“The house is a terrible mess, but she doesn’t believe anything was taken,” he told the officer.
They headed for the house, and Isaac fell silent. He couldn’t shake the feeling he had.
“Tell me,” he said, turning to the officer. “How can I find out if someone was let out of prison early?”
12
Two police officers went over every inch of her house, leaving Addie feeling even more violated. She knew they were looking for clues in order to help figure out who had done this to her, but Addie just wished everyone would go and leave her alone. Yet at the same time, she didn’t want to be alone. What if the person who had done this came back?
“Well, the only real evidence we’ve picked up was the large boot print in the mud by the back window,” the officer in charge announced as he and the other policeman rejoined them in the living room. “It was obviously that of a big man, but much more than this, I cannot say.”
“Can more men be put on patrolling the area?” Isaac asked.
“We’re doing what we can. The exposition has obviously attracted the type of characters who are going to be looking to make money by way of thieving. We’ve had a lot of trouble with pickpockets and even some after-hour break-ins.” The officer looked at his notes and then to Addie. “Do you have somewhere else you can stay?”
“I suppose I do.” She knew Pearl and Otis would take her in.
“If you don’t, you can stay with my sister,” Isaac announced. “I know she has more than enough room.”
Addie met his eyes. She could see the love he held for her there. Why couldn’t he understand that there was no future for them? Yet even as she posed the question, Addie felt her heart do a flip. She still loved him as much as ever, and nothing she said or did seemed to help her to extinguish those feelings.
“I’m quite comfortable staying with the Fishers,” she commented.
“Well, if not that, perhaps you could have some other people stay here with you,” the officer suggested. “I just wouldn’t stay here alone for a time. Thankfully, the expo will only last through October, and then hopefully life will get back to normal around here.”
Addie nodded. “Thank you for looking things over. I wish you had found more evidence of who did the job, but I do understand.”
“Things like this often go unsolved,” the policeman told her. “Especially under the circumstances where we have so many people visiting from all over the world. I doubt we’ll be able to pinpoint the culprit, especially since you don’t seem to have anything missing. Oftentimes, we can catch a thief when they go to sell an item. For very valuable items we make a list and distribute them to various secondhand and pawn shops.”
“Yes, I see.” Addie knew they weren’t going to do anything more for her and decided to let the matter go.
“I’d get your window repaired as soon as possible,” theofficer said, heading for the front door, where the other policeman waited.
“Thank you, I will.”
Once the men were gone, Addie sat down on the closest chair. “This has been exhausting.”
“I’ll help you with the cleanup,” Mary said, looking to Isaac. “I presume it’s all right for us to tidy up now?”
“Yes.” He knelt beside Addie. “I’m sorry they couldn’t do more, but I promise I will keep checking into this and see what I can find.”
“Don’t bother, Isaac,” Addie said. “There’s nothing to be done. As the officer said, nothing was taken.” She blew out a heavy breath and got back to her feet. “Mary, we can come back tomorrow evening if you have time and straighten it up then. I don’t feel like facing it right now.”
“I’ll be happy to help you. Maybe Pearl will want to come too, or even Bertha.”
Addie appreciated the girl’s cheery attitude, but it did little to help. She went to her bedroom and surveyed the scene once again. This had been such a comfortable little home, but now it felt completely stripped of that feeling. She picked up her suitcase and began sorting through the mess to find the clothes she would need.
“Hopeless,” she muttered. That was how it felt to face this. Hopeless.
Pearl was ever the mother hen. After hearing about Addie’s cottage, she forbade her to return. Addie had been there today only long enough to straighten up before returning to the Fishers’.
“Just let some time pass, and we’ll see what happens. Otis is arranging for the window to be fixed.”
Addie sat nursing a cup of hot cocoa. “I just don’t understand why someone should be so mean—so destructive. I’ve never done anything to hurt anyone, and yet they chose to hurt me.”
Pearl brought her another blanket and tucked it around Addie as she curled her legs up under her and leaned a little closer to the fire. The evening had turned out rainy and chilly, and the dampness seemed to permeate clear to the bone.
“Try not to dwell on it. There are a lot of strangers in town, and I’m sure there are a great many evil people trying to make their own lives better while causing others to suffer. I’m just glad you had nothing of value that they wanted to take.”
