Homeless – CHAPTER 5

Adult story: Homeless – CHAPTER 5

by senorlongo

We’d left the restaurant at 8:45 and the sky had become cloudy and overcast so the night was black as pitch when we passed through Calabash around ten after nine. The road forms a big “S” with a right turn that takes it down near the ICW and a left that runs roughly parallel to the waterway. We were about a mile from the house when I first noticed the bright blue, red, and white blinking lights in the distance. As we approached we realized the lights were coming from my driveway.

Sunset Beach has its own police force, but the majority of law enforcement is still done by the sheriff and his deputies. There was one car from each agency in the driveway as I parked on the front lawn. Of course, I was challenged by one of the town officers until I identified myself as the owner of the house. “What happened?”

“We got an alert from the alarm company. Your sliding glass door was forced open. Looks like they got some of your stuff. I’d like you to check and tell us what.”

“Doug, do you think they stole your computers?”

“No, they’re locked in place and the password is fourteen symbols long so I doubt they were able to gain access to my files.” We walked in to find a lot of vandalism—torn cushions from my almost new leather couch, marker on the walls, beer missing from the fridge. They’d also gotten my I-pad and a laptop I used for email or writing if I wanted to watch TV. There was nothing of value on the hard drive. I wasn’t foolish enough to put my billion dollar investment program on something so easily lost or stolen. However, that didn’t mean I didn’t have a nasty surprise for the thieves.

“We know this was done by kids. Real burglars don’t destroy furniture or write on the walls. We believe their MO is to knock on doors. If someone answers they ask for someone who obviously doesn’t live there. If nobody answers they break in and steal what they can. I sure would like to catch these bastards.”

“Then come with us to my office and I’ll show you where they are.” He looked to be confused, but he did follow Jennie and me into the room. “I’m a PhD. in computer engineering so I’ve taken my laptop and I-pad and made a few changes to how they operate. There’s a password, but no special password screen so if you don’t know about it you’ll open the computer, but also activate a GPS chip that I installed. I can pull up a map showing their location in seconds. Hold on a sec….” I activated the GPS tracker using the icon on my desktop. Initially, there were two dots—one red for the laptop and one green for the I-pad, but a minute later I had the latitude and longitude down to the nearest second. A map appeared when I pressed F12 and I was able to zoom in all the way to the address.
“Once they turn these on the GPS will continue independently whether the unit is on or off. Okay, 3746 Duncan Street. That’s just up the road on the left past that big pond with the observation deck.”

“We’re on the way. I’m sure we can get a full search warrant based on what we have. With our new technology the judge’s staff can send it to my vehicle and I can print it out right there. How’s that for service? Will you be home tomorrow morning? I’d like to send one of the day deputies over to fill you in. If we’re lucky we’ll find some of the other stuff they’ve taken, too.” We shook hands and they were gone less than a minute later.

“What’re we going to do about this mess? I can’t believe they were so destructive, Doug.”

“I’ll contact my insurance company first thing tomorrow morning. Well, maybe not the first thing, but early then I’ll call the painters and finally, the furniture company to get a replacement for the couch. Then I’ll need a fence company and I’ll have to postpone our meeting with the dog trainer. I probably should have taken more precautions, but as the saying goes—there’s no sense crying over spilt milk. I’m sure to get my laptop and I-pad back, but it will take time, unfortunately. Why don’t we just go to bed?”

“Good idea; I’m too stuffed to even think about dealing with this now.” She held out her hand and I took it as we walked together to the bedroom. We stripped and showered, but no sex tonight. I went to sleep quickly with a promise of a great blowjob in the morning.

I got it, too—first thing, exactly as promised and well worth waiting for. Jennie sucked me dry, leaving me exhausted again at 6:30. We rested together and rose at seven. I fixed a breakfast of bacon and French toast for the two of us. I would have preferred for us to be naked, but I half expected a visit from the law and I knew May would be here around nine–thus, my sweatshirt and jeans while Jennie wore a sweater and Capri’s.

We ate in the kitchen, looking out toward the marsh and waterway, a dozen slices of hot egg-soaked bread, a pound of crisp bacon, butter, and genuine Vermont maple syrup. I ate quietly, but Jennie was ecstatic. “Damn, Doug; this is the best breakfast I’ve ever had.”

“Thanks for the compliment, even if it isn’t true. I’m sure your mother must have done something right in the kitchen, even if only once.”

