More Than Great Riches (6 page)

 
****

They stood side by side, peering through the glass wall at the motionless figure. It was
still almost impossible to see Jeff’s features; his face was still grossly swollen. The
tightness in her chest almost cut off her breath. You are not going to cry, she told
herself.

 She focused on the screens around his bed, trying to read his vital signs, but the
numbers were just a blur. She barely noticed when the doctor joined them.

Miss Dixon, the nurse told me you were here.

Dr. Burrows. Everything in her screamed,
Please give us some hope
, but she managed to keep her emotions in check. Thank you for seeing us. We’re anxious
for an update on Jeff.

Her heart nearly stopped when the doctor hesitated. Miss Dixon, I don’t want to give you
false hope. Jeff’s chances are still less than fifty-fifty. Everything is strictly
day-to-day. In any event, he’ll feel worse before he feels better. So far the skin grafts
seem to be going well, but it will be some time before we know if they have adhered
successfully.

She couldn’t speak, but she nodded.

The doctor patted her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. I will call you if there is
any unexpected change in his condition.

She managed to choke out her thanks. As the doctor left them, she turned to look at Leif.
Police officers dealt with injuries and death every day. They learned to stifle their
emotions, but his pain was visible - his whole body tense, his fists clenched at his side.
His badge and his gun were useless here. He had no weapons to help Jeff.

Leif, she whispered. Would you say a prayer for him?

He nodded. They faced each other, bowing their heads as they clasped hands.

He began haltingly. Father, God, we are asking today for your shield of protection around
our brother in Christ. He was lost, but he was finding his way back to you. Bring him
through this valley of the shadow and return him to us, strong and well. Amen.

Amen, she responded. She remained standing with her head bowed, when an overwhelming sense
of peace began to flow through her. Somehow she felt God’s presence promising her that all
would be well with Jeff.

That blessed assurance left her speechless, but it buoyed her spirits as they returned to
the parking lot. And then she realized she was clinging to Leif’s arm. She pulled away
quickly. She couldn’t rely on this man she hardly knew—especially while she was the object
of a police investigation.

Besides, Leif had enough problems of his own. And he had every reason to mistrust her. He
knew about her part in the theft of Ronda Starr’s jewelry, and by now he had probably
heard all the rumors about her shady past in Allerton. And yet, she felt something
happening between them—a closeness that was almost scary.

They were on the ramp to the interstate before she found her voice. Thanks for your
prayer, Leif. It really lifted me up.

Did you feel it? he asked. That God was saying yes.

God’s answer seemed so clear, she breathed. I never felt anything that strongly before.

Now I know what it means—the peace that passeth all understanding.

Shaken by the power of that peace, she was grateful when they drove on in silence. But she
remembered the final question she needed to ask him. Leif, tell me about your friendship
with Jeff? How did you meet him? How did you earn his trust?

He looked uncomfortable. Actually, Tracy, I first ran into him when I had to pick him up
for public intoxication. He passed out on the sidewalk in front of the drug store.

Oh, no. Thinking of Jeff’s humiliation was unbearable.

I could have put him in the drunk tank, but I decided to take him home instead. By the
time I got him under the shower and poured some coffee into him, he was fairly coherent.
We sat and talked for a long time. He really opened up about his injuries and his
depression.

That’s hard to believe. She had never been able to penetrate the stonewall Jeff had
erected. Leif must have worked some kind of magic. Jeff would never discuss his problems
with anyone.

I know. Maybe he was just grateful that I didn’t arrest him. Anyway, I fell into the habit
of stopping by the house occasionally. We’d sit and chew the fat about anything and
everything. I told him how Jesus helped my brother and his wife through their injuries,
but I tried not to be preachy. And then one day he asked to go to church with me. I think
he was getting tired of living like a lost soul.

So Leif helped to pull her brother out of the pit. It was a comfort to know that Jeff had
begun to make peace with the Lord.

 I can’t find words to thank you enough. If only Jeff can make it through this.

They were approaching the exit for Allerton, when Leif spoke again. Did Henry tell you he
tracked down an engine for your car? He figures he should have it ready to go in about a
week.

Tracy could have done cartwheels down the exit ramp. Thank goodness. That’s the best news
I’ve had in ages. It would be a blessing to have wheels again.

