Strangers in the Lane (5 page)

Phillip nodded.

Bryce settled Phillip and said, “Now can I be in on your mystery? Your mother told me all about the robbery plot.”

Jessie looked up at him. Phillip had his arms wrapped around Bryce’s forehead, but Bryce didn’t seem to mind. He’s so nice, she thought. And sweet to Phillip. And when he smiles, his eyes crinkle at the corners.

“Maybe,” Jessie said. “Tina’s mom is having the baby and Tina can’t think of anything else. I guess I could use some help.”

“Finally!” he shouted. He jogged like a pony down the sidewalk. Phillip squealed with delight and Farley ran along beside them barking.

Jessie raced to keep up. Her braid flew out behind her and she felt like she could fly.

When they arrived at Jessie’s house, she reached up for Phillip and said to Bryce, “I’m going to walk by the Marshalls’ on the way to school in the morning.” She lowered Phillip to the pavement. “I want to see if I can get a look at the nanny’s boyfriend or brother or whoever he is. He’s the one who’s going to do the robbery. Anyway, that’s how it sounds.”

“I’ll go with you,” Bryce said. “What time?”

“Early. Seven.”

“I’ll be here,” he said. Just then, Farley spied a squirrel and gave chase. Caught off-guard, Bryce was pulled down the driveway with the leash. “See you tomorrow,” he hollered and tore after the dog.

“Bye-bye!” Phillip called.

Jessie looked down at the little boy. His face beamed with love and admiration as he watched Bryce sprint across Willow Lane. She lifted Phillip up, gave him a tight squeeze and whispered in his ear, “I know how you feel, Sweetie.”

* * *

When the doorbell rang at seven o’clock the next morning, Jessie was dressed in a navy blue pea coat, jeans and low black boots. Her hair was tucked under a dark wool baseball cap and in her pocket was a loaded camera.

She opened the door to Bryce and he laughed.

At the sight of him, her heart sped up. How incredibly cute he is, she thought. “What’s so funny?”

Bryce held open the storm door. “I didn’t recognize you in those clothes.”

Jessie smiled. “I decided I’d better disguise myself, in case the nanny is watching from the window.”

Phillip peeked around the corner of the door and grinned at Bryce, suddenly shy with his new hero. Jessie bent down, kissed Phillip’s cheek, stepped out and closed the door behind her.

Walking along, everything looked different. The snow in the yards glittered—winking and sparking as the light shifted. The blue of the sky was a blue she’d once seen on a robin’s egg. It was as if she had never used her eyes before. She sneaked a look at Bryce and caught him looking at her with a little smile on his lips.

They started up the alley along the rear stucco wall and garage of the Marshall home. This gave them a view of the house without being out in the open. A decorative iron gate was centered in the wall. Jessie and Bryce stood very still and peered through the gate. All was quiet.

Suddenly the Marshalls’ automatic garage door began to open. The sound was loud. For a second, they stood frozen. Then Bryce grabbed Jessie’s hand and pulled her behind a nearby dumpster. They knelt on the concrete and watched a black limousine back out.

The windows of the car were tinted and Jessie and Bryce couldn’t see the driver. When the car was in the alley, the garage door started to close. Someone shouted and the door rose again. Lena ran from the garage, waving her arms. The driver stopped and rolled down the window. It was a man and he had a scowl on his face.

“Wait, Alex. I need milk from the store,” Lena called. Standing by the car, she looked taller than the day before.

The woman’s a giant, thought Jessie as she carefully pulled her little camera from her pocket. “Get ready to run, Bryce,” she whispered.

The driver nodded in an irritated way and Lena stepped back. The car window began to close. Jessie stood up and snapped a picture. The car door flew open and the driver jumped out.

CHAPTER TEN

Jessie and Bryce tore to the end of the alley and rounded the corner of the sidewalk. Bryce pointed to the porch of a white bungalow on the block. They ran up the steps and ducked behind a protective lattice.

Jessie pulled off her cap and stuffed it into her pocket. Her long hair fell to her shoulders.

“You look like a different person without that cap,” Bryce said.

Jessie smoothed her hair. “Let’s hope the driver thinks so.” She peeked through the latticework.

Just then the long black car came from the alley, paused for a moment and then turned and drove slowly past their hiding place.

