The sharp sound cuts her off. It’s coming from outside.
I jump out of bed and open the nightstand drawer.
“What are you doing?” Jessie hisses when she sees me pull my handgun from its case in the drawer.
“Stay here.” I throw on gym shorts and head for the back door to a chorus of shattering glass. Creeping out the back door, I’m greeted by momentary silence. I scan the back yard before quietly and slowly rounding the corner of the house. What could someone have been breaking glass on—
My truck.
Every window on my truck is busted and the windshield is shattered. The sound stopped because there was nothing left to break. I’m careful as I round the truck in case someone is still here, but I don’t see any sign of them.
“Trey,” I hear Jessie whisper from the corner of the house.
“I told you to stay inside.” I walk back toward her, ushering her back inside in case the perpetrator comes back.
“Your truck,” she chokes and covers her mouth with her palm. She looks horrified.
“It’s okay. Go inside. I’ll call the police.”
“The police?” Her eyes flare in panic. “Can’t you just turn it into your insurance?”
“I have to call the police, Jessie. Someone did this, and I’ll need a police report for insurance. Come on, let’s go inside and get dressed.” I can tell involving law enforcement is making her uncomfortable, but I have to—there is astrongchance Daryl did this.
It’s 3:30 a.m. when the two Cottonwood Valley deputies finish their review of the vehicle and its damage and come inside to complete their report.
Jessie has stayed inside the entire time they’ve been here.
They ask me basic questions, gather my information and some of Jessie’s because she’s the homeowner and was also present. I can tell she’s trying to be calm, but she’s uneasy at their presence in her home. I wanted to smack the one who gave her a double take when she gave her full name. They know exactly who she is.
“Mr. Bennett, can you think of anyone who would target you specifically? We can’t rule out random vandalism, but if there is someone in your life who you think might have a grudge against you, a motivation is a great place to start.”
Well, here goes nothing.
I knew I’d have to tell them. After our run-in yesterday, I’d bet money it was Daryl. I glance at Jessie, regretting not telling her when I had the chance.
“Actually, yeah, there is someone you’ll want to question.”
Jessie’s head jerks in surprise.
“Daryl Hawkins.”
The room goes silent. I see Jessie’s chest start rising and falling in heavy breaths.
“Okay. Describe your relationship with Mr. Hawkins.”
“Daryl is Jessie’s father, and we had a run-in of sorts yesterday.”
“What?” Jessie yells, standing from the table.
Fuck.
I stand, too. “I was going to tell you—”
“Why would you do that? I told you to fucking drop it. Why can’t you just—” She stops, remembering we have an audience. Turning on her heel, she walks away, slamming the bedroom door behind her.
I rub the back of my neck. That went about as horrible as I expected. The officers ask me to detail my conversation with Daryl, and I do, telling them everything. When they ask about him and Jessie, I stop because I don’t know what to tell them. She’s afraid of him, and he harasses her, but that isn’t anythingconcrete. I don’t know more because Jessie doesn’t tell me anything when it comes to her father.
Once they leave, I tape plastic to the truck windows, giving Jessie more time to cool off. My heart sinks when I find her bedroom door locked. I rest my head against it. “Baby, please let me in. I’m sorry. Just talk to me.”
