AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m only a phone call away,” he said. “Try and get some rest today. Maybe tomorrow after work, I can take you out to eat?”
“I would love that,” Dani said, then watched from the doorway as he drove away before she went back inside.
The house felt empty and too quiet, but it felt safe, and she was tired. So tired. From the day she’d found that journal to this moment, her life had been in upheaval.
But now, thanks to Aaron, there was nothing left to hurt her. No one left to fear. There were a dozen different things she could have done to spend this day, but she was crashing. Every step felt like she was walking through mud. Her eyes felt heavy. It was all she could do to get back to her room, and once she did, the bed beckoned.
She kicked off her shoes and stripped out of her clothes, before crawling into bed naked. Soft pillows cushioned her head. As she closed her eyes, the weight of the covers enveloped her. The last thing she heard was the air-conditioning kick on, and then sleep claimed her.
Aaron’s drive back up the mountain gave him time to think. He’d been so worried about keeping Dani alive that their time together had felt more like hiding. Knowing she wanted to pursue a relationship was the best feeling he’d had in a very long time.
His mother was outside watering the flowers when he pulled up and parked. She waved, then turned off the water and went to meet him.
“Hey honey! Good to see you! Is everything okay?” Shirley asked.
“Yes. It is now. Let me get my stuff inside and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“Betty and Ray brought Charlie home today,” she said.
“That’s great news! It’s a good day all around,” Aaron said, and then looked up as the door opened and Sean emerged.
“Hey bro! Is this a visit or what?” he asked.
“I’m home. Help me carry stuff in, will you?”
Sean frowned. “Is it over? Is Dani okay?”
Aaron nodded. “Help me get this stuff inside and I’ll fill you in on what happened,” and then he did, beginning with the end.
“I’ll tell you now that the man who was stalking Dani is dead, by his own hand. And Sean, the security you installed was invaluable. There’s footage of every time he drove past her house last night, of him coming into Dani’s backyard and breaking into her house, thanks to all of the cameras you installed. Everything was recorded. Both of our statements have been backedup by the footage. There are no misconceptions. No concerns of any kind that this was anything other than another attempt on Dani’s life.”
Sean shook his head. “You’re the one who camped out to stand guard. You’re the one who put his life on the line, and you’re the one who saved her.”
“I know she’s alive, but emotionally…how is she?” Shirley asked.
“Before, she was triggered by every little sound and noise. It was traumatizing all over again, but this time, it’s over. I think there’s a sense of relief just knowing there’s no one left with a grudge against her. It was the stalker’s own mother who called and warned her that he was in Jubilee, or this could have had a far different ending.”
“I can’t imagine being a mother and knowing your children are capable of such evil,” Shirley said.
Aaron shrugged. “Psychopaths are born broken, and she had two of them. It’s a tragedy all the way around, but she’s safe and that’s all that matters to me.”
“So, you moved into her life and moved out three days later. How do you feel about that?” Sean asked.
“Lonesome,” Aaron said, and then grinned. “Does that satisfy your curiosity enough?”
“Sean, don’t start,” Shirley said. “Aaron’s girl. Aaron’s business. Go find one of your own.”
Sean laughed. “Maybe I’ll join one of those online dating sites. Meet myself a crazy girl scamming for a sugar daddy.”
“You don’t have the income to be a sugar daddy,” Aaron said.
Both brothers burst into laughter.
Shirley rolled her eyes and left them sitting.
Later that night, and after everyone had retired to their rooms for the night, Aaron was still up, missing the sound of Dani’s voice and unsettled within himself. Tired of television, and too antsy to focus on reading anything, he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and went out onto the back porch and sat down in the swing.
The day had been hot and sultry, but up here on the mountain, it was degrees cooler and with an intermittent breeze. The sky above had turned midnight blue, revealing stars a billion light-years away.