“He didn’t see us,” said Bryce.

“Thank goodness,” Jessie said.

They waited a few minutes and then hurried down the steps and walked to school.

“My photography teacher will let me develop your film in the school’s dark room,” Bryce said. “Then we can take it to the police after class.”

Jessie handed him the camera. “Thanks. I’ll meet you in front after sixth period.” She watched him unload the film and put it in his pocket. He was so nice to look at. His hair curled a little at his forehead and at the back of his neck. His skin was smooth and tan. Gosh, he was cute.

When he caught her looking at him, he grinned. She felt her face get red and ran to the school steps. “See you at three!”

“I’ll be there.”

* * *

Everyone asked about Tina because she wasn’t at school. But Jessie had no news of the baby. She could hardly wait until three o’clock. Her mind was filled with everything except school. Did Bryce develop the film? Would the police treat her like a dopey kid even if she had more information this time? What about Carol Marshall? Should Jessie tell Carol about the monitor now? But mostly she thought about Bryce. She couldn’t help herself. Just thinking about him made her stomach turn little flips.

At three, she ran out the big doors to the top of the school steps. There he was—waiting by the bike rack, smiling that beautiful smile.

When she tripped on the last step, he caught her before she fell flat on her face.

“Honestly, Jessie,” he laughed, “I’m beginning to think you’re accident-prone.”

She smiled. “Thanks. It’s true. I’m suddenly a klutz.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind catching you when you fall. Fact is—I like it!” He pulled a manila envelope from his leather jacket, opened it and slid out a large, glossy photograph. “You took a great shot!”

It was a picture of the man in the black car. He had a narrow face and small, deep-set eyes. Above his low forehead, his gray hair was cropped into a crew cut. She’d recognize him again. Jessie felt proud of herself and her little camera.

Jessie and Bryce hurried to the police station and asked for Detective Benson. When he entered the lobby, she introduced him to Bryce and the two shook hands.

“We have more information about the voices on the baby monitor,” Jessie said. She felt rushed and short of breath as if she had to get the words out fast before the detective lost interest.

“Baby monitor?” he asked. “Oh, right. Let’s talk.” He ushered them into the same small room as on their last visit. The half-filled coffee cups looked like they’d never been moved.

They sat on chairs at the scarred table across from the detective.

“I went to the Marshalls’ and talked from their little girl’s bedroom.” Jessie loosened her scarf. “That’s where the monitor is. My mom heard me at home on my little brother’s monitor.”

“Oh. So the voices were coming from the Marshalls’?” The detective seemed to perk up. He took a notebook from his jacket pocket and wrote in it.

“Yes,” Jessie said. “One voice is the Marshalls’ nanny. Lena is her name. Then this morning, Bryce and I walked up the Marshalls’ alley and got a snapshot of a man talking to her.”

Bryce handed the manila envelope to Detective Benson. “I developed this at school today.”

The detective removed the photo and studied it for a moment. “When’s this robbery supposed to take place?”

Jessie sat forward in her chair and said in a low voice, “Tomorrow at three o’clock. I think they know Carol Marshall will be in the jewelry store alone. Mom says Carol works at the store on Thursday afternoons.” Jessie’s heart felt heavy. He seemed to be only half-listening.

The detective made another note in his book, rose and pushed in his chair. “We’ll have someone watching Marshalls’ store tomorrow afternoon.” He slid the picture back into the envelope. “Okay if I keep the picture?”

“Sure,” said Jessie. “I won’t forget his face.”

He shook each of their hands. “We’ll see what happens. Got to go now. Thanks again.” He started to leave the room.

“Wait!” Jessie followed him to the door. “Will you call Carol Marshall and warn her about what’s going on?”

Detective Benson took his notebook from his pocket, opened it and made a brief note. “Got it.” He gave a little wave and left.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Bryce stood up and pushed his chair to the table. “Come on, Jessie. Let’s walk down the street and take a look at the jewelry store.”

Jessie buttoned her coat and tugged her hair out of the collar. Tomorrow it goes back into a braid, she thought.

Outside, it was impossible to talk because they kept running into people she knew.

“Jessie Hanson! How’s Phillip?” It was Mrs. Parks, a neighbor of Tina’s. “I tried to buy Jenna some boots like his, but they were all sold out.” Jenna, with a runny nose and tangled hair, hung onto her mother’s hand. “That was quite an adventure you had. It could have turned out very badly. You’ll know better next time, I bet.”

