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Chapter 32
What did the burglar say when asked why he kicked in his own door? I’m working from home. ~ Text from Hailey to Aiden.
Abeep wakes me from a dead sleep. Who’s the jerk calling me on a Sunday morning? I roll over and cover my head with a pillow. If I ignore my phone, it will stop – eventually. Lola growls and stands from her bed to walk to my side. She bumps my arm with her wet snout. Ew. I push her away. “Go back to sleep.” She refuses to budge, and her growl grows louder.
Shit. My phone isn’t beeping. The security system is going off, warning me of an intruder. Shit. Shit. Shit. I jump out of bed and immediately regret it when the room tilts. Lola presses against my leg to steady me. I pet her head. “Good girl.”
Lucky for me, I’m still wearing last night’s clothes. Dealing with an intruder while half-naked is not on my bucket list. I grab my phone from the charger on my bedside table and creep toward my bedroom door, Lola following me. I press my ear against the wall to hear if anyone is inside the house or if they ran off when the alarm was triggered. Fingers crossed for running off.
All’s quiet. I exhale. I’ll switch off the alarm and then I can get back to bed where I should be now. Before I can take a step, I hear a creak. The same creak the floor makes when you step on the spot at the entrance to my hallway.
I don’t think. I sprint to the attached bathroom with Lola hot on my heels. I push the door shut as quietly as possible and lock it. I’m not under any illusions the knob lock will keep anyone out, but it’s better than nothing. I need a weapon. Damn it. Why didn’t I grab my 9 mm from the drawer in my nightstand?
My eyes search the room for weapons as I lean against the door to catch my breath. Hair spray? It’s worth a shot. If I spray the intruder in the eyes, it might buy me enough time to run away. If not, I need something hard to smack him with. But what? A shampoo bottle? No. I shake my head and my eyes land on my bathtub tray. It’s not much, but if I put enough force behind it, it may be able to daze whoever thinks Sunday morning is an all right time to break into my house. Hint – no time is an all right time to break in.
I stand in front of the closed door with the hairspray in one hand and the tray on the vanity next to me. Lola pushes and nudges me until she’s standing in front of me. She tries to push me back away from the door. I pat her head but refuse to move. Such a good doggy. If we get out of this, I am totally buying her every doggy treat in existence.
My phone beeps with an incoming message. The sound is practically an announcement to the intruder Here I am! Come and get me! I freeze. Why the hell didn’t I put my phone on silent when I went to bed? Probably for the same reason I’m wearing the clothes from last night. One word – beer.
“I know you’re hiding in the bathroom,” a male voice shouts as his steps come closer to the door.
I don’t respond.
“Why don’t you come out and we can talk? I don’t want to hurt you. I only need something from you.”
Sure. I totally believe him. Not. I refuse to think about what he ‘needs’ from me.
Instead, my mind moves to Aiden. I wish he was here. I wish the man I love was here. Holy moly. The man I love? Do I love Aiden? Stupid question. I do love Aiden. I don’t know why I’ve been fighting my feelings. Life’s too short to hold back. And now I’m going to die in my bathroom with my dog for company. Lola whines as if she can understand what I’m thinking.
“Sorry, sweet girl, I love you,” I whisper as I pat her head. But I’d rather spend my dying moments with Aiden. She huffs and turns back around to stare down the door as if she’s disappointed in me.
“No one’s coming to save you. You might as well come out here and talk to me.” The voice sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place it. Maybe I should talk to him. Figure out who is he. I might not survive, but I can make a note on my phone for the homicide detectives.
Morbid, much, Hailey? I stiffen my spine. I am getting out of here. Come on, Hailey, you can do this. Talk to the guy and buy some time for the police to arrive.
“Who are you?” My voice shakes. I clear my throat and try again. “What do you want?”
“Why don’t you come out here and we can talk?”
“Why don’t you tell me who you are and then I’ll come out there?” Don’t worry. I’m not a total idiot. He’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming out of this bathroom. Lola is now growling and scratching at the door. Maybe she’ll bite him. Serves him right.
“Tell me where your camera is, and I’ll leave you alone.”
My camera? What does he want with my camera? Don’t tell me this is some disgruntled husband of a client who got caught cheating. I’ll never hear the end of it from Aiden. I bite my lip as I deliberate. Should I tell him where my camera is? Will he really leave if I give it to him?
“Why do you want my camera?”
“None of your business. Tell me where it is, or I’ll break this door down.”
His voice is loud and demanding. Uh oh. Someone’s getting mad. This is not good. I take a step away from the door as Lola’s growling changes to barking.
I open my mouth to tell him where the camera is. At the very least, I can try and sneak out of the house with Lola while he digs through my office. I hear a grunt and then a scuffle. I place my ear against the door to listen.
“Milwaukee Police. You’re under arrest.” I hear sounds of flesh on flesh. Oh please, don’t shoot someone in my house. I have no idea how to get out coffee stains, blood stains are beyond my laundry capabilities.
“Ms. McGraw? The intruder has been restrained. It’s safe to come out now.”
“How do I know you’re who you say you are?”
