Chapter 6
794 Words
byDetective Randi Robbins was enjoying her day off when she received the desperate phone call from her nephew. Mike had been arrested for theft and was being held at Randi’s precinct.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time her sister’s son had had a brush with the police. In the past Mike’s commitment to, as he put it “saving the planet” had set him at odds with local law enforcement, but his previous protests and pranks were usually innocent, if a bit misguided, never resulting in an arrest.
Randi had tried her best to steer her nephew in a positive direction, praising him for his purchase of an electric car and his move to an apartment powered by solar energy. But Mike couldn’t resist pushing the envelope and had become a thorn in the side of the town’s police chief, her boss.
“Well, Detective Robbins,” came the booming voice of Chief Remalely, “it looks like your nephew has finally crossed the line.”
“What exactly is he charged with?” said Randi, approaching the bear-sized officer.
“No bubbles in the town square fountain this time,” said Remalely. “The charge is grand theft.”
“What happened?”
“Last night after closing, someone emptied the safe down at Motley Finance. Got away with several thousand dollars.”
“Mr. Motley gave Mike his first job,” said Randi. “I can’t believe Mike would do anything to hurt him.”
“It’s been my experience that people can surprise us,” said the chief.
“What makes you think Mike is responsible?”
“Look, Detective,” said Remalely, “I know your nephew and I have had our differences, but Motley tells me only four people know the safe’s combination, and Mike is one of them.”
“That doesn’t make him guilty,” said Randi.
“Yes, but your nephew was the one Motley saw leaving the building right before he noticed the cash missing.”
“What about the other people who knew the combination?”
“I thought about that,” said the chief. “As soon as Motley reported the theft, I scooped up your nephew and one of the other two who knew the combination.”
“And?”
“Della Rhodes, the office manager, had a dinner date across town right after work. She was long gone before the money was taken.”
“You said you ‘scooped up’ one of the others beside Mike. The other?”
“Rachel Cummings, Motley’s accountant,” said Remaley. “She’s been laid up in the hospital for the last week with complications from a broken leg.”
“Chief,” said Randi, “I’d like to see my nephew now.”
“Aunt Randi,” said an exhausted-looking millennial as the detective approached the cell, “am I glad to see you. They arrested me for robbing Mr. Motley, but I was nowhere near the office when the money was taken.”
“Can you prove that?”
“You mean you don’t believe me either?” said Randi’s nephew.
“Of course I believe you, Mike,” said Randi, “but Mr. Motley says he saw you leave the building around the time of the theft.”
“I hate to accuse him of lying, but—”
“Chief Remaley says Mr. Motley’s coming to the station to make an official statement, and I plan to talk with him. You just hang in there.”
Randi found Chief Remaley and Carl Motley in the station interview room.
“Mr. Motley,” said the chief, “I think you know Detective Robbins.”
The lanky man in a rumpled suit looked up from the stack of papers on the table. “Detective, I hate to accuse Mike. You know how fond I am of him, but . . .”
“You said that you saw him leave your building around the time of the theft?” said Randi.
“Yes. Our office is on the first floor. When I found the money missing, I rushed to the front door. That’s when I heard the car start up. I looked out the window and saw Mike as he drove beneath a streetlight.”
Randi stared down at the seated businessman. “Mr. Motley, I believe you’ve been steering the chief in the wrong direction.”
When Motley claimed he heard the car start up, Randi knew he was lying. Mike owned an electric car that makes no noise when it starts. Confronted, Motley confessed that in fact no money was taken from the safe. Having financial problems, he planned to collect for the theft from the insurance company.
- Writer
