“Yes, the fire inspector has been working on the case. She’s had two so far but now we have new locks and doors, plus cameras thru the entire place.”
“Sounds too coincidental to not be related. We’ll need her to come down to the station for a line up. I know the records show she didn’t see anyone, but my guess is this is someone that knows her, and she might know as well.”
“She’s pretty shaken up, but I can get her there. I’m also going to get her away from this place for a while. She can stay with me.”
“Once they are done fingerprinting, do you have someone that can fix the door?”
“Yep, I have a buddy that fixed her shop so I’ll give him a call.”
“I think she’s been through enough, so I’ll just wait until you bring her down to question her. Make sure you come soon though.”
“Thanks Detective, we’ll be there as soon as my friend gets here.”
***
Maeve sat on her bed trying to fight off the tears. She didn’t understand why all this was happening to her. What had she done to deserve such a nightmare? Some crazy person was actuallyinher house. She felt violated. They’d invaded her personal, private space. They’d tried to destroy her business, twice. She didn’t want to know what was going to happen next.
She could hear Cole talking to someone in the living room but she didn’t’ even care. She was glad he was taking care of whatever it was. She just wanted to go to Cole’s house, crawl under the covers and never come out. She grabbed a bag from her closet and packed it full. When he was ready, she wanted to leave.
“Hey sweetheart, you doing okay.”
“I’m ready to leave, can we go to your place?”
Cole went to Maeve and hugged her. He felt horrible having to tell her she needed to go to the police station for questioningandto see a line-up, just in case she recognized someone. They already had the perpetrator; they just weren’t telling them who it was.
“We can, but we need to make one stop first, okay?”
Great, why can’t anything ever be easy?
“Where?”
“The Detective wants to talk to you at the police station, but I promise I’ll be right there beside you the entire time, okay?”
“I don’t really want to. There’s not much to tell them except what I heard from the bathroom.”
“I know you don’t, but it’s just routine, they need to get your official statement since it’s your apartment. They also want you to sit in on viewing a line up.”
“Why would I have to do that, I never saw anyone?”
“They caught the person that broke into your apartment.”
“They did? But I didn’t see who it was Cole.” Why would they need her to look at people in a line up when she doesn’t know anything?”
“They are under the impression that this might be someone that you know and knows you. Don’t worry, no one will be able to see you, we’ll be standing behind a two-way glass so you can watch them, but we won’t be seen.”
“And you’ll be there with me?”
“I won’t leave your side.”
“I guess if I don’t have a choice, I just want this over with.”
He placed both of his warm hands on her face and kissed her so sweetly it made her cry.
“We’ll fix this, I promise.”
Chapter16
While Mark fixed the apartment door, Cole looked out into to the parking lot, checking on Maeve who was sitting in her car. He didn’t realize she even owned a car since she walked everywhere. They’d never had a reason to talk about it before. He’d be lost without his truck but since he lived so close to the fire station, he hardly ever had to use it. He assumed the situation was the same for her. Living at his house for a while wouldn’t change anything, her walk would be a few blocks closer.
