Chapter 3 - THE EMPTY DRAWER
Dad’s truck was still at the venue when we reached his house.
A patrol car waited by the curb.
The little porch light flickered in the rain.
I had grown up beneath that light.
Seeing a police officer stand under it made the wedding feel far away.
“Stay here,” Adrian said.
Dad was already opening his door.
The officer stopped us at the steps.
Nobody was inside.
A neighbor had seen a gray sedan leave the alley, but rain had hidden the plate.
Nothing obvious had been taken.
The television remained.
Dad’s tools remained.
The framed photograph of Mom still stood beside the lamp.
The kitchen drawer beneath the telephone was empty.
Dad crouched in front of it.
“What was there?” I asked.
“Receipts.”
“For what?”
“Storage.”
Adrian looked sharply at him.
Dad rose.
“I moved the originals last week.”
For the first time that night, I saw something in him besides hurt.
Calculation.
He had been afraid.
He had also been preparing.
The officer took photographs.
I called the wedding venue and asked them to preserve their recordings.
The manager hesitated.
“Mr. Martinez is handling the account.”
“My father was threatened after leaving your property.”
A pause.
“Send me your request in writing.”
I did.
Then I forwarded the threatening message to the officer.
When I returned to the kitchen, Dad had pulled a coffee tin from above the refrigerator.
Inside were two envelopes and a key.
One envelope had my name on it.
The other said WALTER in Mom’s handwriting.
I reached toward mine.
Dad caught my wrist.
“Not yet.”
I pulled away.
“No more deciding what I can handle.”
He looked wounded.
I hated that.
I hated that I meant it.
Adrian checked the key’s numbered tag.
“Can we access the storage unit tonight?”
“Tomorrow at six.”
My phone rang again.
Fiona.
I answered.
“Did you send someone to my father’s house?”
“What?”
“A break-in, Fiona.”
“Blake, listen. My parents are upset. That doesn’t mean—”
“Did you?”
“No.”
She sounded frightened.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Are you with him?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let him sign anything tonight.”
I looked at Adrian.
“What?”
“Just promise me.”
“Why?”
A door closed on her end.
May you like
Then Fiona whispered something that turned the kitchen cold.
“Because the paper they need already has your signature.”
