“Hello,” she answered, her voice barely a whisper, her hand struggling to hold onto the phone with the way it was quivering.
“Are you okay?” Karl asked. “Come over to my house now. Just come out the back. No one can get in the gate or over the top of it. I’ll take care of you.”
“No,” she whispered. “I’m not leaving.” Not that she thought she could get her feet to move. “The lights are out downstairs. He might think I’m not home.”
Which was stupid since her light was on in the bedroom upstairs. Just a small desk light that provided little brightness.
“But you might not be safe in the house,” Karl said. “I should go outside and ask him what he’s doing.”
“Don’t,” she said urgently. “I appreciate it, but stay safe.” She wasn’t even going to say she was in her room locked in the closet. No reason to work anyone up.
“I’m safe in my house. I’m watching from my office right now. I can’t imagine what he’s doing out there. It’s not another one of your exes, is it?”
What the hell kind of question was that?
“No. Why would you think that?”
There was hesitation, then Karl said, “I’m sorry. I’m just anxious for you. I want to help. Do you hear anything?”
“No,” she said. “And I don’t know that I want to be talking right now.”
Her voice was still low, but she didn’t want to be distracted from anything that might go on around her. Hadn’t she been like that enough lately?
“I don’t like you there alone. I’m going to turn my porch light on. Maybe that will scare him away,” Karl said firmly.
She wanted to yell at him to stay out of it. “The police are coming. Let him stay. Maybe they will catch him.”
“I doubt it,” Karl said. “They are slow all the time. I’ll take care of it for you.”
Karl hung up on her. Just great. One more thing she needed on her shoulders.
Her phone went off again, a text from Clay that Ford was turning in right now without the lights on to not spook the guy.
But her nosy neighbor was most likely going to do it.
She was just ready to call Clay when she heard muffled shouting outside, then more yells.
She covered her ears with her hands and rocked back and forth in a ball on the floor.
This had to be over soon.Please let it be over, she was chanting in her head.
There was a loud bang a minute later and she hoped it wasn’t a gunshot.
Her phone was ringing next to her on the floor. She had to uncover her eyes to get it.
She peeked through her fingers and saw it was Clay and hit the button.
“Is it over?”
“Yeah,” Clay said. “I’m here. Come out. We’ve got him.”
She breathed in and out a few times. “I’m not sure I can move. I need a few minutes.”
“I’m coming up,” he said.
“I’ve got the door covered with the dresser and it’s locked.” She took a deep breath. Clay was here. She was safe. If she mentally repeated that enough, she’d be fine. “I’m standing up.”
“Don’t pass out or trip,” he said.
