“That’s what I figured. Just a lot going on.”
He wanted to ask more about what was on her mind, but maybe there was part of him that didn’t want to know.
“Anything you want to share?”
“You should see the pained look on your face when you asked that,” she said, reaching for his hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t unload on you. There is a lot going on in my life. Not all bad. Most of it is good. Other than, you know, nasty letters, dents in my car, and a broken window.”
“Don’t forget about dead fish, upturned pots, and rearranged arts and craft supplies.”
She smiled and winked at him. “See. You get it. No big deal.”
But something told him it was much bigger than she wanted to let on. Or there was something more she wouldn’t share.
32
SHE WAS SAFE
Two days later, Meredith was in her arts and crafts room working on a project she wanted to perfect for the kids. Something for Halloween in a few weeks. Her phone went off with a ding.
She picked it up and saw someone on her front porch. She couldn’t see his face in the dark and her porch light wasn’t on.
Something was in his hand that he lifted like a cylinder, not like a box for a delivery that she didn’t even have coming.
She jumped to her feet quickly when her phone rang. It was Clay. Just the person she was going to call.
She hit answer. “Go lock yourself in your room right now! I’m on my way and so is Ford. He’s got a man en route also.”
Her hand went to her chest. “I don’t know who that is. I don’t know what he’s doing.”
“Get to your room now!” Clay shouted. “Lock the door and push whatever you can in front of it. Do it!”
She ran to her room and did as she was told by sheer force of his command. Shut the door and locked it, then shoved her dresser over.
“It’s heavy,” she shouted, then grunted when her foot slipped and she hit the wall with her socked-covered toes. She was fueled by adrenaline only.
“Are you locked in there?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice shaking harder than ever. There was a lump in her throat making it hard to speak.
“Stay put,” he said. “Ford is calling me. Call or text me, but stay quiet and don’t let anyone in that door unless you hear from me. Got it?” She nodded her head, but he couldn’t see her. “Tell me yes, Meredith.”
“Yes!”
She hung up the phone and sat on her bed, then thought that was stupid as it was right in front of the door.
She looked around frantically for any kind of weapon. She should have grabbed the darn scissors she was using she’d dropped when she’d noticed someone on her front porch.
She spun around her walk-in closet and shut herself in there also. The minute she did, she was surrounded by darkness. And the stupid eerie feelings she’d been having and pushing back into her brain where she’d been shoving them lately.
Tears filled her eyes. She wanted to pull up the camera and see what was going on, but knew that would terrify her even more.
Her phone went off with a text lighting up the cramped space. It was from Karl.
He told her someone walked up to her porch and he called the police. That the truck was still in front of her house and he got a picture of the plate and gave it to them.
Okay, between that and the camera, maybe they’d get some answers.
Her phone rang in her hand and she thought it was Clay. He would still watch what was going on. But it was Karl.
