Today, we have an Eddie story wrapped up in a mystery. I have told you a little about our Cabin by the river…and it’s proud owner, Lisa. Lisa is a gal after my own OCD heart, everything is where is suppose to be, thanks to her handy label machine. Lisa and her husband own 6 different properties here In the 3B (Blowing Rock/Boone/Banner Elk) area. She is/was a realtor that lives in the Charlotte area and collects rental properties like charms on a Pandora bracelet…so pre Covid. Guess she gets a jump on the diamonds in the rough, or sprinkles her cards around the ‘hood. This cabin, however, is her pride and joy. It is located on a road with about 10-15 houses along the riverfront/mountainside…some are clearly rentals, some are the original owners (think 70-80 year olds)…most have a similar exterior log cabin kinda sorta look. This house was a tear down, build from scratch, with lots of high end features that say residence not rental. While there are bigger and nicer in the area, this is right up there on the better to best scale. Pride and joy come at a hefty price, weeds out the riff raff of renters. With a 6 week rental, she “gave” me 2 mid rental period cleanings on her dime, my heart says “oh, that is so sweet!” My OCD head says, “she is checking up on her investment.” Eddie and I just scream riff raff.
I have always been the hunter and gatherer-labor. Eddie enjoys the role of Master of the Manor -whether at home or traveling -management. But we all knew that…just refreshing your memory. If we do not have an adventure planned, and it is not time for our walk, Eddie is content stitching a stocking, reading a book or watching yet another women’s beach volleyball game on the Olympics. I prefer watching Snoop Dog and Kevin Hart’s highlight reel on YouTube. I needed to get out and wander…which can take 2-3 hours based on where I am headed. Yesterday, was one of those days. I was up and gone around 11:00…the only car in the driveway was gone. Eddie, being Eddie, needed a post late breakfast pre walk nap. The bedroom is equipped with pull down shades that make it a dark cozy room, even on a sunny day. When I returned around 2:00, his first question was “Did I (Karen) double back to the house?” Nope. “Did I lock the front door when I left?” (It has one of those handy digital keyless door locks) Yup. I ask “Why?” “Hmmm, that is strange” responses Eddie. “I could have sworn I heard someone in the house, I heard footsteps (wood floors-creak, creak), a couple of coughs (yikes, covid cooties) and a toilet flush while I was lying down (note, not admitting to a nap, just lying down).”
We have gathered our list of suspects.
Frat boys-2 doors down is a obvious rental. Around the first of the month, a large paneled yellow rental truck pulls in, out jumps three college guys. First order of business, the folding beer pogo table, red solo,cups and paddles was set up riverside…priorities. The truck stayed for a couple of days but has been replaced by a steady flow of college cars. “You honk, we drink” boldly displayed on their welcome sign. Could one of them been by to borrow a cup of beer? While these digital locks are good, the frequently used digits are obvious, Not sure how often she changes the code.
Wednesday is trash day. Love the private contracted trash guy. Cans are riverside, he comes and takes the garbage out, we just have to get it to the cans. Eddie has spotted him, he is a wiry old man in a beat up pick up truck. Knowing Lisa’s type, I am not seeing her giving him the code. A nice Christmas bonus, but no door code.
Lisa’s unnamed nephew that lives in the area. Lisa and her hubby are vacating at Atlantis/Bahama this week..probably courtesy of the Pickle’s hefty rental payment. She told me her nephew was available for any emergencies. I suspect he is a student at App State…who knows he might even be friends with frat boys. He would have the door code…and the keys to the 4 owner’s locked closets.
Our neighbors next door on the left…Arrived about same time we did and are staying until after Labor Day. Janette popped over to see if Amazon had misdelivered a package. FedEx and UPS are regulars on the road. She commented to Eddie that ours was so much nicer than theirs.. Said that theirs was a dirty rundown dump, with crappy internet. You know what they say, you get what you pay for. Hmmm…how would she know how nice we were, Eddie had not invited them in for a drink or two..which we all know is so Eddie. The living room windows do not have the handy black out shades. Peeping Toms?
Regina and her husband. These are the 80 year old couple, original owners on the right side of us. Fairly sure they have the door code written down in big letters by the phone, or some such obvious place. Not thinking them as suspects as we have watched them garden. They have a huge pile of mulch in back yard, every day they come out and put one shovelful each into their flower beds. Flower beds are pretty, lots of purple butterfly bushes. But the shuffle walk would have not sounded like steps on a wooden floor. However, their teenage grandson comes occasionally to do things around the house/yard…but not with the mulch.
Yard man and handy man, Mike. Probably has the door code for handy man issues, but have only seen him weed eat and mow once since we have been here.
Jalissa, the cleaning gal, which conveniently is Mike’s daughter. She is scheduled for this afternoon, not yesterday. She would have the door code. Did she see no car in driveway and decided to get a jump start on today’s cleaning?
Wild card suspects include the electrician that changed out the two upstairs fans…Lisa hated the remote control only system. Renters kept taking the remotes home. He was given the code, but we were here for that. Or the home appraiser that came by…apparently, Lisa and her husband are refi-ing their 6 pack of houses in a commercial loan and using the equity to buy more properties…or vaca in the Bahamas.
My money is on Jalissa. Eddie is creeped out enough that he has taken to hiding his wallet, watch, cell and iPad when we leave the house for our walks. He reads too any books…Truman Capote, “In Cold Blood” comes to mind. Stay turned, Eddie wants to put scotch tape on door like they do in the movies to see if someone has been here in our absence. I know I could text Lisa in the Bahama…but she would send Mike, Jalissa or unnamed nephew to change the code and the cycle would start all over. So, guess that Eddie won’t be mid day napping while I am gone.
Just in, there will be a new suspect….Joe the plumber will be here to fix the massive water leak in the downstairs storage room (read septic system issue) ….stay tuned for details.
Eddie is thrilled…he loves fire drills.
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