Chapter 46: Storage Unit Shakedown

Baxter silently stewed in his seat after Roxanne walked away. He looked around, but for the most part people in the restaurant area went back to their own conversations, uninterested in the exchange between Roxanne and Baxter after Roxanne walked away. The cans on various tables glared back at Baxter.
“I should go,” Ruby said in her perky voice, jumping from the chair. “Call me if you want to make the deal.” She flounced out of the restaurant.
No one was sure if Baxter believed Ruby’s ruse or if he figured she was in on it. Nevertheless, she safely escaped while Baxter sat with beer suds stuck to his face and a shirt drenched with alcohol.
With the first stage of their plan complete, they put phase two in motion. Even though they’d managed to agitate Baxter, they still needed him to lead them to his stockpile of stolen beer.
After Ruby walked away, Baxter glared at Tom. Tom smiled back. He got up from the table he’d been sharing with Danny, and they both left, Baxter still staring.
Tom and Danny met up with Roxanne at Tom’s truck, Ruby having already driven off, her part complete. What Baxter couldn’t tell is that Tom had spies, including Blake, planted in the restaurant, waiting for Baxter’s next move.
Baxter made a phone call and left the table, while one of the spies followed him. Baxter seemed tense, striding in a brisk pace to the parking lot. When he peeled out, one of Tom’s spies tailed him.
“You should be pretty good at this,” Roxanne said to Tom as they waited in a parking garage nearby for the call as to what direction Baxter was headed. “Remember when you tailed me to the airport?”
“What?” Danny asked.
“Never mind,” Roxanne said and smiled at Tom. When they got the call that Baxter was heading east, Tom pulled out of the garage and onto the road. Roxanne hoped Baxter was heading straight to where he’d hidden the beer cans. If not, they had wasted a lot of effort.
Roxanne believed her plan would work because Baxter would be so shook up after seeing the identical cans, he’d want to check on his stash himself. She believed it was like the phenomenon that occurs when you see someone drop their keys and you immediately check your pocket or purse to make sure you have your own.
Baxter couldn’t bear to lose his stolen loot; Roxanne was sure of it. As they headed down the highway, she grew confident Baxter was leading them to the evidence of his wrongdoing.
Tom received word from the man trailing Baxter that he’d pulled into a storage facility. Roxanne clapped with glee. She knew they must be getting close.
They sped to the destination, and Roxanne called her father with the address. Through his buddy with the fire department who worked closely with the cops, her father had arranged for a detective and his partner to meet them at the scene. Despite having no real evidence, Roxanne’s father convinced them to do him a favor and check out the unknown location solely based on a hunch.
The dark sky made it hard to see the turn to the storage unit. Tom pulled in, and Roxanne sat on the edge of her seat. Tom’s informant had given directions on where to park and then to approach the storage locker on foot. In Baxter turned violent or dangerous, Tom didn’t want his spies approaching any further, wanting to confront Baxter himself.
Once Tom stopped the car, he reached over to the glove compartment for a gun. “What are you doing with that?” Roxanne looked at Tom, confused. “I didn’t even know you had that.”
“Your dad gave it to me,” Tom said.
“Okay, but – we’re just here to gather evidence, get Baxter arrested,” she said.
“I know that.” He seemed on edge. “It’s just in case. Remember those goons and that gun to your head? I’m not taking any chances.” He opened his door and so did Roxanne. As she made a move to get out, Tom rushed over and closed her door.
“Not a chance,” he said. “It’s too dangerous. You’re pregnant.” Roxanne looked frustrated. She rubbed her stomach. Of course she loved her baby, but why did that mean she had to miss out on the action? Seeing Tom’s stern face, she knew he was serious and she rolled her eyes, slumping on the seat. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and scampered into the darkness.
Danny followed Tom as they slunk around a section of storage units. It reminded Roxanne of the first cat Tom saw by the dumpster, searching for food in the shadowy alleyway. She remembered how the cat had gotten spooked and skittered away. Unlike the cat, she had every confidence in Tom that he’d stand his ground.
As Tom and Danny tiptoed closer, they could hear someone rummaging around in one of the units. They approached slowly, hiding in the shadows. Tom could see Baxter using his phone as a flashlight through the sliver of the door Baxter had left open. From his distance, Tom couldn’t see exactly what was in the unit.
Back in the truck, Roxanne sulked, wishing she could at least see what was going on. She remembered her stakeout with Tom and his binoculars, so she searched the truck, finally locating them under the seat. Being pregnant, it was almost impossible for her to slink unnoticed, but she tried, heading a few steps in the direction where Tom and Danny had disappeared into the night.
When she heard voices, she stopped and inched forward. Around the corner, she looked through the binoculars and could see Tom and Danny getting closer.
Unsure what to do, Tom stood at the entrance of the storage unit and yelled, “Stop what you’re doing.”
Baxter turned toward him and lifted the door further. Tom couldn’t quite see in the darkness what Baxter held in his hand, and Tom drew his gun. When Baxter chucked a beer can at him, Tom instinctively fired, the bullet bursting the can.
“Hold your fire,” came a voice from behind Tom and Danny. Two bright lights shined on Baxter as the detectives pointed their flashlights in his direction. Tom lowered his gun, placed it on the ground, and raised his hands.
Roxanne watched the stand-off safely through her binoculars. When one of the detectives raised the storage door fully and shined their lights on its contents, Roxanne couldn’t believe what was inside.