to him. Someone does care she thought as tears came back.
"I'm good. So, you're in a hotel?" Caleb asked.
"I am for now. I guess I will start looking for a new house sooner than I thought I would. I don't know what to do; do I stay here or sell the dealership and move away? After this break-in dumping it all is sounding good to me."
"Ok but they say don't do anything extreme after trauma and you have had many traumas. Why don't you come to Dallas soon and let me pamper you for a while," he asked in his low and sexy voice. Renee felt like grabbing her purse and leaving right then, but responsibility called, and she relaxed back on the bed. She hoped he would just keep talking.
He must have realized she needed it so he told her everything he could think of that he had done since he came home. Then he began to tell her how he loved her body with her encouragement he told her what he would like to do with her now.
He let her go once he received a guarantee she would come to Dallas the following week. That gave him a few days to get his house in order. He finally let her go when her answers became sleepy unintelligible responses. He felt good he had been able to calm her down. She was very brave, and this had been one too many hits to her.
Renee woke to the dull glow of morning coming in the window. She hadn't closed her drapes last night. She looked around and the reality of life came flooding back to her. She was not in Paradise anymore. Checking the clock by her bed it was only 6:27 so she got up peed and went back to bed. The bank didn't open until 9:00. After the third roll across the bed, she knew there was no going back to sleep and now it was 6:42. She decided to go ahead and get ready for the day. She had hours to make herself perfect. If her world is not at least she could look perfect to the world.
At 9:10 she walked into the bank with the safety deposit key in hand. She had to wait just like last time for someone to come and let her into the safety deposit room. She was getting pissed that the President of the bank promised it would never happen again and here she sits. She looked down at what she was wearing which was inappropriate for what she was doing. Beach yes bank no. The next stop is clothes. She will just keep her receipts to give to the insurance people and these clothes will be her taste, not Martins'.
The handsome man came walking out of a hallway towards her. "I know I promised but we were in the middle of a briefing. So, let's get you into the box room," He said and smiled sweetly flirting the whole time. He is too old for me, she kept thinking as they walked past the tellers. He waved to the security guard as three men burst into the lobby wearing ski masks. They were brandishing what looked like military rifles to Renee. They were as black as was their mood. Renee stepped back into the hall heading towards the vault. She realized that was not smart and slid to the floor hoping she would look like a chicken shit lump, and they would leave her alone.
What the hell had she done wrong? Is this payback for some slight she gave to who? If God would just let her know she would make amends. She must have been psychic as everyone else hit the floor. Her ears were buzzing so loudly if they were talking, she couldn't hear them. This is the final straw I'm just going to lay here and die Renee decided and then all this will be over.
GI chunk robber walked up to her and kicked her in the hip apparently, she hadn't been listening to some obtuse demand. He grabbed her hand as she reached over to soothe the spot he kicked and began dragging her to the center of the lobby. She stayed huddled in a fetal position as the others moved around her. The one who dragged her to the center of the lobby was holding a gun on them all as the other two emptied the tills. Renee lay there getting pissed. She spent two hours getting ready to go out today and these jerks have ruined her day. How the hell is she supposed to look good after being dragged across the floor with a gun to her head?
The pattern in the rug caught her attention and as everyone around her cried out and moved Renee stared at the rug. When she looked up everyone was sitting against the couches on the floor, and she was alone in the middle of the room. Looking up she watched as the three went out the door. Sighs could be heard all around her and calls to 911 to tell them of the robbery. Probably every line at the switchboard was lighting up Renee thought and kind of chuckled. Ok, now she knows she has lost her mind.
*
What seemed to be moments later Renee was sitting on the couch with a paramedic crouching in front of her checking her out when Agent Parker walked into the bank. The second he spotted her his interested demeanor changed to concern and he made a beeline towards her.
"Renee are you Ok," he asked taking over the area the medic had seconds ago. As he crouched Renee wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "I'm not hurt but I'm done with bad things happening to me," she told him with her lips pressed to his ear. He pulled back reluctantly to look into her eyes.
"So, you're not hurt,"
"No one of them kicked me but I'll live," she said looking down at her hip. She pulled her shorts up on her leg and a red mark the size of a boot was working on becoming a bruise. He signaled to an officer who was taking pictures and held her shorts up so he could have a good view of the camera lenses. Three flashes later the man moved on.
"That is assault we need proof when they are caught," Agent Parker told her as the cameraman moved on to the other people. As far as Renee knew no one was hurt no shots were fired. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. The President was sitting on the other couch with a couple of the tellers. He gave her a look of I'm so sorry when she caught his eye.
"I still need it in my safety deposit box," she told him as Agent Parker sat next to her looking across at the man she was speaking to.
"You know we can never go on that date as long as you keep being involved in crimes," Agent Parker reminded her.
"Well solve this quickly," Renee told him with a smile. "I found my house was burglarized last night and I need my insurance papers to call them."
