Chapter 12

Cal put his car in park and then looked at the house they were sitting in front of. He sighed and shook his head. Then, with a great deal of doubt in his voice, Calvin asked his passenger, “are you really sure you want to do this?”

“No,” Norm told the guy. He too looked to be having many reservations about the plan, “not really. I just don’t see where we have any choice in the matter.”

They both got out of the car and stood at the curb for a minute, silently, just looking at their eventual destination. Cal said, “after you.”

Norm quickly said, “no after you.”

“This was your idea,” Cal shot back. “Sides, you’re the one with all the experience in this kind of thing.”

Norm told the man in no uncertain terms, “I don’t think anybody has this kind of experience.” When Cal went to push the man forward Norm raised a finger to the guy and stopped him. Norm said, “you do not want me to get physical.”

Cal grunted, collected himself, and led them to the door. It sounded like a war zone inside. That was the reason Norm said, “knock louder.” Cal summed up the courage and did just that.

A second later a plump lady, with short blond hair, opened up the door. She had a tray of deviled eggs in her hand and a huge smile that was radiating brighter than the sun. She quickly turned that off when she yelled back at the small army of children running around in her living room. At that point the woman sounded more like a demonic monster, “SHUT UP!” She was beaming again when she looked back at her visitors.

Norm was very nervous as he said, “um, how you doing ma’am. I hate to bother you right now but, we’re…”

The woman laughed politely and even reached out and touched Norm on the arm as she interrupted him and said, “oh, it’s all right. I just have to tell you I can’t waste any of your time. We’re catholic, orthodox reformed.” She looked like she was seriously thinking when she stuck a finger to her temple and then said, “in fact I think it’s even a sin to take one of your pamphlets.”

Calvin exchanged confused glances with Norman and then he told the woman, “um, no ma’am, Misses Johnson right? We’re not Isaiah’s Witnesses.”

Now it was her turn to look confused, “well, you look like you’re from the People’s Synagogue.” Then she broke out in a polite laugh, “but who can tell these days.”

Norm tried to smile and said, “we’re Colonial Ranger’s ma’am.”

Her eyes lit up and she became excited, “oh my! You work with my little Bobby!” Then it was quite clear by her expression that a thought had popped in her head and she turned somewhat serious, “did you find his car?”

“No,” Cal said regretfully, “um, we just need to talk to him is all.”

The woman walked almost like she floated as she turned back towards the inside of the house and said, “well you two are just in time. Bobby’s out back on the grill and we are all just about to sit down and eat. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Neither Ranger wanted to step into the door. Cal motioned for Norm and said, “you’re the one with kids.”

Norm pointed to the mayhem of children and toys that littered the living room floor, “I didn’t have that goddamn many.”

They both hurried past the living room, out the sliding glass back door, and found Bob right where his wife said he would be. Bob Johnson saw his guests and grew a big smile. He shook hands and offered them both a beer. Norm was pretty sure Cal would accept so he spoke up for both of them, “no, sorry Bob. We’re in a little bit of a hurry. I need that box I asked you to hold on for me.”

Cal did managed to ask, “I hope you didn’t leave it in the trunk of your car.”

“Oh no,” Bob said shaking the idea off, “it’s nice and safe.”

Bob’s wife was walking out the door with her tray and also a huge pitcher that she had picked up in the kitchen. She had caught the tail end of the conversation and added, “if you mean that big green storage box that used to be in the hall closet, I made Bobby put it out there in the garden shed.” After putting her things down she mentioned, “you know those round things can be dangerous for kids. They could pull one of those pins out, swallow it or, even choke on it.” She walked right back inside after that.

Norm gave the man a very stern look, “hall closet?”

Cal was even more disturbed, “garden shed?”

“It’s safe guys,” Bob tried to reassure them. He motioned for them to follow him and then he took them into what could only be described as a dilapidated old shed full of dust, dead insects, and other things that all spelled out, “don’t touch.” Bob pulled up a couple of floor boards and pointed to the plastic container that was in a shallow hole underneath, “you see, safe as can be.”

“That’s debatable,” Norm said as he got on his knees and opened up the box. He continued as he looked through it, “this is the first place a thief would look.”

Cal crossed his arms and was about to lean on a makeshift shelf that appeared to have gone unused for years. It even had a half used bag of potting soil, from the hardware store, that had somehow managed to grow mold. How the hell did that happen? For that reason alone Cal decided against leaning when he told Norm, “oh I don’t know. If I was a thief, I think the last place I would come is in here.”

Norm put the lid back on and stood back up. He was going to let Bob finish with the boards. As Bob did he asked, “you didn’t want the whole thing?”

“No,” Norm told him. “We only needed one…” Norm thought about it and corrected himself, “well make that two specific things.”

Considering what was down in that box, any deviation from what Norm said he needed had the effect of making Calvin just a tad bit nervous. Norm saw this and waved it off, “I saw my spare pocket knife down there. Jake still hasn’t given me my other one back.”

Bob walked them to the door and when he reached it he asked his colleagues, “you sure you don’t need me to come with you guys?”

Again, Norm waived the notion off, “no Bob. You go back and enjoy your holiday. We can handle this.”

Bob looked a bit uncomfortable, “you absolutely sure. From what you told me, I think I might feel better riding along.”

“No,” Norm simply said as he walked off.

When they reached the car, Cal was switching it on when he said, “you know we might could use the help.”

“No,” Norm said once again. Then he decided to explain, “when you think about it Cal, that back there,” he pointed to the house, “is exactly what we risk our asses to protect. I’m glad somebody is doing it today.”

Cal hesitated to put the car into drive. He decided to ask a question instead, “why aren’t you?”

“My kids are grown,” Norm replied.

“Yeah but,” Cal replied, “didn’t you say they’re both back on the island today, with Darcy?”

Norm sounded agitated but he was also very polite, for Norm, when he said, “would you just drive the goddamn car.”