Chapter 9 - Hazel #2
“There must be a process for a police investigation. We can give you the report number.” Reid had his calm, pleasant voice on.
He looked respectable in his glasses and peacoat, the kind of guy you could trust. A stark contrast to me in my ancient puffer jacket with down feathers poking out sporadically, and messy hair I’d forgotten to run a brush through this morning.
“Ah, I’m sorry, man. I’d like to help, but I think the police have to be here in person, or maybe have a warrant or something? I’m not sure. I really can’t get written up again.”
“It’s less than an hour of footage,” Reid pressed. “Please. Someone came onto the property and stole something. This is bigger than just one resident.”
“My hands are tied.” Mason seemed genuinely sorry about the whole thing, but he also wasn’t budging.
Pressure had started to build behind my eyes, and I made the split-second decision to lean into it. I let out an exaggerated gasp and flung up my hands to cover my face.
“Hazel?” Reid’s voice was thick with alarm.
“It’s just s-so hopeless.” I inflated the crack in my voice and willed tears to squeeze out of my eyes.
“Oh, honey.” Mason’s concerned voice came through now.
I forced out another sob. “Vermont is my best friend. He’s everything to me.” Okay, that was laying it on a little thick, but I did want my fucking cat back. “I thought the cameras would finally get us an answer. We’re losing time. It’s almost been a week since he was taken.”
Mason went silent and I split my fingers, chancing a look at him. He stared at the computer in front of him. He looked uncomfortable—stiff, yet somehow at the same time, ready to bolt. A woman in tears tended to have that effect on men.
“One second,” he finally said. Relief coursed through me as he typed a few keys and moved the mouse.
My eyes shot up to Reid’s and he narrowed his as if to say, “Play it cool.”
“Thank you so much,” I whispered, wiping away a tear that had fallen.
It was quiet except for the sound of the keyboard, for what felt like forever.
I was suddenly conscious of my whole body and how stiff my muscles were from standing in this musty office.
I rocked back and forth on my heels, willing this interaction to be over soon.
A small ball of anxiety had formed in my stomach at the thought of seeing what went down that day. Who hated me enough to do this?
“Ah shit,” Mason said.
My heart sunk straight to the floor.
“What?” Reid asked, an edge to his tone.
Mason ran a hand over his face and looked up at us apologetically. “It looks like the recordings are only saved for seventy-two hours, and then the drive overwrites itself. The footage isn’t here anymore.”
“Are you sure?” Reid asked, looking like he was itching to walk behind the desk, shove Mason away from the computer, and check for himself.
“That’s what it says.”
“Thanks for trying.” My words barely made it out.
Disappointment choked me. We were so close. I’d thought we’d finally have something solid to take to the police. With real evidence, maybe they’d step up and do something. Or if not, maybe I’d have to confront the person myself. Either way, I thought we’d walk out of here with answers.
“It’s okay, Hazel.” Gentle hands rubbed my shoulders. I looked up into Reid’s warm honey eyes. Or were they almost green? The color seemed to change by the day. “We’ll still figure this out.”
I appreciated his optimism, but it would take some time before even a spark of it found its way back to me.
“Wait, did you say Hazel?” Mason asked.
“I’m Hazel. Why?”
He shifted in his office chair and rifled through a small stack of papers. “These came to the office, since they didn’t have an apartment number.” He handed me two envelopes.
I said thanks, and he gave his condolences about my cat, before Reid and I went back outside, our heads hung low.
The snow had finally started, soft flakes coming down in scattered increments.
Nothing collected on the ground yet. This weather was the perfect excuse to crawl under a blanket and grieve this new loss.
Maybe I could get snacks delivered. Would that be sad?
Certainly not financially responsible, but going to the store right now sounded exhausting.
The paper sliced into my index finger as I opened the first letter. “Ouch,” I muttered, sucking the drop of blood that formed from the paper cut.
“Careful,” Reid said.
“Nothing new.” I held up my other hand, currently the home of two Band-Aids from cuts I’d given myself at work. When I returned my attention to the letter, my frown deepened. I tore open the second to find a similar message.
“Crap,” I said.
Reid gave me a puzzled look, and I handed him the letters. He adjusted his glasses before scanning them quickly.
“Don’t forget about the money. I know where you live.” His jaw tensed as his eyes met mine again. “Hazel, these are threats.”
“Weak ones,” I said. “Whoever this is already has my cat. I don’t know why they felt the need to go all Zodiac-killer on me.”
He looked at me with clear exasperation. “This is serious.”
I shrugged, completely detached from it all.
“If they wanted to hurt me, they would have. This is about one thing. Money. Money that won’t even be deposited into my account for a couple more weeks.
There’s no way whoever did all this is planning to, like, stalk and kill me or something.
They probably just watched one to many cheesy thriller movies. ”
Reid shook his head frantically. “You can’t predict what someone like this would do. Clearly they’re desperate.”
I waved off Reid’s concern. I had two clients later today, and if I crawled underneath my covers now, I could squeeze in a good sulk and maybe half a movie before I had to drag myself to the salon.
“It’s fine,” I said. “So what’s next? I’ve been working on the suspect list like you told me to.”
“I really don’t like how casual you’re being about this,” Reid continued, ignoring my question and following me. “This person is lurking around, watching you, threatening you. I don’t like it.”
Two lines formed between his brows. I had to admit, his distress was sweet.
“I mean, I’m not a fan of it either, but it is what it is. Too bad the note is typed, or maybe we could have gotten a handwriting expert on the case.”
“I don’t exactly have one of those on retainer,” he said dryly, dragging a hand along his face and looking up. “You shouldn’t stay here.”
I shrugged. “Well, this is where I live, and I can’t exactly afford a hotel room if I have to hand over all of my winnings at the end of this, so…”
“You could stay with me,” he offered. “I have an extra bedroom—”
Aa snort escaped me before he could even finish the proposal.
“I’m good, Reid. I appreciate your concern, but no.”
He still followed me up the steps instead of making the turn toward the gate that would have led him to his parked car.
“What about another friend you could stay with?” he asked.
“Not really on that level with anyone out here,” I said, which was the sad truth. My closest friend was still Zoe, from back where I grew up, and I’d hardly spoken to her in weeks. She didn’t even know what was going on with Vermont. I should probably text her.
“I’m being serious. You shouldn’t be here alone. Do you know how many cold cases I’ve looked into where a woman was abducted right from her home, or worse?”
He paused, licking his lips and shaking his head.
Maybe I was being na?ve, but the threats truly felt baseless. If this person wanted my money—which I didn’t even have yet—why would they come after me now?
“I really think this is just a scare tactic. Don’t let it get to you.”
He crossed his arms and tilted his head. “I’m not comfortable with you staying here alone.”
“Sorry, but I don’t have another option.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I interrupted. “I’m not going to your house. That would be weird.” My stomach flipped just thinking about it. Maybe weird was the wrong word.
“Please, consider it.”
“I’m good.” Truthfully, I found his offer quite sweet, but I was a creature of comfort. The last thing I wanted to do was pack up my stuff and go to this virtual stranger’s house. No matter how cute he looked in his black beanie.
“Hazel.” His arms flung up in the air. “I can’t in good conscience let you stay here by yourself.”
His protective insistence melted my heart a little, but I stayed strong.
“And I’m not going anywhere, so where does that leave us?” I asked.
A single snowflake settled on the frame of his glasses as he closed his eyes in defeat.