Chapter 22 – Daphne
22
DAPHNE
I ’d been back at work for three days and was sorting through listings for possible rental properties for Phoenix when Jan knocked on my door.
“I have a potential new client on the phone who wants to list their home, but they want someone to come out to view the property and take pictures for the listing within the next hour. I know you’re supposed to be on office duty, but you’re the only one available right now, and she’s willing to pay twice the normal fee if we can accommodate her.”
“Did she give you the address?”
“This is it,” Jan said and handed me a sticky note with the address written on it.
I quickly typed the address into my computer and almost choked on my own spit when I saw the property. “This is a three-million-dollar estate.”
“I know,” Jan said. “That’s the reason I’m asking you. It’s a lot of money to turn down.”
I looked at the screen and briefly considered my options, but Jan was right. It was too much money to turn down. “Tell her I’ll be there in thirty minutes. And get her name if you didn’t already.”
“Her name is Madelyn Mitchell.”
She had just turned to leave when I remembered I didn’t have my car with me. “Wait! I can’t do it. I don’t have a car.”
“You can borrow mine,” Jan offered.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks. I’m leaving now,” I said and gathered my things.
Once I was in the car, I called Flint.
“Hey, Daphne,” he answered.
“Hey, Flint. Are you available to meet me at a property right now?”
“Uh, sure. But I thought you weren’t showing any properties for a few days.”
“I’m not, but we just had a client call who wants to put their home up for sale. She had some time constraints, and I was the only one available in the office. It shouldn’t take long to look at the property and take some pictures. The rest can be done over the phone or by email,” I explained.
“Okay. Yeah, I can meet you there. Send me the address.”
“I’ll have to tell it to you. I’m already on my way.”
“How?”
“Jan let me borrow her car.”
“Oh. Do you want to swing by and pick me up?”
“I would, but it’s in the opposite direction,” I said and gave him the address.
“Okay. I’ll leave now. Wait for me to get there before you go inside.”
“I will,” I promised. “Thanks, Flint.”
Unfortunately, when I arrived at the property, I was met with a large gate and had to use a call box to gain entry, which meant I couldn’t sit in my car and wait for Flint to arrive. I took my time putting my phone in my bag and checking the digital camera before I had to get out and go to the door.
Inhaling deeply, I quickly glanced around the exterior before climbing the stairs and ringing the doorbell. It took a few moments longer than I expected for someone to answer. And when she did, I stood frozen in shock, unsure of how to proceed professionally. Because the woman standing in front of me was none other than Tori Bell, the woman my husband had an affair with.
She, however, was not surprised to see me and used my momentary shock to grab the front of my shirt and yank me into her house. I tripped over the threshold and fell to the floor as she slammed the door behind her and slid the locks home.
I had just managed to get to my feet when she turned around with a gun in her hand, pointed directly at me. “You have been the biggest pain in the ass,” she said in an eerie tone.
Instinctively, I raised my hands in front of me and started backing away from her. “What do you mean?” I asked. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I knew Flint was on his way. I just needed to keep her talking until he arrived and could call for help.
“You won’t die!” she screamed. “Why won’t you die?”
“You’re the one trying to kill me?” I asked in shock, followed by a surge of rage that I knew I needed to keep under control. I hadn’t done anything to her. Between the two of us, I was the wronged party. Not her.
“Yes! And you always come out unscathed.”
“Can I ask why you want to kill me?” I continued inching away from her while looking for anything I could use to help me. My purse with my phone and the gun my dad insisted I carry had fallen off my arm and slid across the tile floor when I fell.
“So I can have my money!” she screamed.
She wasn’t making any sense and was clearly unstable. Questioning her seemed to be making things worse, so I tried a different tactic.
“Maybe if you tell me what the problem is, I can help you come up with a different solution,” I offered.
Her face contorted with disgust. “There she is. Little Miss Perfect Daphne offering to help and make everything better. I don’t want your fucking help!”
At that point, I didn’t know what to do, and panic set in. She was going to kill me, and probably kill Flint in the process— and there was nothing I could do to stop her .