"We can go," he said to me, waving me forward. "My colleague has checked out the house. Looks like someone broke into the patio door and took some items. You'll have to check it out to see what was taken. Probably just some local thugs."
"You don't think it's Blaine?"
"We'll know once we get access to the video feed. They've cleared the house of any intruder and will post guards for the night just to be on the safe side."
"Okay," I said, and we went back to the house, arriving just as local police did.
While Mark spoke to the police officers, I went inside with one of the other guards and checked around, looking for what the intruder -- or Blaine -- might have taken. My hands shook as I searched for my handbag, but it was gone, as was my wallet and cell. My laptop was gone as well. Some jewelry was gone from my bedroom and a few of the drawers were ransacked, but that was it.
I sat on the sofa and spoke with the young police officer, who took my statement about the missing items. While I did, Mark must have called Luke to let him know, for he handed me his cell. I told him what happened, almost breaking into tears while I recounted the events.
"I'm so sorry this happened," Luke said. "Thank God for the security system and for Mark and the team. I'm just finishing my meeting with Adam. He completely understands that I have to leave a bit early. I'll be home as soon as possible. I love you."
"I love you, too," I said and handed the cell back to Mark.
Then, I waited for Luke to come home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Luke
I shook Adam Pierce's hand and we parted company, my nerves on edge because of my phone call with Mark and Alexa.
Some words my grandfather used to say came to mind -- It never rains but it pours...
I took the limo service out to the beach house and when I arrived, Mark and the security team were there talking to Alexa and checking out the house to make sure the doors and windows were all secure and we had a list of everything that had been stolen.
"There you are," I said and pulled Alexa into my arms, kissing her and stroking her hair. "You okay?"
She nodded, but her face was still pale, and she looked anxious. "Now that you're here."
I turned to Mark, who was standing with two other security officers.
"Do you think this was Blaine?" I asked after I got the printout of the report on the break in from Mark and read it over quickly. "What does the video show?"
"We've checked it out. You can take a look and see what you think."
I went over to the kitchen island where Mark had his laptop out and had a browser open showing the video feed from the property. The feed showed a man walking along the fence bordering the property, wearing a dark hoodie and black jeans. He pulled a scarf up over his face and walked onto the property from the beach, then right up to the back patio like he knew what he was doing and had done surveillance already. He went right to the sliding door and broke the side window, reaching in and opening the door. Then the camera angle changed and showed him searching around the house. A silent alarm had gone off, alerting the security company and Mark about the intruder.
Whoever the man was, he seemed to know he had little time to do what he came for. He went right to the kitchen island where Alexa's handbag and laptop were and took those, slipping them into a bag he had in his pocket. Then he went to the bedroom and searched through the jewelry box on top of Alexa's chest of drawers. He grabbed several necklaces and rings and then checked out my own chest of drawers. Finally, he grabbed my laptop and left the house, leaving the same way he entered, disappearing down the beach and into a copse of trees a few hundred feet away.
That was it. The video feed only covered the beach and property next to our house on either side. Whoever the man was, he was in and out within three minutes. Like a professional.
"Do you think Blaine could have done it so quickly and efficiently? Or was this an experienced thief?"
"He seemed to know just where to go and what he wanted."
I turned to Alexa. "Do you recognize him? Is he the right height and build?"
Alexa came to my side and looked at the magnified image of the man. He was wearing sunglasses and had the scarf over his nose and mouth, so it was nearly impossible to see any detail of his face.
"I really can't say. How tall does he look to you?"
"Six feet."
"It could be him," she said. "I really can't say for sure."
We talked about the repairs to the broken window and made a list of everything Alexa had in her handbag and details about our laptops.