Chapter Sixteen #2
Shaking my head, I clear the thoughts of Ice and try to focus on the music in front of me.
I have one more song to finish for the singer before I can send them to her and we can start to figure out what works and doesn’t for her ideas.
I think I’m nailing them perfectly, but I won’t know for sure until she gets to see them and listen to the demos I’m making.
It’s part of the process and one I truly enjoy doing.
Being in the recording studio without having the pressure to make each song perfect on the first take is freeing to me in a way because I want to make a good demo, but I can take my time with things until I’m happy with the arrangement.
I quickly glance at the baby monitor to see Bridger still sleeping with his arms above his head and a smile on his chubby little face.
He’s so completely at peace and I wish I remembered what that felt like some days when I watch him.
Before I can get back to the song in front of me, my phone starts to ring on the coffee table.
I pick it up almost expecting to see Ice’s name on my screen, but it’s not him.
Someone from the police department is calling me.
My hands start to shake and sweat as my heart starts to pound harder and faster in my chest and I can’t seem to catch my breath.
There’s only one reason why they’d be calling me—an update on Nora’s case.
“Hello?” I finally answer the phone as my entire body starts to shake and my voice breaks with the fear filling me.
“Miss Jones?” a man’s voice comes through the speaker as I nod my head before realizing he can’t see me.
“Um, y-y-yes. I’m K-K-Keaton Jones,” I say as I stand and start to pace because I need something to do instead of simply sitting on my ass when this call might change everything in a matter of seconds.
“Miss Jones, this is Officer Arnold. I’ve been assigned Nora Thomas’ case recently because of my experience with murder and everythin’ that will happen movin’ forward to the trial.
I just received a call from the jail about Dillon.
I know he’s the only suspect in the case and that you’re not only the lead witness, but you also have custody of the son he shared with Miss Thomas.
The guards overheard him talkin’ about findin’ you and takin’ his revenge for stealin’ everythin’ from him.
Especially his son. He wants him and is willin’ to do anythin’ to get him back.
The reason I’m callin’ you now is because he was just bailed out of jail.
I’m not sure who posted the bail yet, but he’s been released until the trial starts.
Can I put you and the baby in protective custody until then?
I don’t know how else we can protect the two of you,” he says and I come to a complete stop as I almost fall to the floor as my knees buckle and I barely manage to catch myself.
“Um,” I begin and then stop because my entire mouth is dry and it feels like the biggest lump has formed in my chest cutting off all words that want to come out and the breath I desperately need to take.
“No, I don’t want to go into protective custody.
I’ll arrange my own security team and won’t leave the house if I don’t have to. Thank you, Officer Arnold.”
I hang up the phone and finally sink to the living room floor.
Fear paralyzes me because this is the last thing I was expecting to hear today.
Memphis isn’t here to help me and neither are my parents.
This is a situation I have to fix myself.
I can’t leave Bridger’s safety to chance and need to figure something out, but my mind feels as if every thought is moving through a thick haze and being swallowed up by some kind of sludge.
I look around wildly as if Dillon is already on my property and trying to get in my house.
This makes me quickly jump off the floor as I start to move from one window to the next and each door to ensure they’re shut tight and locked.
I pull each curtain closed after making sure the blinds won’t allow anyone to see inside.
Dillon won’t have an easy time getting inside my house if I can help it.
Once I’ve been through every room on the main floor and basement, I check my camera feed to ensure the gate is closed.
He either needs to buzz me on the panel or put in a code to open the gate.
I’ve had it made so it’s almost impossible to climb over as a way to bypass driving through an open gate.
I say almost impossible because if someone wants to get on my property bad enough, they’ll find a way.
There’s only one person I want to call right now as I lift my numb hand and take a few minutes to unlock my phone.
I can’t type in the password and for some reason, it’s not allowing my face to unlock it.
Maybe because I’m shaking so badly. I finally manage to open the phone and scroll for Ice’s name.
Pressing the call button, I silently pray he answers as tears stream down my face.
“Hey, Keaton. What’s goin’ on?” he answers the call on the first ring.
“Ice,” I sob, breaking as I sink back to the floor like I’m hiding from anyone being able to see me through the curtains over my windows.
“What’s wrong, Baby?” he questions me, panic filling his voice as I hear him move around on his end of the call. “Ya gotta talk to me so I can help you.”
“D-D-Dillon’s b-b-been r-r-released,” I finally stammer as my voice breaks and I get choked up on a sob.
“Fuck! Okay. I’m on my way, Keaton. I’ll be at your place in five minutes. Is the code still the same to get in the gate?” he asks me and I once again nod my head instead of answering his question.
“Y-Y-Yeah,” I finally say when I realize what I’m doing.
“Stay on the phone with me, Keaton. Where’s Bridger?” he asks as I try to focus on the conversation instead of glancing nervously around the house in all the shadows.
“He’s sleeping. It’s almost time for him to wake up,” I say, my voice still weak but I can manage to speak without stuttering.
Ice has a calming effect on me. He keeps me talking instead of focusing on being alone with Bridger and not knowing where Dillon is.
I’m not sure if the cops even know where he is now that he’s been released from jail.
I don’t think they’ll keep tabs on him until the trial.
Ice asks me questions and tells me where he is every few seconds.
I focus on his deep voice and try to recall how it makes me feel when we’re together.
His words don’t really mean anything right now because I can’t pay attention to more than one thing.
My brain is fried with the news and I’m trying not to let my absolute fear win and take over my entire body.
“I’m here, Baby. Puttin’ in the code to open the gate now. Not gonna keep ridin’ until it’s firmly closed behind me,” Ice informs me as I push up off the floor and slowly make my way to the front door. “You want me to park in the driveway or garage?”
“Garage,” I say, changing my direction to the kitchen where he’ll enter the house now. “I’m almost at the door so I can unlock it.”
I listen as Ice shuts his bike off once he’s in the last bay of my garage and the door slowly slides closed behind him.
I can hear him moving around as he switches his phone to speaker instead of the Bluetooth he has on his helmet.
He tells me he’s almost at the door and I slowly unlock it and take a few steps back.
Ice lets me know he’ll knock twice and then open, that’s exactly what he does as the door slowly opens and I get my first glimpse of him.
Ice doesn’t hesitate to enter the house once we have eyes on one another.
He pulls me in his arms and holds me tight as I try to wrap my body around his.
Ice lifts me in his arms and helps me wrap my legs around his waist as I bury my face in his neck.
before walking us into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.
For the longest time he simply holds me and lets me cry while trembling in his hold.
He runs his fingers through my hair and gently rocks us back and forth.
There’s no pressure as my fear slowly starts to fade away with his presence.