"What! You should have called me," he said looking concerned again. He wanted to pull her up in his arms and hold her until all this pain went away.
"I couldn't they took everything and what was left had to be fingerprinted," she told him looking up so sadly at him.
He quickly pulled out another card and wrote his cell on the back. "Call me and this time keep it with you. I need to do my job so we can catch them," he said as the other officer worked around him, he gave her a quick smile and stood. "Will I be able to go to my box today," Renee asked before he could walk away. "They didn't go back there, and I need my papers."
"Give me about ten minutes and we can go back there," Agent Parker told her scanning the room for what to do next. Again, she must wait. At least she had something to watch. The place was crawling with FBI and cops some weren't bad looking. The desire to get out of this town screamed in her head droning out the sounds all around her.
Moments later a hand on her shoulder brought her out of the black void her mind had gone to. Mr. Wallis stood in front of her. Looking up she gave him a sad smile she was not sure why he was standing there.
"Mrs. Blankenship if you still want to open your safety deposit box we can go now," he told her.
Renee slowly stood making sure her knees would hold her, her loss of time shocked her as she looked around most of the people were gone and only the Police were there. Agent Parker was standing in the back talking with the other FBI men as she followed the bank president to her box as he made small talk. Again, she was lost in her world ignoring everything he said.
Collecting her papers, she locked the box and walked out of the bank with her papers leaving her jewelry behind. Making her way back to the hotel she had phone calls to make. She was not sure if she could continue to stay at this hotel or if would she have to go back to the crappie one she stayed at when she left Martin. She almost made it to her room when her phone rang. Fishing it out of her purse Government block popped up. She finished opening her door and dropped her purse on the bed. Someone had been in her room and made the bed and hung her clothes. She should have hung out a Do Not Disturb sign, but she didn't have much to steal. Doing a quick check nothing seemed to be missing so she took a seat and sorted her papers. The first was the realtor's number. She needed to call her and tell her about the break-in and the damage. The buyers may back out. She didn't want that, but they had the right to know what happened.
"Melissa this is Renee Blankenship."
"Oh hello, are you back?"
"Yes, but my house was burglarized, and they trashed the place."
"Oh my God, so you found it broken into?" Melissa asked sounding like she already knew. Renee's blood began to boil. Prove it.
"Yes," Renee said with an edge. "I'm calling my insurance agent next. If you would contact the buyers, we can coordinate the repairs and they can pick the new granite and paint colors for the walls, I do believe the carpets will have to go upstairs.
"Good lord they did a lot of damage," Melissa complained. She must not have told them to trash the place. She wondered how many of her homes were broken into.
"Yes, I would imagine it is at least fifty thousand or more in repairs all my furniture and my stuff was no big deal, but the house is bad."
"Oh, Renee I'm sorry. Yes, let me contact them tomorrow that way it will give you time to deal with the insurance people. I can get you on your cell?"
"Yes, just let me know when to expect their call. It is my fault I left a note for the maid that I would be gone. Someone must have read it," Renee told her and hung up. She had no proof, but she had a feeling the realtor knew more than she led on. The neighbor has a picture of the truck so the police should be able to trace it back to someone. If they bother even investigating; Renee knew how lackadaisical the police can be with home burglaries.
"Ok that is done now what was that guy's name," Renee asked the walls as she shifted her stack of papers around.
"Allstate William Monroe here how can I help you."
"Well Mr. Monroe my house was broken into while I was out of town, and they cleaned me out."
"Oh my, I'm sorry so who is this and what is your address."
Renee gave him her information and the policy number.
She told him where she was staying and what the room rate was. He seemed fine with that, so she relaxed. He gave her several companies to contact for quotes for the repairs. After he heard of all the damage, he asked for pictures to be sent to his e-mail address. All Renee heard was work and it all fell on her shoulders. Again, she was pissed at Martin this was all his fault.
She sat back and made a list. She needed a house, furniture, clothes, and a fricken life she yelled as her phone rang.
"Hello,"
"Renee I was so worried you left without saying anything." Agent Parker whined.
"That is because I'm at my wit's end. I have had it and wanted out of there. You might as well forget about me you can't spend the amount of time I will require for a relationship."
"How can you say that we haven't even gone out." He complained sounding hurt.
"Well let me see you have called me twice for a total of four minutes since Martin died."
"You know why I was on his case."
"Like I was going to complain that you called me. I talked myself into being a whore so I could make sure I was sexy enough for you and then I realized it was not worth it."
"What do you mean you were a whore?"
"I found a man to have sex with and he said I was good, but I don't care anymore. I'm going to worry about me not you." Renee told him her anger about everything very evident in her voice.
"Ok well it sounds like you're in a bad mood so I will let you go, and I will call you later and see if you're over your mad."
"Don't bother I'm over you," Renee said and hung up. She was so over him. She didn't even get that tingle when he spoke to her. Hell, he was standing in front of her and nothing.