Learning to Drive... Him Crazy (13 page)

"Ouch! Cal, stop it."

"I will, as soon as I feel you're able to
treat people with a little respect." He kept spanking her, and
watching her reaction. He could tell when she'd given up her fight
and accepted her spanking. He knew her, and he knew when she
accepted the fact that she deserved a spanking, she accepted the
spanking itself. Until she reached that point, he knew he hadn't
gotten through to her.

Sure enough, she started crying, and said,
"I'm sorry, Cal. You're right, you don't deserve to be treated like
that. I'm sorry."

He knew she meant those words, and he
stopped. He gently helped her stand, and then sit in his lap. She
quickly laid her head against his chest and cried on his shoulder
as he wrapped her securely in his arms. After several moments of
quietly encouraging her, and letting her calm down, he asked, "Feel
better, Sweetie?"

"Yes, I do," she admitted. She looked up at
him and asked, "How did you know a horrible, painful spanking would
make me feel better?"

He chuckled and answered, "Because you were
so wound tight I knew you needed a release. A good spanking is the
best way I could think of to accomplish that. Besides, can you sit
there and even try to tell me you didn't deserve to be spanked for
your attitude?"

"No, I guess not," she admitted. "Thank you
for helping me feel better."

He smiled as he asked, "Am I hearing you
right, are you thanking me for spanking you?"

"Oh, heck, no," she said with a smile of her
own. "I'm thanking you for making me feel better."

"Which was with a spanking," he pointed
out.

"Whatever," she muttered. He grinned as she
nestled down against him. They stayed right like that for most of
an hour, talking quietly.

He didn't mention what was on her mind again
until he left that night. He was standing at her door, holding her
in his arms. "Sweetie, whatever was bothering you tonight, if it's
still bothering you tomorrow, think about what I said. I'll respect
your privacy, but I think you'll feel better if you share your
problem with me. And if it's something that could affect your
health or safety, I definitely want you to tell me about it. Think
about it, okay?"

She could tell he wasn't scolding, but
talking out of concern. "I understand. And I promise I'll think
about what you said. Thank you."

He took her face in his hands and gave her a
kiss that showed her just how much he cared about her.

* * * * *

Alana was glad they weren't busy at work the
next day, because she was having a difficult time concentrating on
anything. All she could think about was the ruby hiding at home.
Today was Wednesday, and Jason and Phil had said they were getting
another shipment on Friday. They had to do something. She did some
research on her computer, and finally reached a decision.

The minute she got in her apartment that
evening after work she called Kelli. "I think I've decided what we
have to do. Want to come over a minute?"

"I'll be right there," Kelli said.

As soon as Kelli got to Alana's apartment
and they were alone Alana said, "I did some checking today about
Newjangles. I grew up here and I've always heard good things about
the store. It's a family-owned store, started by the current
owner's grandfather. I couldn't figure out if the store is involved
in this, or just that one employee."

"I'm thinking, or maybe hoping, it's just
the one guy."

"That was my thought, too. But then I had to
wonder how he got hired there. I would think they'd do a background
check on all applicants, so they would have had to know he has a
felony record."

"That's true," Kelli said. "I hadn't thought
of that. So do you think the store is involved in this, like the
owner or manager?"

"Maybe, but not necessarily. I found out
Jason Wilson is the stepson of the owner."

"That would explain how he got his job,"
Kelli said.

"Yes, it would. I also found out that he got
out of prison early this last time, and Officer Phil Jansen had a
part in getting him out early."

"How?"

"Jansen testified that Wilson had changed
since being sent to prison this last time. He said Wilson wrote him
a letter, which made him think he'd changed, so he went to visit
him several times in prison. He told the judge he thinks Wilson may
be ready to get his life straightened out. The judge said based
partially on that testimony he was willing to give him a chance to
prove that to be true, and let him out early. He's on parole for
another year yet."

Kelli thought about this new information.
"So, do you suppose Jansen helped him get out of prison early so he
could help with this?"

"That's what I'm wondering, too," Alana
said.

"This is all really interesting, but can we
use any of it? What do you think we should do next?"

Alana sighed and said, "I think we have to
tell John."

Kelli sighed, but agreed. "Yeah, I've been
thinking the same thing. As much as I'm not looking forward to
Cal's reaction when he finds out I took you shopping, I think we
have to."

"Yeah, I don't even want to think about what
John's going to say or do when he finds out, but I don't think we
have any choice. I think we have to tell John everything we found
out, and let him handle it. I just hope he'll know who he can trust
and who he can't in the police department and can take this
information to the right people."

"Yeah, me, too," Kelli said sincerely. "So
when are you going to tell him, and should we do it together or
separately?"

"Let's tell them together so they know we're
not trying to hide anything from either of them. We can answer any
questions they ask, and maybe the four of us together can make more
sense out of this whole thing."

Kelli nodded her head in agreement. "Let's
call the guys and see if they'll come over here. We can order pizza
or Chinese and stay here and tell them everything."

Alana agreed, and they took out their phones
and made the calls. They told the men that the two of them wanted
to talk to them about something important. Of course John and Cal
both agreed and said they'd be there shortly.

Alana leaned back into the corner of the
couch and said, "I feel like I'm sitting outside the principal's
office waiting to be called in for a discussion I'm sure I don't
want to have."

Kelli nodded in agreement. "I know what you
mean." They tried to find something else to talk about to get their
minds off their impending doom, but nothing worked.

Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Cal arrived
quickly. He gave Kelli a quick kiss and asked, "What's up?" When
she didn't answer immediately, he took a better look at the girls.
"What have you two done?"

Before they had a chance to say anything,
John rang the doorbell. Alana answered and after John gave her a
kiss he took one look at her and asked, "Does this have something
to do with whatever it was that was bothering you last night?" She
nodded, and he said, "And I take it involves both of you?"

