I meet a business woman outside a swank,
new boutique hotel. She wants to report
her car stolen. It's a 2012 Wrangler.
Her work laptop with a terabyte
of data was inside.
She parked it within three blocks
off 1st and Elm. She walked around
and looked for it. Then, her brother
drove her around and they looked for it.
I have my doubts.
New cars aren't stolen without the keys.
I am betting it's a a tow or a mispark.
I ask her if I can driver her around and look for the car?
She humors meand hops in the back seat.
I play the question game.
Where did you park?
She says, "In a private lot."
Where did you drive in from?
"Northeast."
What bridge to use to cross the river?
"I came in on the railroad bridge."
Did you drive down 3rd or Front?
"I don't know, I was using my Garmin."
I see.
She adds, I remember passing the Chinese Gardens."
Okay, that's on 3rd, let's start there.
I hit every flat lot between the rive
and 5th from the Railroad Bridge
past Beggar's Bridge to the Midtown Bridge.
She knows she wasn't south of the Midtown.
We spot five Wranglers, three white
like hers, one black, and one gray.
We don't find hers.
I check with Records. It hasn't been towed.
I drop her off with her brother and take the stolen.
It takes 45 minutes to write it up and enter it into LEDS.
After nine, when the night slowed, I start poking about.
I know the car is misparked, I just haven't found the right lot.
In the first lot I look, two blocks south of the Midtown,
I find the car in a small, flat lot off 1st.
It's locked. It's secure. It hasn't been stolen.
