Chapter 15 #2
Life was indeed good. He fixed their issue and got them up and running again in half an hour.
He checked in with Derek and got a thumbs-up that he was okay.
Then he made sure he was out of the way of the busy staff and returned to the office, where he completed paperwork on all the things he had done and the incidents he’d closed.
By the end of a very long day, Harm was exhausted and his legs felt like lead.
He swore he had walked miles. And he had to get up the next day and do it all again.
Checking the time, he clocked out and pulled on his outdoor gear before going to his truck and heading out for the evening.
He drove to the library and hurried inside.
Derek wasn’t behind his desk, and Harm looked through the library before taking a moment to write a note and hand it to one of the ladies.
“Derek left about fifteen minutes ago. He figured you were working late and wanted to get home. He said that he’d text once he arrived.
” She checked her phone. “Maybe he forgot.” She sent a text, but Harm didn’t stand around waiting for a reply.
He hurried back out to the truck and drove the route Derek usually took home.
He kept a lookout for him but didn’t see Derek walking.
Harm drove as quickly as he dared and turned the corner near Derek’s home before pulling up out front.
He sent Derek a message and got out of the truck, knocking firmly on the door.
He watched his phone to see if he got a response but didn’t see anything.
Harm knocked again and was about to head into the back when the door opened.
“Harm.”
He lunged at Derek, holding him tightly, letting the fear that had threatened to overwhelm him ease away. He wanted to ask a billion questions, but for the moment, holding him was enough.
“Come inside,” Derek told him. Harm closed the door behind him and held out his phone. “Oh. I dropped mine and it stopped working. I didn’t realize until I got home. I need to go in tomorrow and get a new one.”
Harm met him with a steely gaze. “You scared me.”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to get home. I was tired, and I didn’t know how long you were going to be. I told Connie where I was going.”
Harm rolled his eyes. “Please don’t walk home alone. William could be watching, or he could decide to hurt you.” At least Derek was okay, but Harm’s heart still pounded at the thought of him being hurt… or worse.
“I’m okay. I spoke with Connie today, and she said that if William came in, she would do her best to try to listen in.
But of course he could always come in on her day off.
I get what you’re thinking, but I have to make sure there is a way for him to incriminate himself.
That’s the real point here. Get William to say something that we can use against him. ”
“Yes, it is. But the point is also to keep you safe, and that isn’t going to happen if you walk home alone.
What if he had confronted you, or what if…
?” Harm paused with his fingers over the letters on his phone because he didn’t want to write the words.
They were too frightening to say. He pressed Send and hoped Derek got the idea.
“I don’t think William is actually going to hurt me,” Derek explained.
“Why would you think that? He threw dead stuff into your yard, and he….” Harm sighed.
“He isn’t right in his head. He thinks you’re in love with him, and he can’t understand why you don’t just do what he wants.
” Harm was getting frustrated, and he jabbed at his phone with his fingers.
“I just want you to be safe. I was scared half to death that something might have happened to you on the way home.”
Derek read the message.
“You’re way too nice and too kind. You see the goodness in just about everyone.
Even me, when I came into the library, dressed to kill people, as you put it.
You were the only one who didn’t hide when I came in.
And you were the one who helped me and found out what was going on.
” He pressed Send. “I didn’t even see myself, and yet you saw me for me.
William doesn’t see you. He sees what he wants to see, and that’s scary.
Reality has very little to do with his world.
And I don’t want you to get hurt.” Harm sent the last message, and Derek nodded slowly.
“Okay. I won’t walk home alone again. And I’ll call from the library if I have issues with my phone.
I can always leave a voicemail, but at least you’ll know I’m okay.
” Derek hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry I scared you.
” Harm put his arms around him, holding Derek tightly, relieved that there was nothing wrong. “I really am sorry.”
Harm didn’t move. He knew how Derek felt.
It sucked to have other people telling you what you should and shouldn’t do.
Walking home after work was something Derek had done for years, and now he had to stop because of William.
Harm knew it sucked, and he hated asking Derek to change parts of his life. But it was for his safety.
“How about I make us something for dinner? I have some frozen shrimp I can put in the air fryer if you like that sort of thing. I know it isn’t fancy, but I’m really tired and don’t have the energy to make something from scratch.
Maybe over the weekend I can cook something really nice.
” He stepped away, and Harm followed him into the kitchen.
“I have some chicken, and I was thinking of making stock and some chicken soup later this week.”
Harm smiled and nodded. He loved soup with noodles, and this was the perfect time of year for it. “That sounds really nice.”
“Okay.” Harm followed him into the kitchen and helped make dinner.
More like he did what Derek asked him to, and soon they sat down to fried shrimp and salad.
As Derek said, it wasn’t fancy, but it hit the spot.
And once they had finished, Harm got Derek settled and got ready to leave.
He hadn’t spent much time at his place in the last couple of weeks.
Things with Derek had progressed quickly.
But there were things he needed to do, so after making sure all the doors were locked and that Derek’s cameras were working, he headed home, wishing he had stayed with Derek’s warmth just as soon as he stepped out into the cold, wintry night.