Again she nodded, and said, "Let's all sit
down and we'll explain everything."

John shot a puzzled and concerned look over
at Cal, who said, "I have no idea what this is all about, either,
John, but I don't think it's good news."

"No, it's not," Kelli whispered.

They all sat down, Alana beside John on the
couch, and Kelli beside Cal on the love seat, and Alana began.
"First off, we want you to know we're sorry, but we know it's a
little late for that."

Seeing the looks on their faces, she held up
her hand and quickly said, "But I'm going to get right to it. We
went shopping two days ago, at Newjangles Department Store. They
have an annual sale every year and we've gone to it together for at
least the last five years now. I know that Kelli wasn't supposed to
drive, and I know it blew my budget, and we both admit that. We're
both willing to accept the spankings we know you're going to give
us."

Cal said, "I'm glad to hear that you admit
you've earned them. But if you knew it was wrong, why did you
go?"

Kelli answered, "I'll answer that and any
other questions you have, Cal, but hear us out. Unfortunately, she
hasn't gotten to the bad part yet."

Both men's eyebrows shot up and they looked
directly at the young women who meant so much to them.

Alana said, "She's right, John. We'll both
answer any questions you have, and I'm sure you'll have some, but
let me go on, even though you won't like my next admission."

They nodded, and Alana continued. "I bought
some shoes." She hated the look of disappointment she saw on John's
face, but she forced herself to continue. "When we got home I tried
the shoes on, but I found something in the shoebox besides the
shoes." As she reached into her pocket she said, "This was hidden
in the box among the paper." She handed John the ruby.

John looked at it and handed it to Cal. His
face showed his concern as he asked, "A ruby?"

"That was our guess, too, but we're not
sure. We remembered hearing something on the news about stolen gems
and jewelry, so we read the papers and looked on the Internet to
find what we could about it. Apparently the FBI was working on the
case, but they think there's some connection here locally and have
turned it over to the police department?" She looked at John for
confirmation.

"That's my understanding, as well, although
I'm not sure they've turned it over to us. It's probably more a
case of they're letting us lead the investigation now. I haven't
worked on the case much, though, so I don't know a lot about it. I
need to call my sergeant, though, and tell him about this right
away."

"No, don't, not yet," Alana said quickly,
almost in a panic. "There's more. Hear us out and then you can call
whoever you want."

"Okay, go on," John said, sensing they had
something important to add.

Alana continued, "We thought back to what
all had happened while we were there, and we realized the store
security guard and the shoe department employee had gone into the
back room to talk, and we heard part of their conversation because
we were close. Long story short, we did some research, and here's
what we can tell you."

John and Cal were making a visible effort to
be patient as they listened to the girls' story.

"We'll start with the two people involved.
John, the security guard is a police officer."

John sat up straighter. "Who?"

"Phil Jansen."

Cal asked, "Do you know him, John?"

"Not well. I know who he is, obviously, but
I don't know him well. Go on."

Kelli said, "The other one, the store
employee, is Jason Wilson. He has a felony record, has been in
prison twice."

"I'm surprised he was hired at Newjangles
with that criminal history," John said thoughtfully. I wonder if
the store management is involved."

Alana explained, "Not necessarily, but
maybe. The owner of the store is his stepfather."

"And you know this how?" John asked with
narrowed eyes.

"Research on the Internet," Alana answered
honestly. "But here's something else. Both times he was arrested,
the arresting officer was Phil Jansen." John's eyebrows shot upward
as Alana went on. "But the last time he was in prison he got an
early release, due in large part to Jansen testifying on his
behalf, saying he can tell he's changed this time and is getting
his life back on track."

"So Jansen put him in prison, and then got
him released early," John mumbled, obviously in thought.

Kelli asked, "Is it possible he got him out
just so he could use him, make him do this?"

John looked seriously at both girls. "What
makes you ask that? Do you know something else?"

Alana assured him, "No, no, nothing like
that. We talked about it, and that's the only possible reason we
could come up with. It seems strange to us."

"I'd say your guess is pretty close, but
that's just a guess on my part, too. Is there anything else you
have to tell me?"

The girls glanced at each other, and Alana
said, "They're expecting another shipment Friday night."

"This Friday night?" John was pacing
now.

"I assume this Friday night. They just said
Friday night. They were talking about the missing stone. Jansen
said 'The Sarge' is not happy about the missing stone, and told
Wilson to keep looking for it. He also said The Sarge said there
better not be any more misplaced merchandise, and if Wilson doesn't
find it he better hope it never surfaces."

"The Sarge? Do you have any idea who that
might be?"

"None," Kelli answered. "He never said
anything else about him that gave us any clues. Do you think it's a
sergeant in the police department?"

"I was wondering that same thing," John
said.

Alana said, "It worries me, John. How do you
know who you can go to in the police department and who you
can't?"

"I'm going to have to think about it. Is
there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of," Alana said.
"Kelli, did we forget anything?"

"Not that I can think of, either. What
happens now?"

John looked from Alana to Kelli, and back
again. "First things first, girls. I think I speak for Cal, too,
when I say you two are in big trouble, but we'll deal with that
later."

"Absolutely," Cal said. "We will be having a
long discussion about what all happened, but that will have to
wait. Right now we have to concentrate on the urgency of the
situation."

Nodding in agreement, John said, "We're
going to have to work together on this. When I decide whom to go
to, I'm sure they're going to want to talk to you two and make sure
they have all the information you heard. You both need to be
thinking back on the conversation you overheard. If there's
anything else, no matter how small it seems, tell me as soon as you
can. Any name or place, or any little phrase you may remember may
become important."