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“Like…an old picture? With a bet?”
Julie cringed. She hated that she’d been so open and honest with Taylor, but she had to explain from the beginning that she meant to see other people. That what they shared was sex only, and no feelings could come out of it. She’d made a vow that if it started to cross over the line, she was pulling the plug. If she had been smart, she would have done that, months ago. Now she was head over heels, and he was practically living in her apartment.
“I never slept after the sex. I’d always come right home. This picture was of me sleeping, here in my bed.”
Taylor clenched his jaw. “You mean to tell me someone came into your home while you were asleep?”
“Yes.”
“What did the paper say?”
Julie shrugged. “Nothing. But it didn’t have to. The stationary was locked away in my drawer, which means they knew where I hid the key, and they got into my secret place.”
“Why is this the first time I’m hearing about these packages?”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Because I didn’t think it was a big deal. Now I know.”
Officer Simms walked out and Julie rushed over.
“All’s clear. Why don’t you walk through and let me know if anything is missing or out of place.”
Taylor followed her in, but Julie hardly realized. After walking through the kitchen and living room, she made her way into her room. The bed was still a mess from this morning, but other than that, everything was meticulously placed. She opened the walk-in closet and was about to shut the door when she stopped in her tracks.
“Julie?”
Her heart started pounding. All Julie could do was stare in bewilderment. The reality that she wasn’t the only one with access to her home was becoming all too real, and it scared the shit out of her.
Chapter 4
Julie looked at the clothes in disbelief. Everything was always color coordinated. She had been that way ever since she could remember Rosa organizing her stuff like that. Hell, she’d even organized Taylor’s clothes in the same color patterns as her own. Black, blue, red, white, and so on.
As she looked at the way everything was mixed together, she tried to convince herself that she wasn’t losing her mind. She had not somehow done this herself. It went against everything she was. The fact that not just one thing was out of order, but all her clothes, would have driven her crazy until she fixed it.
“My clothes…they’re messed up.”
Aston peeked his head in. “How so? Everything looks fine to me.”
Julie pointed. “You don’t understand. I have a thing I do. Everything goes with its specific color, in a specific order. Black, blue, red, white. Look.” Julie stepped deeper into the closet. “They’re all mixed together.”
“Jules, calm down.” Taylor scratched his head, just as confused as her.
She looked at Aston. “I’m telling you, someone switched my clothes around. Taylor knows more than anyone how consistent I am about this. You have to believe me when I say someone was in here.”
Officer Simms looked at Taylor, and then they both looked at her. Julie immediately felt defensive. “I know you probably don’t understand, but I’m telling you I’m not making this up. Someone came in here and screwed with my stuff.”
“I know how you are,” Taylor said, “but I don’t understand why anyone would do this.”
“What do you mean, why?” She began putting her clothes back in order. “Why would they write letters and take pictures of me? Tell me, Taylor, because I’d really like to know. If this person can do something as immature as that, then why couldn’t they come in and screw with something as petty as the order of my clothes? Someone did it, I’m telling you. I sure as hell didn’t.”
Officer Simms pulled out his phone. “If you’re sure, and there’s no way you might have accidently rearranged the order yourself, I’ll believe you. But you have to be certain.”
Julie immediately looked down at what she was wearing. Black slacks, red silk blouse.
“No. It was right this morning. I took a shower and I came in here to grab my clothes. I would have recognized if it was wrong. Everything about this morning was…routine. Taylor and I got ready. We drank coffee. We left.”
Aston nodded. “Will you please excuse me while I call the Chief? He’s going to want to know what’s going on.” Before Julie could answer, he’d already disappeared. She turned to look at Taylor.
“You believe me, don’t you?”
