Page 2 of All the Broken Pieces: Vol. 3

Chapter 2

“Ms. Sabba? Are you all right?” It’s Jane’s voice carrying through the house.

I want to sink into the couch and die. I make a snap decision and I’m on my feet, hoping K’Teal doesn’t screw me over. “Yeah, I’m in here. Hey, listen.” I round the corner of the living room and enter the foyer. “I didn’t call this in. My driver didn’t realize the glass was broken this morning—he called it in. I’m fine. Nothing is wrong here.”

Jane watches me closely, her frown makes her square jaw lock in place. “Is that so?”

K’Teal is behind me, his hands all over the place when he speaks. “Shit, Abbs. I didn’t know this was from this morning. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Jane sweeps her dead gaze over K’Teal and asks, “Boyfriend?”

“No,” I can’t help it, I make a face that says she must have hit her head to think such a thing. “Uber driver.”

“That POS sitting at the curb?” Jane asks questions in half sentences. It’s annoying, but it’s also hard to not answer.

“It’s mine, dog. And she’s the best. Ain’t no POS.” K’Teal answers a few questions for Jane before she walks through the house.

She scribbles onto a notepad, her expression dead. She finally turns back to me. “Is there anything else you want to report?”

“No. I’m sorry to call you out twice over the same thing.”

Jane stares at me, then K’Teal. He doesn’t say anything, so she turns to leave. Her eyes fixate on the new missing pane of glass. “I thought there was only one broken window.”

“Me, too,” I lie. “I didn’t notice this one until sunrise. It was cracked in the frame. When I touched it, it fell out and shattered.”

Jane listens and nods. Makes a note. She can tell I’m lying, but she can’t figure out why. “Ms. Sabba, get that glass replaced right away. We don’t want to waste resources sending officers out when they’re not needed.” Her dark eyes hold my gaze as she chastises me.

I take it and nod in agreement. “I will. I’m sorry about this.”

Her eyes scan the door frame as she walks through, before glancing down at the shattered blue glass on the sidewalk. She says nothing, strides back to her patrol car and sits there for a moment before pulling away.

K’Teal is in the living room, picking up the contents of the drawer and putting it back where it goes in the desk.

“Thank you,” I say from the other side of the small room. Sunlight cuts through the front windows, illuminating the space.

The young man’s face is lacking his usual animation. “You think the cops won’t help you? Not that I blame you, but still. You’re a chick living alone.”

My face scrunches before I can hide my shock. “How’d you know that?”

He shrugs. Looks around. “No photos of a guy. No dog. No cats. You have pictures out, but nothing of people. You’re a loner, chica. No worries about that. It’s all good. What I can’t understand is why someone would break in here and mess with you like this, and then you don’t bother reporting it.” He watches me, and for a moment I think there are more brains in that head than he lets on.

“Like I said, the cops were here this morning.”

“Right, and after a break-in, you went out with the front door wide open.” His voice drips with sarcasm. “And I might not be the brightest guy on the planet, but I was here when you left this morning. No broken window there,” he points to the empty pane, “and no open door. So, I gotta ask—are you all right? Is someone trying to hurt you?”

A bitter laugh tumbles out of my mouth. “No one is trying to hurt me. It’s probably just some kids screwing around.”

“Yeah, well, either way, I’m thinking you shouldn’t be alone. You want me to stay?” His gaze meets mine and is nothing but sincere. He doesn’t like this and the sense of chivalry in him is surprising. It’s not a come-on. He means to protect me.

I wave him off, careful not to insult him. “No, of course not. But, thank you. You need to work. And vlog. Don’t be silly. I’m fine.” I smirk and tuck my hands into the crooks of my arms, watching him, waiting for him to go.

He snorts and rolls his eyes. “Strong women are all the same.” He pulls a card from his wallet and puts it on my coffee table. “That’s my cell number. I’m not too far from here. You need something, just call. Don’t be a dick about it either.”

My jaw drops. “What do you—?”

He smiles and shakes his head, “You know what I mean. You got it in your head that you don’t need no man, no friends, no one. Sometimes you need help, B. All you gotta do is ask. Got it?”

My arms drop and I blink at him. “Did you just call me a bitch?”

He laughs and dons his cap, twisting it backwards. “Yeah, only my homies get that kinda respect, so take it.” He walks out the door and stops on the stoop, turns back and asks, “Need a ride tomorrow morning?”

I nod.

“I’ll be here. See ya then, B.” K’Teal saunters down the sidewalk, slips into his car, and drives off. I’m not sure if I’ve made a friend or picked up a really weird stalker.