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Sofia closed her eyes in relief.
“Sofia?” Ian’s voice sharpened when she didn’t answer. “Are you okay? Is it the b—”
“My car.” She hoped he could hear her. She couldn’t make her voice any louder.
“Did you break down? Are you stranded somewhere? Sofia, I need you to talk to me.”
She was trying.
“Okay, so first I want you to take a deep breath in for me,” Ian ordered. “In…”
She did, and let it out when he said to.
“Again.” He breathed with her. After a few more breaths, he seemed to think she was calm enough to speak, because he said, “Now I need your sit rep. That is, you to tell me clearly and simply what’s happened.”
Grateful that Ian was calm and in-control about this, Sofia told him what she’d found.
He didn’t ask questions, something else she was thankful for. She obeyed his instructions to get in the car and lock the doors.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he promised her.
He was as good as his word. She’d known he would be. Just a few minutes later, he flew into the lot, jumped out of his car, and ran to her side. He almost pulled her from her vehicle, and she stumbled…into his arms, where he held her tight, those inked arms wrapped around her, his big solid body safe and secure. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and breathed in his masculine, slightly citrusy scent.
“You’re okay,” he said gruffly. “You’re doing fine.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. She took a drink from the bottle of water he handed her and poured some on a tissue to wipe her face, pulling herself together. She was normally cool and unflappable. What must Ian think of her? Although the way the concern in his eyes morphed into heat when he slanted a gaze her way told her the answer to that.
“This lot is pretty open,” he said, assessing the space where the student body, the faculty, and staff parked. “That kid you saw—”
“Scotty. Scotty Wagner.” The idea that he, one of her kids had done this…
“Would have had no trouble walking onto here.” Ian scowled. “Well, let’s go see if we can catch him in the act.”
She didn’t understand until he pointed at the security camera on the end of the row. “Oh!” The parking spaces were open, but a canopy sunroof ran the length of each row, and small black cameras dotted them here and there. They could get the footage!
“I think it’s just the after-hours admin guy on duty right now,” she cautioned, as they walked to the main door.
“That what they call a custodian these days?” Ian’s voice was wry, and smiling at his joke had Sofia feeling more normal again. Although normal was relative, she supposed.
“I’d better call the police,” she said, taking out her phone as they waited for the main door to be opened.
She glimpsed Ted through it and waved.
Old Ted had been there for more years than Sofia had been alive, and treated even the elderly female teachers as honorary granddaughters. He was horrified at what had happened and sucked in his breath through his teeth when asked about the security footage from cameras near her car.
“Well, now, see, those cameras in the parking lot? They’re just for show. They don’t actually record anything,” he explained.
What? Sofia fought the prickle trying to make its way down her spine. She’d seen the security cameras every day in the almost ten years she’d worked here, and had just assumed that they were doing what they were supposed to. Now that she knew the truth, she felt less safe.
“That’s ridiculous,” Ian fumed. “There won’t be much the police can do without a witness or video tape.”
That was exactly what the patrol officer said when he arrived to take her statement, get pictures of the damage, and dust for fingerprints. But at least she could have her car towed.
“I’d better get on to the garage.” Sofia sighed.
“I’ll take care of that.” Ian’s voice was firm. “But first, I’ll take you home.”
Sofia was grateful for the ride and Ian’s presence in general. She’d have hated to face this on her own.
“How secure is your place?” Ian suddenly asked as they waited at a stop light. “I’m thinking that when we get your car back, I can outfit it with security devices and do the same with your home too, if it doesn’t have any. Heck, even your classroom. I could do that tomorrow.”
He pulled up to her house and looked through the windshield at the building.
“It’s fine. I’ll be fine,” Sofia assured him. She guessed he was going to ask if he should come in. “Ian, thank you. I’ll call you first thing tomorrow about the cameras.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek in thanks, then hurried out.
It was good to have his help. Sofia doubted she’d have dealt with the events of today so well without him. But now that she was calmer, she knew she should reinforce some distance. It would be foolish to count on him too much, to get too used to leaning on Ian. Because one thing Sofia knew was that when you leaned on someone and they were no longer there…you fell.