Of course, now she had to figure out how to pay for the repairs. A credit card might help,
but the debt still had to be paid. She made the decision to stay in Allerton. Jeff would
need help when he was released from the hospital. When, she emphasized, not if. With a car
she could get a job, maybe wait tables at Fisherman’s Landing again. They always needed
waitresses, and tourist season was coming soon.

She would have to make some plans, but they were pulling into her driveway. Leif, you have
been a godsend. When I have my car, I can quit bothering you.

His stern features softened. You know it’s not a bother. Jeff is my brother too.

She took a last glance at his rugged face as she climbed down from the SUV. Was it
gratitude she felt for Leif or was it becoming something more? She had to fight the
attraction. She was the sinner. He was the law. She was asking for heartbreak if she let
herself fall for him.

Having her own car again would help to break the connection between them. She had to end
their relationship before she was in too deep.

Leif waited until she unlocked the front door and then backed the SUV out of the driveway.
She pulled the door open and stopped, paralyzed. What had happened? The living room had
been ransacked. Seat cushions were torn out. Books were thrown aside. Desk drawers hung
open. Papers littered the floor. Even the piano bench had been emptied of sheet music.

Tracy backed out the door. She had to catch Leif. Rushing down the driveway, she shouted
his name. But her heart sank. He was already several hundred feet down the road. She
plunged into the street, waving her arms and shouting his name. Could he see her? The SUV
wasn’t slowing down.

Tracy sagged in relief as the SUV made a sharp U-turn and raced back toward her.
Thank you, Lord
. In spite of all her good resolutions, she had to depend on Leif again. There was nowhere
else to turn.

 He jammed on his brakes and hit the ground running. What’s happened? he shouted. What’s
wrong?

She forced herself to form the words. Someone—someone has torn the house apart.

Leif charged past her up the driveway and came to a stop in the open door. Have you
touched anything?

She crept up behind him, trying to peer around his wide shoulders. I think just the
doorknob. At this point she wasn’t sure of anything.

Numb, she watched Leif pull out his radio. Lucille, send Will out here fast. We’ve got a
break-in at the Dixons. He turned to her. Are you all right?

She nodded wordlessly. She couldn’t speak the words that were in her head,
As long as you’re here
. She lifted her chin and put on her brave face.

 I want you to go sit in the SUV while I search the house. The burglar may still be
inside. He shifted into police officer mode.

Tracy hadn’t even considered that possibility. It didn’t help her raw nerves to realize
that a criminal might be holed up somewhere in the house. She wanted to follow Leif, but
she knew she would only interfere with his investigation. Slowly she trudged to his car
and sank into the seat, dropping her head into her hands.

It seemed like hours until he came back, but the scattered remnants of her common sense
told her it was less than ten minutes. He came to the car window, his eyes full of
compassion. The burglar forced the lock on the back door. Just hang on a little longer,
Tracy. I need to get my fingerprint kit.

The numbness began to wear off. As he retrieved his equipment, she saw a patrol car come
to a stop in front of the house. She recognized the police sergeant who climbed out. Will
Robbins was an old high school classmate. Wearily she watched as the two men conferred and
then came back to her window.

Will wore a sheepish look. I’m sorry about this, he apologized, as though the whole mess
were his fault. Are you OK?

Just a little wobbly, she admitted. Now that was the understatement of the year. She
trembled all over in an effort to hold herself together. She had no patience with women
who fell apart when the going got tough, but this break-in was the shove that pushed her
over the edge. The worst part was the feeling of violation, picturing a stranger in her
home, pawing through her clothing and her personal possessions.

 Tracy, dusting for prints is messy, Leif explained. If this crook had any brains, he wore
gloves, so Will is just going to dust in a few of the most likely spots. But I need to ask
you a few questions.

She nodded. Her voice had deserted her.

Leif swung into his seat behind the steering wheel and pulled out a notebook. Tell me what
valuables you keep in the house?

She was struck by a bolt of panic. Her money. Did the burglar find her money? I had three
hundred dollars in cash in a dresser drawer.

What would she do if her money was gone? That was the last of her severance pay from Mr.
Rifkin. It was all she had to live on until she found work. That’s about all, she
whispered. I don’t own anything really valuable.

Leif kept digging. What about Jeff? Did he have anything of value?

If only her brain would stop misfiring and let her concentrate. She shook her head. You
know Jeff. He didn’t care about things. I don’t think he had anything that would interest
a thief.

He took both her hands in his. His touch calmed her and gave her courage.

