“I… Okay.”Then, she nodded more decisively.“Yes, good idea.”
“What does this list look like?”Henry asked, his brusque manner helping her to regain her emotional balance.
“It’s a single sheet of white paper with a spreadsheet of info.”
Henry stepped over a pile of books and papers.“We’ll stack your books and see what is salvageable while searching.”
Maia crouched beside another haphazard pile, anger zapping when she plucked a damaged book off the floor.She’d liked Jan and Rebecca.They’d offered friendship from the start, but the idea they’d turn around and try to destroy her… No, even though the perfume scent was uniquely theirs, it didn’t mean they were the culprits.She racked her brain but couldn’t think of anything she’d done that might cause accusations of theft.
She sighed and flattened a piece of paper then set it aside.Worrying wouldn’t help Laura get the information.Maia picked up a book on Irish tales and legends and one on Maori myths.Both had broken spines and bore tread marks on the covers as if someone had stomped on them with heavy boots.She placed them into the toss-and-replace pile.The next two books bore splotches of red paint.They went in a separate pile.
“Any luck?”Laura called.
“No.”Maia stood.“I’ll call my coach and ask her to email you a copy.”
Laura produced a business card from her wallet before replying to a shout from the direction of Maia’s bedroom.
Maia called her coach.She gave Rose a precis of her day and told her the police wanted contacts for her team.
“Is this connected to the attack?”Rose asked.
“The police think so.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’ll stay with friends tonight.”
“Sensible,” Rose said.“I’ll email the list now and mention the situation to Cameron and Seth.Let me know if we can help, but we’ll touch base after training on Tuesday.”
“Thanks.”Maia hung up and forced a smile in Henry’s direction.“I need fresh air.The stink of paint and perfume is giving me a headache.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Maia wanted to argue because she needed time to decompress and straighten her head.A stupid thought when someone wanted to destroy her physically and mentally.She hustled outside onto the verandah and inhaled deeply.
Country night sounds were quieter and more subtle than those of the city.Now that she’d been a resident for several weeks, she’d learned to appreciate the call of an owl, the cadence of insects blending with a cow’s moo.
But tonight, a discordant unbalance plucked at her nerves.She scanned the front of her house, most of the shadows chased away by lights blazing from her unshrouded windows.There was a prickling.A sense of awareness.
“Henry,” she murmured.
His gaze swept the darkness where her house lights didn’t penetrate.“Get Laura and Charlie.Inform them we suspect someone is monitoring the house.”
Maia darted inside, anger fueling her again.She wanted a piece of whoever had trashed her property.“Laura.Charlie.Henry and I believe someone is watching us.He instructed me to get you.”
The two cops burst into action.Instead of leaving via her front door, they exited the back.
“Go right, Charlie,” Laura ordered.“I’ll go left.”
“What about me?”Maia demanded.
“Stay inside.”
Before Maia could object, the two police officers disappeared, blending into the shadows.Maia shut the door and locked it.Best to keep up her security so no one could sneak in while everyone was busy.
Gavin was still with the puppy, murmuring while he tended its wound—a deep gash on its left hind leg.Maia hurried to her front door, searching for Henry, but he wasn’t there.He’d sent her to do a simple job while he placed himself in danger.Just because he was a retired soldier, it didn’t make him invincible.
Maia hesitated before turning off the front lights.It would make her harder to see, and her night vision would kick in better.
