Read Online Ripples by DL Fowler - Free Book Online Page B

being around folks, especially women and kids. Try to keep to myself.”
    “Do you mind if I come in and take a look around?”
    “Sure, if you think you need to. Ain’t got nothing to hide.”
    He nods. “Thanks. This should just take a minute.”
    The cop steps past me and stops a few feet inside. I stop behind him.
    “Just live here by yourself, you say?”
    “That’s right, sir. Don’t need company.”
    He glances back at me as he points to the bedroom. “Mind if I take a peek over there?”
    “Be my guest.”
    He walks across and peeks into the bedroom, turns and studies the ladder. “What’s up there?”
    “Just an empty loft. Not much use for it. I’m no hoarder.”
    “Yeah, I can see that. May I, anyway?”
    “Of course.”
    He goes up the ladder, looks around, and comes back down.
    Before he asks, I say, “Wanna see what’s around back?”
    “No thanks, I’ve seen all I need. Sorry to bother you.”
    The deputy heads outside, starts to open his car door and turns back. “Ever seen a girl hanging around?”
    “No, sir. But I don’t get out much.”
    “Ever had any kind of run-in with your neighbor?”
    “Just the one time when he came over and tried to get me to sell my property. Told him no, but he got pretty insistent. When I held my ground he got downright angry. Made some threats.”
    “What kind of threats?”
    “Said he’d make life miserable ’til I changed my mind.”
    “Did he ever follow through on his threats?”
    “I try not to let stuff bother me. He almost ran me over once when I was walking down the road here. Drove over to my place a time or two—knocked on the door. Blasted his horn. Banged on the window over there with his flashlight—broke it, trying to get me to come out and talk. Didn’t want to have nothing to do with him. Just sat at my table and had myself a beer.”
    “If anything like that happens again, come down to the station and file a complaint.”
    “Should I be worried about this guy?”
    “He seems to like throwing his weight around. Bullying people he thinks don’t have the backbone to stand up to him. I just don’t want him to get the idea he can move into these parts and shove good folks around.”
    He waves as he gets into the police cruiser. “Thanks. You’ve been very helpful.”
    Jacob
    When I bring out our coffee, Carl starts to say something, but he’s distracted by the sheriff’s cruiser turning down the drive. I strain to see if the girl’s riding in the back seat. She isn’t.
    “He’s back so soon? Was hardly gone long enough to step out of his cruiser and say hello to the creep.”
    The deputy is grim-faced as he walks up the steps to the deck, shaking his head.
    “What’s the story?” I ask.
    “Was just about to ask you the same.”
    Carl extends his hand. “Carl Samuels. Jake’s friend and business associate.”
    The deputy shakes Carl’s hand. “Deputy Sheriff Baker.”
    Baker looks back at me. “There’s no girl living there. Just an old buzzard named Bryce.”
    “Just how hard did you search the place?”
    “There’s not that much to search. And he was cooperative, which is more than I can say about you.”
    “Great. He’s probably hidden her away somewhere.”
    “He tells me you’ve been harassing him, trying to get him to move out.”
    “That’s ridiculous. He doesn’t even own the place. It belongs to the trust I bought my place from. Everything beyond the lake belongs to the trust. He’s probably a squatter. If I wanted him gone, I’d just contact the trustee.”
    Baker folds his arms across his chest. “Or, maybe he has their permission ….”
    Carl looks down.
    “So tell me about this late night visit to your neighbor. Why’d you go over there in the first place?”
    “My bladder woke me up—on the way to the john I spotted the girl crouched next to my Jeep. She’s probably the one who’s been breaking in, stealing stuff.”
    “Someone’s been breaking in?”
    “Ever since I moved