“Okay.This is obviously out of the ordinary.I’m Redmond, Red, and this is Carter.You are speaking for him?”he asked.
“Yes.Harm lost his ability to speak while in the service.He will text what he wants to say and any answers to your questions.I will read his answers.”From the look of the faded scars on Red’s face, he understood battle, at least in one form or another.
“Very good,” Red said, and Harm began texting once more.
“When I came downstairs, I found the suspect gathering things in the middle of the room.It was easy enough to tackle him to the floor.He wasn’t really paying attention.I think he thought that no one was home.Once I had him down, I did my best to signal Derek, and he came down and called you.”
“Do you recognize him?”
Derek shrugged.“No.I have no idea who he is.”Derek gave his name and provided all pertinent personal information.“I’ve never seen him before.Harm, do you know him?”
Harm shook his head.
“A lot of things have been happening lately.There are reports.I filed them with the police.But you might want to find out if this guy is connected with William Lassater.He’s been stalking me, and I wouldn’t put it past him to set something like this up so he could try to comfort me or god knows what.The guy is off his rocker.”He wasn’t sure what he hoped.If William was involved, then maybe they could get him behind bars, and at least he could stop looking over his shoulder all the time.
“We’ll look into it.”It sounded perfunctory, but the intensity in Red’s eyes told him it wasn’t meant that way.
“Are either of you hurt?’Carter asked.
“I’m not.”He looked to Harm, who shook his head.“No.We’re fine.Just shaken up.”
“As far as you can tell, has anything been removed from the home?”Carter asked.
Derek looked around while Red wandered back through the house.“I don’t think so.There’s a bunch of things that have been moved, but I don’t think there’s anything missing.How did he get in?”
“The back door was jimmied open,” Red reported.“I suggest you get someone to fix the door and install a new lock.”
“I will.And I know you’ll talk to the intruder.Please let me know what you find out.”
“We will,” Carter said, and after asking more questions that they didn’t know the answers to, the police left at about three in the morning.Harm secured the back door and took his hand, leading Derek back upstairs.
He doubted that he was going to be able to go back to sleep.Not that he wanted to.What if someone else tried to break in?Still, Harm slipped the robe off his shoulders, and Derek climbed under the covers.Harm undressed and got in next to him, holding him close.Harm lightly stroked his back, and eventually Derek relaxed, and he might even have fallen asleep at some point, but mostly he wondered what was going to happen next.
Chapter 12
THE FOLLOWINGweekend, right before Thanksgiving, Joe and Larry messaged that they had reached the hotel and were checked in.Harm texted them Derek’s address because Derek not only wanted to meet them, but insisted on making them a proper dinner.He’d spent the entire week poring over recipes.
“Make something simple,” Harm told him, but Derek was in a flap that the food should be really good when he met his family.Derek had also cleaned his house to within an inch of its life, and if he fluffed the sofa pillow one more time while they waited for them to arrive, the poor thing was going to give up the ghost and explode in a fountain of stuffing.
Harm finally pulled Derek down next to him and held him tightly.He wanted to say that it was going to be fine and that Joe and Larry weren’t going to judge him for a few dust bunnies, but he held him and lightly stroked his hair, which had the effect of helping him calm down.
Harm reached for a cracker and some cheese off the coffee table.
Derek lightly slapped his hand.“That’s for your family.”Then he smiled to show he was teasing and relaxed against him while Harm ate.
That is until the doorbell rang, and Derek was up like a shot, hurrying to the front door.
“You must be Derek,” Joe said with his usual energy.
“And I’m guessing you’re Joe and this must be Larry.”As Harm came up behind him, Derek was shaking hands with Larry.“Harm has told me a lot about both of you.”He stepped back and let them in.
“Dang, it’s cold here today,” Larry said as he began peeling off layers.“I’d forgotten what it’s like this time of the year.”Derek hung up their things and led them into the living room.
“I have some wine, beer… or something stronger.I can also make tea or coffee.”
“Tea would be appreciated,” Larry said, and Joe said the same, so Derek hurried to the kitchen.“He seems nice.”
Harm nodded and sighed before picking up his phone.“He really is.”
