I placed my hand in hers. “Deal. But let’s see what’s happening with the cameras first.”
With the notifications page on the screen, she passed her phone to me. “Tap any of the ones on the first page.”
“What the hell?” I mumbled after watching a few video clips.
“So, it’s not just me?”
“No, not at all,” I said and continued to study the screen. “Usually, when there’s a black screen it means the cameras are offline, but yours are definitely online because they’re still showing the current date and time. I’m gonna go over to the property and check the physical equipment. Do I need a code for the gate?”
“No, not anymore,” she smiled and extended her hand for her phone. “I can buzz you in from here.”
“I’ll be right back,” I told her and headed for the door.
She held up a set of keys. “Take the golf cart.”
“Thanks.”
I rolled to a stop and got out to inspect the camera at the front gate. As soon as my flashlight illuminated the device, I knew what the problem was—someone spray-painted the lens. I assumed the same would be true for the rest of the cameras, but I checked each one to be sure.
Oddly enough, only two of the cameras had been tampered with.
After checking the last of the devices, I turned the corner to go back to the house when a flash of light caught my attention.
Slowing to a stop, I got out and stood against the wall of the building while I waited to see or hear more.
Leaves rustled, followed by the sound of a twig snapping. Then, the unmistakable sound of someone running.
I did a quick sweep of the area with my flashlight. “Hey!” I shouted when I spotted someone on the other side of the fence at the rear corner of the property.
When they took off running, so did I.
“Stop, motherfucker!” I yelled.
I was going to kick their ass twice when I caught them. Once for fucking with Blakely, and once for making me chase their punk ass.
“Grant!” Blakely shouted in the distance.
“Go back inside!” I yelled back and focused on clearing the fence in front of me.
“Please, Grant, come back!” The fear in her voice had me changing course without a second thought.
“Go inside and lock the door! I’m coming back!”
I jogged back to the golf cart and stomped on the gas pedal. When it didn’t budge, I double tapped the pedal and pressed it to the floor again.
“Shiiiittt!” I shouted when the wheels spun seconds before the golf cart shot forward like it was running on jet fuel.
The brakes were useless. There was nothing I could do but hold on to the steering wheel and try not to crash into anything.
“Fuck!” The closed gate came into view, but I couldn’t stop. Squeezing my eyes shut, I braced for an impact that never came.
When I opened my eyes again, I was through the gate and headed straight for Blakely’s house. I held on to the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip, ready to steer away from the house when the blasted contraption finally began to slow and the brakes I’d been relentlessly pressing started to respond.
She opened the screen door when she saw me coming, because she didn’t have the door closed and locked like she should have.
“Does it always do that?” I asked, pointing to the possessed golf cart.
“It’s something Papa did. I’ll tell you about it later,” she rushed out. “What happened? I heard shouting. And I thought I saw you running.”