Tracy, I’m going to check to see if your money is gone. We need to find out if this guy
was looking for cash or for something else. Tell me where you kept the money.

It was in an envelope with a letter in the top drawer of my dresser. It wasn’t really
hidden. How could she have been so careless? Allerton seemed so safe, so far removed from
big city crime.

I’ll be right back. He stepped down from the car and disappeared into the house. Tracy
realized her privacy was totally doomed. Now it would be Leif prowling through her
personal life.

He returned in minutes. The cash is still there. Your burglar was looking for something
else.

Tracy didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until she released it in a huge sigh
of relief. No matter what else the burglar stole, her money was safe. She didn’t have to
give up eating.

But Leif wasn’t finished. Now, I need you to think hard—not just about money. Is there
anything else in the house that someone would want—antiques, art work, a collection of any
kind, like coins or stamps, or even medications?

 I just don’t know, she confessed. The Dixons were more into flea markets and garage sales
than antique shops and art auctions.

OK. I know you’re upset, but keep trying to think of something—anything. I’m going to see
how Will is doing. Just try to relax.

A sensation of loneliness overwhelmed her as Leif disappeared again. Tilting the seat
back, she closed her eyes. It might make her feel better to cry, but she didn’t have
enough energy for that.

Another half hour passed before the men finished their work and Leif waved her into the
house. She was so exhausted she could have dropped onto the old plaid sofa and slept for a
month—if the cushions hadn’t been scattered all over the living room floor.

We’ve picked up a few prints, he explained, but they may be yours or Jeff’s. Are your
fingerprints on file anywhere?

Tracy remembered that humiliating moment in New York when Detective Diaz took her prints.
She felt like Public Enemy Number One. With the New York police, she admitted.

I’m going to stay here and help clean up the mess while Will takes the evidence to the
station. Leif turned to his officer. Will, after you get things squared away at the
station, I want you to pick up a couple of deadbolts and some door chains from the
hardware store.

Got you, Chief. Will gave them a salute and hurried off to the patrol car.

Leif’s face was grim when he turned back to her. Tracy, while we’re cleaning up this mess,
I want you to identify anything that’s missing. This guy was looking for something
specific.

She nodded, hoping her brain would start functioning.

Restoring order to the chaos was a monumental task. The thief had done a thorough job of
trashing the whole house. She would have given up if it were not for Leif’s endless
patience. While she put sofa cushions and drawers back in place, he cleaned up the residue
of the fingerprint dust.

They worked side by side, going room to room. As far as she could tell, nothing was
missing. The only thing that suffered serious damage was her sense of security. She had
never been a timid soul, but suddenly the world was a scary place.

When Will returned, the two men went back to work, installing dead bolts and chains on the
front and back doors. Tracy trailed along behind them as they toured the whole house,
checking the latches on the windows. If the thief came back, he would have to work a lot
harder and smarter to find a way in.

It took hours before everything was restored to what passed for normal. Tracy didn’t
object when Leif ordered her into the recliner. She needed to sit down before she fell
down. He eyed her with a worried frown. Will you be afraid to stay here alone tonight?
Maybe you should stay with friends.

She knew he was right. There was no way she would sleep in this house tonight. I’ll call
Maggie, she conceded.

She dreaded the moment Leif would leave, but he was gathering up his equipment. She
managed to push herself to her feet. Leif, I know you’re tired of hearing me say this, but
thank you, thank you, thank you.

He gazed down at her for a long moment. Although his craggy features revealed no emotion,
there was a deep intensity in those sea-gray eyes. He looked as though he intended to wrap
her in his arms and kiss her senseless. She held her breath, knowing she wouldn’t resist.
The silence stretched between them like a taut wire.

And then he broke the silence. Promise me you’ll go to Maggie’s, he said, turning toward
the door.

 
****

Maggie waited in her battered pickup truck as Tracy came across the parking lot at
Fisherman’s Landing, the seafood restaurant. How’d you make out? Maggie called.

Tracy gave her a grin and two thumbs up. I start Sunday.

Maggie pumped her fist in a victory celebration.

I’ll just be working weekends for now, Tracy bubbled as she climbed into the cab. But that
should be enough to keep me alive. There’s a new manager, but LeBlanc is still the maitre
d’, and I remember several of the waitresses.

Maggie wheeled the truck out onto the highway. Will you need a ride to work?

Just this Sunday, I hope. Henry says my car should be ready Wednesday or Thursday.