Jessie saw Bryce’s eyebrows rise and his face redden. She gritted her teeth and remembered her dad’s advice—
Don’t explain. Just be polite.
“Thanks, Mrs. Parks.”

When they were a little way from the woman, Bryce said, “What a crab. How’d you keep from saying something?”

“My dad helps me out with stuff like that,” Jessie said. “Here’s Marshall’s Jewelry.”

They stopped and studied the store window. Antique clocks, watches and diamonds were artfully arrayed on velvet tufts and soft pedestals.

“Mom told me that someone comes from Lincoln every month to rearrange this display and set up backgrounds,” Jessie said.

“Pretty classy,” Bryce said. He glanced at the café next door. “Thirsty?”

They opened the glass door to the cozy restaurant called ROSIE’S CAFÉ and sat in a red leather booth at the back. A waitress came to the table and took their order—a coke for Jessie and a chocolate milkshake for Bryce.

Once they had their drinks, Jessie outlined her plan. “Only a half-day of school tomorrow. So we can be around the Square to see if anything happens.”

“What about Mrs. Marshall?” asked Bryce. He dipped a long spoon into the soda glass and scooped out ice cream. “Are you going to tell her what’s going on or leave it to the police?”

“I’ll go to her house tomorrow at lunchtime and tell her,” said Jessie, “in case Detective Benson forgets.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” He finished his milkshake and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin from the silver dispenser on the table.

“Nope. I’ll take on the nanny alone.” Jessie tipped up her glass and emptied the remaining ice into her mouth. “I’m feeling very brave these days.”

“How come?” he asked.

“It’s a secret,” she laughed. If he only knew that he was the one who gave her courage.

They took their time walking home. The day was warm and they undid their coats. There were signs of spring. The snow was almost gone and a few lawns were turning green. Streaks of bright pink stretched across the sky and an occasional bird made a silhouette against the setting sun.

“Do you like living in Fairfield?” Jessie asked.

“Yes, very much,” he answered.

When they were close to Jessie’s house, they saw Phillip run out the front door clapping his hands. His mom was right behind him.

“Jessie! Great news! The babies are here,” called her mom.

“Babies?” Jessie shouted.

“Tina’s sisters! Mrs. Adams had twin girls.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jessie tucked the phone between her shoulder and chin and pulled on her boots. “Twins, Tina? I cannot believe this!”

“Oh, I wanted to tell you. But my folks swore me to secrecy,” Tina said.

“So, tell me, what do you think of them?” Jessie shifted the phone and slipped into her jacket. “Are they identical? Are they cute? When can I see them?”

“They look just alike to me. Yes, they’re adorable. And they’re big—over five pounds each! So they’ll be home this morning. Come see them at lunchtime.”

“Great!” Jessie struggled into her backpack. “See you at noon.” She hung up the phone. So far, it sounded like Tina was okay with the sisters.

“Mom! I’m leaving. I’ll be home for lunch.” She went into the kitchen, but it was empty. Then she remembered, her mom had an early appointment with Phillip’s doctor.

The doorbell rang. She grabbed the house key off the rack in the kitchen and went to the door. There he was—Bryce. He wore jeans, a navy blue sweater and a big smile.

“Okay if we walk to school together?”

Hah, she thought. Okay? You bet! “Sure,” she said. She locked the front door and they started down the porch steps.

“What’s the latest on the robbery?” he asked.

“As soon as school’s out, I’m stopping by Tina’s to see the twins. Then I’ll go to the Marshalls’ and tell Carol everything.” Jessie zipped up her jacket. “I want to get there before she goes to the jewelry store.”

Bryce steered Jessie around a giant puddle. “I have to help Dad after lunch. Artwork is being delivered to the museum. He wants me to check the paintings with the catalogues, to make sure we get the right ones.”

“Will you be able to come to the Square by three?” Jessie asked. “It’s okay if you can’t—now that the police are listening to us.” She looked up and caught him studying her. He had an expression that was different than what she’d seen before, like her dad looked when he was pleased with her. Jessie wondered what he liked about her. She wasn’t embarrassed when he looked at her that way. She liked his admiring her.