I follow him even though staying inside would probably be more dignified. He checks windows, stairs, the outdoor shower, the under-house area, and the stretch where the dune path begins. The whole time, he asks simple questions without making me feel foolish.
What happened in Orlando?
Was anything taken?
Did the person leave a note?
Do I have copies of the police report?
Did the missing knife have sentimental value?
That question catches me off guard.
“It was mine,” I say. “My favorite knife.”
“So … yes?”
I look at him. He doesn’t smile. The wind moves between us, warm and salty.
“Yes,” I admit. “I guess so.”
He writes something down. By the time we return to the porch, I feel both calmer and more embarrassed, which is a combination I dislike intensely.
“I know this probably sounds like I’m overreacting,” I say.
“What it sounds like,” he says, “is that someone broke into your home yesterday, touched private belongings, took an item personal to you, and now you’re alone in a rental house trying to decide whether every unfamiliar sound is a threat.”
My throat tightens.
“That’s unfortunately accurate.”
“Then I’d rather you call us over a storage door than talk yourself out of calling when something genuinely feels wrong.”
I blink at him, caught off guard by the kindness.
“Thank you.”
He gives a brief nod. “For now, I don’t see evidence of forced entry into the cottage. The storage door could have been left unlatched. Footprint could belong to maintenance, cleaning crew, previous guest, or someone who cut beneath the house to reach the beach path.”
“So it really could be nothing.”
“It could.”
“But you don’t sound convinced.”
“I’m not convinced either way.”
That is somehow worse than a lie meant to comfort me.
Sheriff Vaughn pulls a card from his pocket and hands it to me. “Call the office if anything else happens. And if you feel unsafe, don’t worry about whether it sounds silly.”
I take the card carefully.
“Okay.”
He turns to leave, then pauses near the stairs and looks back at me. “One more thing, Ms. Stone.”
“Yes?”