“My mother never made breakfast. She’s the reason why I can’t stomach cold cereal. I must have had frosted flakes a thousand days in a row then I had shredded wheat for the next thousand, besides don’t you know to never refuse a compliment?”

“I do now so why don’t we finish up so I can get to work?” We dug in, eating like we had last night. We tackled the dishes together and Jennie volunteered to make the bed while I got busy on the phone. My first call was to my insurance agent. He told me he would get the crime report from the sheriff’s office. Next I rang Sunset Painting. They were two brothers from New Jersey—Al and Joe. They were good workers and always showed up on time. Ten minutes later we had an appointment for Saturday morning. I had just ended the call when May and Le’andra walked in ready to work.

“My lord, Mistuh Doug; what on earth happened heah?”

“Burglary and vandalism…last night. Just work around it until the adjuster shows up. He should be here by one. Jennie and I will handle it if you’re gone by the time he comes. Okay? Good, now I have to make a few more calls so, please excuse me.” I returned to the office while they got to work.

My call went to a major furniture store in High Point, out in the western half of North Carolina. Lots of people think of it as the furniture capital of the world and they’re probably right. I spoke to a salesperson, giving her the invoice number from my order. She found it in her computer and told me I could have the order duplicated in ten days. They even had my credit card on file.

I was about to place another call when my phone rang. It was a sheriff’s deputy. I made an appointment to meet with him in an hour. He was actually early which was okay with me. “We got ‘em, Mr. Preston. They’re all eighth graders at the middle school in Shallotte. We busted the address you gave us at 11:00 last night and found your equipment and a closet full of electronics from the other jobs they pulled. I thought the kid’s father was going to kill him. They’re not poor. Dad’s a service manager at one of the car dealers in Shallotte. The kid—Duane Putnam—gave up his pals in a heartbeat. They’re all up in Bolivia in the courthouse. I understand the judge gave them hell. They’ll be held responsible for restitution on all damages.”

I couldn’t keep from laughing. “They might be able to pay my painting bill, but my couch cost $8,000. Besides, I have insurance that will cover almost all of it. If the insurance company wants to go after them—well, that’s their business.” We shook hands and I walked out to the deck to start the grill. It was Thursday—hot dog day—for Jennie and me, but especially for May and Le’andra.

My usual job with the dogs done I called Jennie, May, and Le’andra to the table. I poured four Pepsi’s while they prepared their plates. Like every other week, May’s and Le’andra’s were filled by the time I was in my chair next to Jennie. I noticed there was a tension in the air. In previous weeks the lunch was punctuated with lively conversation. Today’s was marked with a stony silence. I resolved to get to the bottom of it once Jennie and I were alone again.

May had finished by two so I took Jennie’s hand and led her to the couch. “Want to tell me what’s going on with you and May?”

Jennie lowered her head and turned away. “Oh…it’s nothing.”

I lifted Jennie’s chin with my finger then leaned in for a lingering kiss. “Okay, it obviously isn’t. Tell me about it. You know I’m here to support you.”

There was a tear in her eye when she turned to face me. “May told me I was a slut and a tramp because I was obviously sleeping with you, both figuratively and literally. She said it was bad enough when I was in the other room, but now the situation was intolerable. That’s what she told me—intolerable.”

“I have to agree. It is intolerable.” Jennie had a hurt and confused look on her face as I lifted the cordless phone from its charger. May was on the speed dial. A few seconds later I had May on the line as I clutched Jennie close to me. “Hi, May—Jennie tells me you have some moral issues with the way she’s living here with me.”

(I like you, Mistuh Doug, but that woman is causing you to sin. You all will be headin’ straight to the devil.)

“I guess this goes against your conscience.”

(It does, Mistuh Doug. It truly does.)

“Well, May I’d never want you to do something that goes against your conscience so I’m going to resolve it right this very minute.”

(Praise the Lord. Thank you, Mistuh Doug.)

“May, you’re fired. I don’t want you to ever come back. I’ll have to find another cleaning company—one that knows how to mind its own business. Don’t worry about my key. I’ve been thinking about upgrading my locks and now’s the perfect time for that. I’ll also change my alarm code. Thank you for sharing your thoughts May even though the entire matter is none of your concern. I’ll miss our Thursday lunches. Good bye, May, and good luck.” I ended the call before she had a chance to respond and blocked her number.