Chapter 2

Damon drove south quickly in a foul mood. He had dreaded the weekend at his brother-in-law's estate from the beginning. He and his family had been received well enough, but the mediocre food at dinner set the tone for the visit. Couldn’t the idiot put out a decent spread? It was a six-hour drive to get there, after all. Getting three unwilling kids ready for a family trip was no joke. The teenager would rather be dating, the middle child looked lost, and the youngest one needed constant attention.

The next day, things got worse. Outdoor activities were nice for an hour or so, but after that, Damon was ready for an easy chair and a cold beer. No such luck. Half the day was spent tramping around hills and streams. When they finally got back, he made a snide remark to his wife that set her off. After a furious tirade, it was agreed that the family would stay the week while he immediately left for the city.

After an hour of furious driving, he cooled off enough to call his mistress. She agreed to meet him for dinner at a fancy restaurant that evening. Arriving in the afternoon, he tramped up the stairs to his apartment to wash and change. In the doorway, he stood with his mouth agape in shock. There was no hiding the wires on the floor leading to the blown safe. Striding into the room to examine the breach verified his worst fears. Everything was gone.

The security guard shrugged his shoulders at the question. All visitors signed in. A written work order had been presented by a uniformed employee. How was he to know a real one from a fake one? Police review of the surveillance tapes revealed a blurred image with a fake mustache that did not match up to any facial recognition records. Once again, the professional burglar had gotten away clean.

Damon was frustrated by the pro forma police investigation. What were they good for? Their promises to investigate further were like a doctor giving him two aspirin.

The reality was that Blacks didn’t trust the police and vice versa. Damon knew his case would go to the bottom of the pile. If he wanted results, he would have to go elsewhere. First, he picked up the phone to order a replacement safe. With luck, the damage could be repaired before the rest of the family returned. His next call canceled the date with his girlfriend. Finally, he called his patron to deliver the disappointing news.