“I think someone broke into my house,” she whispered, scanning the dark edges of her yard.
“Are you safe?”
“I don’t know!I’m outside now.”Her voice trembled despite her effort to control it.
“Stay there.An officer will be dispatched immediately.”
She ended the call with a shaky exhale, the distant wail of sirens cutting into the quiet.Lights flicked on in neighboring windows, curious faces peeking out into the night.
The cruiser pulled into her driveway, headlights sweeping across her lawn.A tall, broad-shouldered officer stepped out, salt-and-pepper hair, eyes that scanned the scene with cautious concern.
“Someone was in my house today,” Natalie said quickly, motioning toward the open front door.“I don’t know how they got in, but—”
“Are they still inside?”His voice was calm, but there was something about the slight tilt of his head that suggested he didn’t believe her.
She blinked, realizing with a sick twist in her stomach that she hadn’t even thought to check.“I… I don’t know.I didn’t hear anyone, but things are different.Moved.”
He lifted a hand to silence her.“Stay here while I clear the house.”
Gun drawn, he moved toward the door in slow, deliberate steps, disappearing inside.Natalie’s pulse pounded in her ears.The night pressed closer.A cold breeze slipped past her, carrying the faint, sweet scent of flowers from inside—flowers she hadn’t bought.
Minutes later, he emerged with his weapon holstered, his expression faintly irritated.
“There’s no one inside,” he said, thumbs hooking into his utility belt.“And nothing seems disturbed.”
Natalie’s jaw tightened.“The flowers on my coffee table weren’t there when I left this morning.”
His brow lifted, the faintest crease appearing between his eyes.“Flowers?”The word was drawn out, as if tasting it for hidden meaning.Then his expression flattened into something halfway between mild curiosity and doubt.“Maybe a friend or boyfriend left them for you.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she snapped, folding her arms across her chest like armor.“And I live alone.”
That made him pause.His eyes narrowed just slightly, but the skepticism didn’t fade.“Huh.Well… there’s still no sign of forced entry.No broken locks.No pry marks.Nothing to suggest someone actually got in.”
Natalie felt her pulse spike, heat crawling up the back of her neck.“I know my own house,” she said, her tone sharp but measured.
He gave a faint, almost patronizing smile that only stoked her irritation.
Her voice climbed, the words crisp and cold now.“Someone was in my house.Someone moved my things.Someone left me flowers.”She took a step toward him, eyes flashing.“And I don’t care what the locks look like—someone was here.”
He shrugged, the movement lazy, as if the situation were barely worth his attention.“I’ll write up a report,” he said in that maddeningly even tone, like he was humoring a child.“If you notice anything missing, you can use the case number to file a claim with your insurance company.”
Natalie’s fingers curled into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms.His tone all but told her he thought she was overreacting—or worse, imagining it.And that faint, patronizing smile… it made her want to scream.
“Thank you,” she said, the word sharp as glass, her voice tight from the effort of keeping it civil.“I appreciate your help.”
The officer handed her a slip of paper, his expression already drifting toward boredom.“Call if anything else comes up,” he said, tipping his hat just enough to feel performative before strolling back to his cruiser.
Natalie stood there, watching the red taillights vanish down the street, heat and cold warring in her chest.Around her, porch lights flicked off as curious neighbors retreated, the night swallowing their interest as easily as it had swallowed the sound of the sirens.
She turned back toward her house, the shadows stretching longer across the lawn.What had always been her sanctuary now felt… wrong.Violated.
The chill in the air slid down her spine, settling into her bones, but it didn’t weaken her.It hardened her.
She wasn’t going to let some faceless intruder scare her out of her home.Tomorrow, she’d have a security system installed—cameras, alarms, every possible safeguard.This was her space, and no one had the right to take it from her.
Her jaw set, her shoulders squared.She stepped inside, locked the door with deliberate finality, and stared into the dim living room.She didn’t feel safe yet.But she would.
And when she found out who had crossed her threshold, they would regret it.
