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“How does he know where everything is?” Kyla accuses.
I pretend not to listen and settle in beside Siân.
“What are you talking about?” Siân mumbles.
“What’s going on between you two?” Kyla tips her chin in my direction, and from the corner of my eye, I witness Siân glancing at me.
“Nothing,” Siân claims.
We all know she’s lying. Even this officer here can see it. He’s watched us from the very second she hugged me.
“Ms. Danforth and Ms. Zimmerman. There is no sign of forced entry. None of your doors or windows have been tampered with. But when is the last time you’ve been in your backyard?” the lady officer asks.
Kyla and Siân frown at each other.
“Never. Not since we moved in.”
“Hm.” The officer scribbles on her notepad.
Siân scoots to the edge of her seat, and Kyla straightens her spine.
“No. What?” Siân quizzes.
“It’s just that footprints are leading to and from the porch and back to the front yard.”
A shiver runs the length of Siân’s spine. “So, someone broke in?” She nods rapidly.
“That’s the thing. We can’t find a shred of evidence that someone broke into your home. All the locks are intact, and there isn’t anything that tells us otherwise.”
“Someone was here. I promise you,” Siân cries out, her eyes blinking over and over.
Kyla leans in and whispers in Siân’s ear. “Show them?”
I’m able to make out her words.
“What are you not telling us?” the first officer blurts.
Siân groans and digs the note she showed me from her pocket. The lady cop takes it, and the two of them examine it, frowns forming on their faces.
“What does this say?” the male cop questions.
“We don’t know,” Kyla interjects.
“You’re mine,” Siân translates, and everyone stares at the blankness in her expression. She drops her head and begins fiddling with her fingers. “I’ve been stalked before,” she admits, jitters taking over her body.
Kyla glares at her as the cops wait for her to continue, and I pull her close to keep her from saying more than she wants to. No one seems to notice how fidgety she’s become.
“Five years ago, when I lived in Philadelphia. Someone followed me around and left a note like that.” Siân drops her head.
“Did they catch this person?”
She silently tells them no.
“Okay. We’re going to take this in for processing, and if we need anything or have additional information, we’ll contact you. Keep your phone on in case we have questions.”
“Of course.” Siân sits up and takes a sip of water.
“We’re going to get out of here. We’ll send an officer around every few hours until we sort this out.” The male cop shakes all our hands.
I stand to meet his height. “Thank you, Officer.” I hold out an arm, guiding them toward the front door.
From the corner of my eye, I see the girls stand as I bid the police goodbye. When I close the door and face the girls again, the tension is heavy in the room.
“Thank you for being here, Christian. You didn’t have to come,” Siân says.
I rush to her. “Are you kidding me?” My fingers pull at the fabric of her shirt, searching for the warmth of her body. I guide her close when my touch lands on her. “You never have to worry when you’re with me. I’m here,” I add and tighten my grip on her.
“Taj.” Kyla jumps to her feet.
Thankfully, Siân’s face is buried in the crook of my neck. Otherwise, she’d see the inappropriate plea of excitement on her best friend’s face when her boyfriend walks in.
“What’s going on here?” Taj asks, waving a hand at Siân’s and my embrace with a scowl upon his mug.
“Taj.” Siân pushes away from me and turns to her boyfriend. “You made it.”
He frowns, his arm still outstretched at me. “What’s all this?”
“Nothing. I’m glad you came.” Siân presses against him with a hand on his cheek to force his focus on her.
Taj sighs, though still visibly bothered. “What’s going on?”
“The police just left,” Kyla interjects.
Taj doesn’t look at her, and her shoulders slump.
“There was no forced entry. But they found footprints out back,” Siân fills him in.
“And?” Kyla snips.
Siân rolls her neck. “I’ve been stalked before and—”
Kyla cuts in. “And she never told me.”
“Kyla, I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how to tell you,” Siân defends.
“How about hey, don’t move in with me because someone wants to kill me?”
Everyone is talking over the other.
“Why would you say that?” Siân cries.
“What are you talking about?” Taj chimes in.
“I’m just saying.” Kyla shrugs.
I grip Siân by the waist and spin her to face me. “Hey. Don’t let her rile you—”
“Get your fucking hands off of her.” Taj shoves me, and I stumble backward.
I lunge forward with my teeth clenched as I grab him by the collar and drag him across the room, then slam him into the wall nearest the door. Siân and Kyla are at my back, fighting to pull me off Taj. I sneer at him, daring him to even blink the wrong way. I’ve wanted to end his pitiful life since the moment I met him.
