CHAPTER TEN
Charley stepped outside, pulling the glass door shut behind her before turning the key to lock it. It was nearly ten o’clock, a lot later than she planned to stay. But at least she was able to knock out all the filing that had been piling up on her desk.
She adjusted her backpack on her shoulder and started across the parking lot toward her car.
It was a beautiful night. The moon was bright, giving her more light than the crappy streetlights provided. She needed to talk to the city about the lack of maintenance on the streetlights. On her street alone, four lights were out and needed to be replaced.
She was about halfway to her car when it felt like the air around her shifted. A chill suddenly shot up her spine, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, giving her an uneasy feeling. She immediately sensed that she wasn’t alone. Someone was watching her.
Charley quickened her steps as she glanced around the parking lot. Nothing seemed out of place. No obvious figures were lurking in the shadows, and no one was visible. The only sound she could hear was her shoes tapping lightly on the pavement as she walked.
Her keys were already in her hand as she approached her car, and she pressed the unlock button before reaching the door. As soon as she was inside, she shut and locked the doors, pressing her back against the seat.
Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was trying to climb out of her chest. She closed her eyes for just a second, forcing herself to breathe. She was in the safety of her car with the doors locked.
Tap. Tap.
Charley screamed, and her eyes flew open at the sudden knock on the driver’s side window. For a split second, pure panic took over when she saw the large man standing next to her car. Every worst-case scenario crashed through her thoughts at once.
However, recognition came a second later, and the terror gripping her chest loosened just enough for her to drag in a shaky breath. It was Mr. Olson, one of the security guards who patrolled the area.
Charley pressed a trembling hand to her chest as relief washed through her.
His broad frame and shadowed features had scared the living daylights out of her.
But now that she could make out his familiar face, his badge pinned to his shirt, and his concerned expression, the panic slowly began to ebb.
Heat crept into her cheeks as she released a small laugh, silently scolding herself for letting her imagination run wild. Or maybe it was that damn Netflix horror movie that Alyvia told her to watch.
She rolled her window down to apologize for her reaction, but before she could get a word out, he offered his own apology.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Taylor. I didn’t mean to startle you. I came around the building and saw you sitting in your car. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay.”
Should she mention to him about that creepy feeling she had when she felt like someone was watching her? Or would he think she was just going crazy from the lack of sleep?
“No need to apologize, Mr. Olson. I’m okay. You just caught me off guard. That’s all.”
He gave her a small smile. “All right then. I’ll let you be on your way. Drive safe.”
She smiled back. “Thanks, Mr. Olson. Have a good night.”
She rolled up the window and put the car in gear. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she tried to tell herself that she was imagining things. But no matter what explanation she came up with, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling as she drove home.
◆◆◆
Twenty minutes later, Charley pulled into her aunt and uncle’s driveway. The glow of the TV in the living room spilled through the front window, and a pang of guilt settled deep in her chest.
Her uncle Glen was still up. Of course, he was.
No matter how old she got, he would always look out for her.
It didn’t matter that she was a grown woman, capable of handling herself.
He still worried. And she knew exactly what he would say when she walked inside.
Something about how he wasn’t actually waiting up for her, that something on the TV had just happened to catch his eye.
Charley huffed out a small laugh as she shut off the engine. She grabbed her purse and bag, then stepped out of the car and made her way inside.
As soon as she pushed open the front door, there was her Uncle Glen sitting in his recliner with a half-empty glass of iced tea in hand.
Then, as if right on cue, he spoke up.
“Hey, kiddo. I didn’t hear you pull up. I was going to head up to bed, but then got engrossed in this show,” he said, motioning toward the large TV that hung on the wall.
“Right,” she said, shutting the door behind her. “And I suppose the TV also made you check the clock every five minutes until I got home?”
Her uncle scoffed as he waved her off. But Charley didn’t miss the slight smirk he tried to hide.
“I wasn’t waiting for you,” he insisted, taking a slow sip of his tea.
“Sure.” Charley kicked off her shoes and sank onto the couch, stretching out her legs. “You could just admit you were waiting for me. We both know it’s true. At least I’ll be moved into my place this weekend, so you won’t have to stay up worrying anymore.”
He grunted, then set his glass down. “You think I won’t still worry just because you’re moving out?”
When she didn’t answer, he sighed and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
“It doesn’t matter where you sleep. I’ll always worry about you.”
Charley swallowed hard, emotion tightening her chest. Leave it to Uncle Glen to say something so simple and still hit her right where it hurt. She looked away for a moment, blinking fast, reminded that no matter how old she got or how far she moved, she was still loved and still watched over.
She offered him a small smile. “Thanks, Uncle Glen.”
He smirked, then sat back in his chair.
As they both sat there staring at the TV, neither saying anything, Charley’s thoughts drifted toward the stranger again, and the paper with the names on it.
They were both obviously connected, but how?
She wondered whether the stranger’s name was among the three listed.
The only way she was going to get answers was to somehow talk to the guy.
Charley thought about bringing up the stranger and the paper with the names on it. But then she decided not to. At least not until she could piece it together and make some sense of it. For all she knew, the person could be some wacko who seriously needed some help.
Charley was drawn from her thoughts by her uncle’s voice.
“What’s on your mind, kiddo?”
“Huh?” She asked, looking over at him.
“You look like you’re in deep thought over there.”
Does she tell him? Giving her mind a silent shake, she chose for now to keep those thoughts to herself.
“Just work things,” she replied, keeping to a safe answer. And she wasn’t lying. Whatever the situation with the stranger was, it was sort of related to work.
“How are things coming along?”
“Everything is coming together nicely. It’s just a lot of small tasks that need to be done.”
“Just don’t overdo it. You hit the ground running when you got here and haven’t stopped. Just remember that you can’t help anyone if you don’t take care of yourself first.”
She smiled tiredly. “I know. I’ll be fine.”
“Uh-huh.” His brow lifted, and he looked totally unconvinced. “That’s what you always say.”
Charley playfully rolled her eyes, but a warmth settled in her chest. As exhausting as the day had been, and as much as she hated making him worry, it felt good knowing that he cared.
They talked for a few more minutes before she finally pushed herself off the couch. “Alright, I’m calling it a night. I need a shower and sleep before I have to do all this again tomorrow.”
Uncle Glen nodded as he picked up the remote. “Good night, kiddo.”
She headed upstairs, her body feeling ten times heavier with every step. The second she stepped into the bathroom, she turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the space as she peeled off her clothes. The hot water felt like heaven against her sore muscles, washing away the tension of the day.
By the time she finally crawled into bed, she could hardly keep her eyes open. But as her body melted into the mattress, her mind again drifted back to the stranger.
Her first instinct towards him had been cautious, like a warning in her gut. But now, staring at the ceiling in the dark, a different thought crept in.
What if he needed help? What if he wasn’t dangerous, just lost?
Her job was to help people. To provide a safe space for those who needed it. Maybe, hopefully, if he really needed something, he would come back.
She let that thought settle as her eyes fluttered shut, exhaustion finally winning. Tomorrow would be another long day.