Do you think Leif would be available to take you to work? Bud and I are going to his Mom’s
for Easter dinner. I can take you home afterwards.

Don’t worry about it. I’ll find a ride. Tracy hoped she wouldn’t have to bother Leif
again. It will be so great to have wheels. I hate asking people to cart me around.

I don’t mind taking a break from the kennels, Maggie insisted. Working with dogs all day,
I begin to forget what people look like.

Tracy laughed. Maggie, you’ve been a gem. Thanks for giving me refuge last night. I know I
would have thrashed around in bed all night alone at my house.

Maggie threw her a concerned glance. Are you sure you want to go home? You know you’re
welcome to stay with us as long as you want.

Tracy hesitated. She suspected she would never feel safe in her own home again, but unless
she made a permanent move to Maggie’s, she needed to deal with her fear. She put on an air
of confidence she didn’t feel. I’ll be all right. Whoever broke in knows that there’s
nothing there worth stealing. And Leif and Will put deadbolts and chains on the doors.

You need a dog. A big dog that eats burglars in one gulp.

Right. Tracy groaned. A big dog that eats forty tons of chow a day. I’d better wait until
I can afford a few groceries.

I’d still feel better if you owned a dog.

What I need is a financial advisor. Tracy’s brain rang up dollars like a cash register. I
have to send rent money to my roommate in New York and tell her to find someone else to
share the apartment. And then I need to send her more money so she can ship me my things.
I’ve been rotating the same three outfits for almost two weeks. And then I’ve got to pay
Henry for the repairs on the car. And then ...

OK, OK. Maggie conceded defeat. Maybe a Chihuahua.

Oh, sure! Tracy gave Maggie’s arm a light punch. He could nibble the burglar into
submission.

But Maggie veered off in another direction. If you’re working on Sunday, will you have to
miss the Easter service?

No, my hours work out perfectly. I don’t have to go in until four on Sunday afternoons.
But I do have one favor to ask. I’d like to use your computer occasionally to check their
website. They post information about special events.

I take it you never figured out the password to your brother’s computer.

Tracy made a face. No, I gave up trying. I only used my roommate’s computer for my
homework and to e-mail you or Jeff. I don’t miss wading through all that spam.

As they approached her house, Tracy spotted a flashy black sports car parked in her
driveway. Do you know any burglars who drive a Maserati?

Sure, Maggie snapped. The crook who drives that car is none other than Keith Allen
Bradford.

Keith! She didn’t need to fight off Keith’s attentions today.

Do you want me to come in with you?

That’s OK. I can deal with him. Tracy didn’t want to drag Maggie into any more of her
problems, but she wasn’t looking forward to this visit.

As Maggie brought the truck to a stop, Tracy gathered up her purse and her overnight bag.
Thanks so much for everything, Maggie. I owe you at least two days work at the kennels.

Maggie leaned over to kiss her cheek. You better watch out. I might take you up on that.

Tracy waved as Maggie whirled away with a blast of her horn. She turned to find Keith
getting out of his car to greet her. Had his smile always looked that artificial? She must
have been hopelessly naïve to imagine herself in love with such a selfish, self-centered
egotist.

So here you are! I was just about to give up on you. Keith threw an arm around her
shoulders, but Tracy turned her head quickly so that his kiss landed in her hair. He
refused to get the message that his attentions were not welcome.

What brings you here, Keith? She managed to keep the irritation out of her voice.

The judge has appointed me temporary conservator of Jeff’s assets. I need to review his
financial situation. He gave her a self-satisfied smirk. He actually expected her to be
thrilled by the news.

You could have called and asked me to come into your office, she reminded him.

I thought your home would be a friendlier atmosphere. That suggestive tone was back in his
voice.

As she unlocked the door, Tracy tried to swallow her anger. Somehow she had known that the
judge would choose Keith for this job. She hoped they could take care of Jeff’s business
in one brief meeting.

We’d better sit in the kitchen. I’ve tried to gather up everything you’ll need.

Keith ignored her suggestion and settled himself on the living room sofa. This will be
fine right here.

Tracy remained standing. The man was pure brass—making himself completely at home. But she
wasn’t his innocent bedazzled little fiancée anymore. She could hold her own. Do you know
who’s been appointed guardian-ad-litem?

Keith hesitated, surprised at her icy tone. Yes, you may have heard of him. John Whitby.
He’s a retired judge.