Free Community Gardens (Community Garden Series Book 1) by Karin Boutall Page B

a
lengthy message, careful to reveal only the facts, without emotion.
    Twenty
minutes later, the entrance bells clanged. They heard boots thunk
across the showroom. Cal stepped toward the counter. Deep lines
creased his forehead. “I only heard part of your message.
Something about vandals. Are you okay?”
    A
flush brushed Joan's cheek. “I'm so sorry you came all this
way. I mean I'm glad you're here, but I thought my message
sounded...”
    “She
means it's been a hell of a morning. And yes, we are okay, thanks for
asking. But a lot of pottery was smashed sometime last night. We
thought kids might have jumped the fence and you being coach, might
have an idea who could have done this.” Roz pushed her bangs
out of her eyes.
    “Ah,
now I understand. I can't think of anyone, but I'd like to look at
the scene. Your message didn't sound as if there was a lot of damage,
but if I look at it, I might get more clues.”
    Joan
glanced at Roz with pleading eyes as if asking, “can you go,
I'm embarrassed?” She thought her voice was calm when she
called. She thought he would simply return the call. Now that he
wanted to investigate, keeping the incident quiet might be
impossible.
    Roz
answered, “you two go. I'll wait here in case anyone shows up.”
    Determined
not to appear worried, Joan asked Cal to follow her. They trekked
through the kitchen, passed the cinnamon rolls, and headed out the
back door. At the site, Joan pointed at the broken pots and then bent
down to pick up a few pieces.
    “These
guys left the bigger vases, the more expensive ones. That seems so
odd,” she remarked. When Cal didn't respond she stood up. He
had walked to the fence and was starring at a large tree branch
protruding over the fence.
    “How
do you think they got in?”
    “Could
be this branch, but do you have a dog or did you hear a dog barking
around this tree last night?”
    “No,
I don't have a dog and we didn't hear barking either.”
    “Can
you come here? I'd like to show you something.”
    “You
found the problem?” She hopped over the broken bits of pottery
and scurried toward the fence.
    Cal
knelt down and swept away a few dead leaves. “See these
tracks?”
    “Are
they dog tracks or Willie's, our cat?”
    “No
definitely not that.” Cal stood, looked up, and pointed into
the tree on the other side of the fence. “See that fella up
there on the left?”
    Joan
cocked her head, looked up and swallowed hard.
    “Did
you start feeding the raccoons?”
    She
told herself, “there's nothing to be ashamed of, how could
anyone know? Even Roz didn't suspect a raccoon.” She drew a
long breath, relieved it was a wild animal and not a person that
broke the pottery. An animal could be scared away. People, on the
hand, could be trouble. And the pots? They were just things, they
could be replaced. And the cost? It was just money and that always
comes and goes. When she looked at Cal, he looked as if he was going
to break out laughing.
    “So
the jokes on me.”
    He
hooted with laughter until tears practically squirted from his eyes.
“I'm so sorry. I know this isn't funny. It's just that I ...”
    “Just
what?” she glared.
    “I'm
so relieved. I thought you or Zack were hurt. Apology accepted?”
    “Accepted.
I guess I feel stupid. I didn't even look.”
    “Don't
bust yourself up too bad, most people wouldn't know to look. Shall we
head back?” He cupped her elbow and gently glided her back to
the store.
    By
the time they reached the showroom, Roz had already made a fresh pot
of coffee and microwaved the cinnamon buns, making them stickier than
the oven baked rolls they had this morning.
    “I
hear lots of talking. What happened out there?”
    “It
was raccoons, not vandals.”
    “Oh
my god, nasty little critters. We need a dog.”
    “I'll
think about it. Right now I can't think about anything.”
    When
the entrance bell clanged, they stopped eating, looked up and stared
at the door.
    Ed
stepped through the door and pulled off