Chapter 18 Bailey #2
Again, nobody answered.
Chills skated down my spine as I slowly crept into the living room, my eyes roaming over every inch of the apartment. Nothing seemed to be out of place, but I couldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t right.
Cheyenne and I never forgot to lock the doors when we left, or even when we were home. After several break-ins last year in the area, it freaked us out to the point that we religiously checked our locks.
But right now, I didn’t dare lock myself in the apartment, not when someone could be inside.
Tugging my phone out of my back pocket, I dialed Cheyenne’s number.
“If you’re calling to tell me you won’t be home again tonight, there’s no need. I already planned everything out with Liam.”
“Cheyenne,” I whispered, not daring to raise my voice. “Did you lock the door when you left?”
“Of course I did. Why?”
“Because it was open.”
“Oh, shit. Are you still there?”
“I haven’t looked in our rooms yet,” I hissed as I made my way toward the back.
“Well, don’t go now! Are you insane?”
I was insane because I kept moving forward. But not a single thing was out of place. “It’s probably nothing. Maybe the lock didn’t catch.”
“Bailey, just get out of there.”
With every step I took, my heart pounded a little louder, but I didn’t dare turn back. I wasn’t chicken, and I wasn’t about to let someone scare me out of my own apartment.
Slowly, I pushed the door to Cheyenne’s bedroom open. A slight creak had me wincing, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t just hide outside like a scaredy pants.
“It looks like your room is fine,” I whispered.
“Even my dresses? What about my cowboy boots?”
“I’ll check.”
“No! Wait!” I heard her hiss under her breath. “No, it’s not worth your life.”
Chuckling, I entered the room. “Are you sure about that?”
“I want to say no, but I also need to see that my boots are fine. However, if you open that closet and an axe murderer jumps out and slices you into ribbons, Liam will never forgive me.”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants, determined to go through with this. I would not chicken out now. My shaking fingers slid over the handle, gripping as tightly as I could before I yanked the door open in a big whoosh that scared the crap out of me, even though I knew it was coming.
Nothing happened.
Her dresses hung perfectly in her closet and the decorative colors of boots lined her closet floor. Not a thing was out of place.
“Well?” she screeched. “Are they okay? I mean, are you okay? But are they okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” I whispered. “Not a single boot is out of place.”
“Oh, thank God! I mean, I’m glad you’re okay, too, but talk about a heart attack.”
Shutting her door quietly, I moved down the hall to the bathroom.
“Don’t you think you should leave now? I mean, now that we know my boots are safe and secure.”
“I haven’t checked my room.”
“Yeah, but honestly, what do you have that could be damaged in any way?”
“Thanks, Cheyenne.”
Pushing the bathroom door open, my heart kicked up a notch when I realized I was going to have to look in the shower all on my own.
“I need a weapon,” I hissed.
“Why? Is someone there? Protect my boots!”
Ignoring her, I backpedaled to the kitchen and grabbed a steak knife. “Okay, I’m going in.”
“Going in where? Bailes, get out of there!”
“Bailes? Seriously?”
“Jeff said it and I liked the sound of it. Now, would you get out of there?”
“I’m going to check the shower.”
“Ooh! Good idea. I just got a full liter of that new shampoo and conditioner.”
“Seriously?” I snarled.
“What? They were like…a hundred bucks a piece!”
“For hair products?”
“Hey, you don’t get hair like mine without spending a little money.”
I didn’t exactly agree. I spent about half that and loved the way my hair looked.
The idea of ripping back the shower curtain scared the crap out of me, but I wasn’t some girly girl who couldn’t handle an intruder. Then again, an intruder probably would have heard me talking and would have charged me.
Laughing to myself, I knew the whole thing was ridiculous. There was no one here. There couldn’t be. They wouldn’t hide in a shower.
With my nerves settled, I tore back the curtain, relieved when all was intact.
“Well? How are my hair products? I swear to God, I will open a can of whoop-ass on whoever broke in!”
“Everything’s fine,” I sighed, pulling the curtain closed.
“Right. So, we’re good.”
“No, I still need to check my room.”
“You know, it strikes me as odd that you’re on the phone with me. Shouldn’t you have both hands free to fight off an attacker?”
“There is no attacker. I’m alone.”
“Then why are you still whispering?”
“Because on the off chance that I’m wrong, I don’t want to let the intruder know that I know he’s here!”
“Well, that’s just silly. If he’s hiding, he already knows you’re there. In which case, he’s hiding because A, he’s hoping you won’t find him, or B, he’s waiting to jump out and kill you. In which case, you should take my boots and run!”
“All your boots or just your favorite pair?” I questioned as I approached my room.
The endless chatter was calming me slightly, but I doubted it would be enough to really quell the fear churning in my gut.
“You know what? Just grab a garbage bag and stuff them all inside.”
“While I’m running from the intruder,” I deadpanned.
“I’m not saying you’ll make it out unscathed, but that’s what I would do for you if you had anything worth stealing.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for.”
I sucked in a deep breath, willing the spots in front of my eyes to disappear. “Okay, I’m doing it. I’m going in.”
“Right. You got this! Oh, and make sure you strike hard and fast. Deep cuts!”
“Because I would go for paper cuts?” I hissed.
“Well, you are a bit of a sissy when it comes to hurting others.”
“Sure. I’ll make sure to not be a sissy. You would have already taken your shoes and run.”
“Boots,” she corrected. “Now, get in there and murder someone.”
I nodded, though she couldn’t see me, and flung the door open with a loud screech that would scare the shit out of anyone hiding in my apartment.
But it was empty.
As I stood there panting, I scanned every inch of the bedroom, got on my knees and looked under the bed, then flung the closet door open. Not a single thing was out of place.
“Well, that was anticlimactic.”
“It’s a shame you didn’t get to use your knife on anyone.”
“I know,” I said, frowning down at the weapon in my hand. “I thought for sure I’d need it.”
“Well, the good news is my boots and hair products are safe,” Cheyenne quipped. “Oh, and nothing else was damaged.”
“Good news all around.”
Laughing, I slumped against the wall, my body going into full meltdown mode after such a scare.
“This was ridiculous.”
“Right, well, you can never be too safe.”
I stomped out of my room to replace the knife.
“Oh, I should probably tell you—”
A dark figure appeared in the corner of my eye, and terror took over. I didn’t waste a minute as I spun and flung the knife at the intruder in my apartment.