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“Could this be someone trying to scare you?” Martinez asks. “Who knows about what happened to you?”
I shake my head hard. “It’s him. He made sure I knew it was him.”
“How?”
The air in the room tightens as I recall details only I know. “His words…it comes in three,” I whisper.
His forehead crinkles, the information not making sense to him. Of course, it doesn’t, it’s new information. I didn’t tell anyone.
“I didn’t figure the detail was very useful.” When he flashes a stern look, about to lecture me, I add, “It’s not like knowing he has OCD will help find him.”
“Tell me now,” he says sharply. I really didn’t think it was that important.
I drop my head and continue. “Every time he shoveled dirt, he did it three times and then took a break. Not a long one, but enough to notice. Thump. Thump. Thump. Then silence.” A tear runs down my cheek as the memory strikes an emotional chord. “Why is he back for me?” My voice cracks, pleading for answers from Martinez. “This wasn’t supposed to be about me.”
Martinez exchanges a glance with one officer, his expression serious. Zoe clasps my hand and puts her head on my shoulder. Guilt rips through the center of my heart and intertwines with fear that I brought this terror to her.
“Will I ever be safe from this monster?” I overhear officers in the doorway, directing our neighbors to go back into their apartments.
This is great. Everyone will find out who I am now.
A bark and a streak of brown bursts through the open front door, weaving around officers. A dog darts directly at me and leaps onto the couch, finding the small space between Zoe and me.
“Whoa. Where did he come from?” Zoe says, shifting away from me as Riggs fixes his black orbs on her.
“Riggs?” I glance toward the door, half expecting Paxton.
“Where did this dog come from?” Martinez snaps, standing at attention with his chest puffed out. He also knows who the dog belongs to, and he’s not happy.
Right on cue, Paxton runs in with a dangling leash in one hand. Martinez sends him an icy glare, and Paxton just shrugs, holding up the leash.
“Bullshit. He fucking let him loose,” Martinez mumbles under his breath.
Paxton’s wearing a black T-shirt with “security” written in large white letters on the front. He shoots me a quick apologetic glance, and my heart flutters. One officer gives him a nod and a pat on the back before Martinez confronts him, almost nose to nose.
“Why are you here?”
“I was working a security job when I got the call,” he replies, unfazed. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to Kali.”
“I do mind.” Martinez shifts to his right, stopping his advance. “You left your security job? Just like that?”
Paxton’s expression hardens. “There were two of us working. I called the company and told them I had an emergency. I’d be happy to give you all the information.”
“You do that,” Martinez clips, standing firm in his position, making Paxton go around him. “And put that damn dog on his leash.”
A weight lifts off my chest. It wasn’t him. I try to stand, but somehow Riggs’s solid head feels like a hundred-pound bowling ball in my lap.
Paxton comes and kneels in front of me. “Hey, you okay?”
I nod, even though inside, my nerves feel like they are on crack. “You got Riggs back. Does that mean you got your job back? You’re cleared?”
“I did.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “Guess Martinez didn’t tell you, huh?”
I sigh, shaking my head. Why can’t they work together on this and stop butting heads?
“I tried to call you, but with everything…I figured you needed more time. I get it. A buddy of mine messaged me and told me what happened tonight. Nothing could’ve kept me from coming. Since I didn’t know exactly where your room was, Riggs helped me find you.” He winks, and Riggs moves in between our legs and sits, proud of himself.
I really like this dog.
