9. Chapter 9
Just as she was about to pack up for the day and finish her work at home because it was almost six, Melanie got a call from her mom. “Hello,” she answered while throwing her computer in her bag.
“So, how did it go today? Did you make up with the cute young man?”
“Mom,” she groaned. “Seriously, dont ask me about it until I bring it up again.”
“Well, that’s a no. What happened?”
“Nothing happened. I’m still at work, mom. I’ll call you back.” She wasn’t in the mood for this tonight. The day had been shit all around. She didn’t want to recap it.
“Wait!” Her mom said before she could hang up. “Come to the house Wednesday night for dinner. We’re hosting the Johnson’s and they’re bringing their son. You’ll like him. He works for the university.”
“Billy?” She rolled her eyes and shut off the lights to her office. “I know him, mom. We went to school together.”
“Perfect!” There was a door shutting and then a loud noise. Apparently her mom was doing laundry or something because it sounded like the dryer. “Then it won’t be a blind date.”
“He’s divorced and has two little kids! No mom! Just no.” She hung up and locked her office. That was ridiculous. She should’ve never said she was dating again.
The drive home was nothing special. She’d driven instead of walking today because there was a chance for rain. It never rained though. Since she didn’t walk, she should have gone to the gym, but she was too tired. Whether or not she admitted it to anyone, Levi finding that bug in her office had really bothered her. No telling how many things whoever it was listening had heard. It made her sick to think about. And why hadn’t Victor or Scarlett checked for bugs before?
Settling on the couch with some ice cream—because why not since she was probably going to get murdered any way—she grabbed her laptop and flipped on the TV. She put it on a rerun of a cop procedural she’d seen a million times already and scooped some more ice cream into her mouth while her computer booted up. Whoever was stalking her had to know her life was boring as fuck by now. There had to be more interesting people out there to obsess over.
While she was shoe shopping, her phone and laptop dinged with a new text message. Because her phone was too far to reach on the coffee table, she clicked the message icon at the bottom of the screen. It was Levi, and she rolled her eyes.
Hey.
That’s all he had to say? He lied to her then came to her office and blew up her world by finding that bug and all he had to say was “Hey.” Yeah, she wasn’t taking the bait. Flipping back over to her shoes, she dug out the last unmelted bite of her ice cream. But then he sent another message. She tried to ignore it, only lasting two minutes before her curiosity got the better of her.
I get it. You don’t want to talk…but will you at least listen?
What? Were they in high school? With a sigh, she typed back.
Listen to what?
The dots started moving on the screen, but she couldn’t watch, so she got up to throw away the carton and put the spoon in the sink. There was ding on her phone while she was making a glass of water. Then another one. He’d sent her two messages. Controlling herself to not rush across the room and grab it, she walked back to the couch and sat down.
I’m sorry. I could apologize a million more times, but maybe you can cut me a break. I don’t know any of your secrets and you know two of mine. If you can move past the Andrea thing then I’d like to try again. Go on a date with me, a real date where my work doesn’t interrupt us.
There’s something between us, Melanie. I know you feel it. Give me another chance and I won’t let you down.
In reality, she could probably move past the whole Andrea thing. Him keeping it a secret made total sense, even if she didn’t like it. But the other problem she had was that they were working together now. Dating a coworker always ended badly. Here though, she couldn’t just leave the job if things went sideways. People, especially the money man, or money lady, didn’t just ‘walk away’ from DeLaney. She knew too much. There was no way in hell that Andrea would let her leave and go to a different job, no matter how many nondisclosures and legal documents she had signed when she took the job. She wasn’t an idiot.
If she wanted out of DeLaney it was going to be in a body bag or in witness protection. She’d known that from day one and yet she still took the job. Leaving now would be hard for other reasons though because she really liked her job. She was good at her job. Why should she let a man get in the way of that? Maybe her mom was right and she needed to find someone, but there were lots of men in Berkland who didn’t have ties to DeLaney. Especially ties to The Boss.
With a frustrated groan, she typed back.
I don’t know…I need time to think.
Because she didn’t want to know if he was going to respond or not, she switched back over to the shoes she had been debating on. She definitely had to buy them now. Not only to feel better but also because if she was going to start dating, then she needed new shoes of course. Hitting the buy now button, she nodded her approval and closed the laptop. If she kept looking then she was going to end up with six new pairs of shoes and nothing to wear with them or anywhere to wear them to. Her phone stayed silent.
Three episodes later, there was still nothing new from Levi. That was fine. It wasn’t like her reply had given him anything to respond to. The buzzer by the door started going off, and she frowned. It was almost eight. Not expecting any visitors she stayed where she was, but a few seconds later, it went off again. She got up and held the button down.
“Yes?”
No one replied. Maybe they had figured out they were buzzing the wrong apartment? She made sure the door was locked and went back to the couch. But twenty minutes later, the buzzer went off again. Pissed off now, she went to the door.
“What?”
Still, no one answered. What the fuck was wrong with people? This was the third time someone had played this game with her in the last two weeks. She was so over it.
Her phone went off over on the coffee table. With a frustrated huff, she went to the kitchen and got a bottle of wine and a glass, then grabbed her phone. All of this could be dealt with much better in a hot bubble bath. She shut off the TV and read Levi’s text as she walked.
I’ll be here waiting.
That was kind of sweet. Rolling her eyes at herself, she turned on the bath. But the buzzer went off again. If no one was there this time, then her stalker was definitely fucking with her. She shut off the water, stopped at her purse on the dresser to get her gun, and went back to the door. It went off again.
“Listen, douchebag, find someone else to bother,” she said, mashing the button harder than necessary.
No one answered. Of fucking course. If she had on shoes and a bra, then she might’ve been tempted to go down there and see if she could see who this freak was. Just when she got back to the bathroom, it went off again. This time she was over it completely. She would not spend another night being woke up at all hours by that stupid fucking buzzer like she was last night. Against her better judgment, but knowing that it was the right decision she called Levi.
“Hello.”
“Levi, I think the guy that’s been messing with me is downstairs. Is the DeLaney car still out there?”
“What? Hold on.” She heard him do something and then say, “Seven to Control.” Apparently he had a radio with him.
Control go.
“Status on Detail Three.”
Wait one.
“Just stay calm and stay in your apartment, Melanie. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” She could tell that he was going down the stairs.
Seven, Detail Three changed shifts. New shift is unresponsive. We’ve dispatched Rovers to the location.
“Fucking hell. Find them, Control! And let Two know what’s going on.” “Stay on the phone with me, Melanie. Don’t open your door for anyone.”
Roger, Seven.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said and sat down on her bed. Before she could do anything else, the buzzer went off again. “He’s still at the buzzer.”
“Try to talk to him. Keep him there. The Rovers might beat me there, but we want to catch this guy in the act.”
She got up and went to the panel. “Hello?” “They never answer me, Levi.”
“I know. It’s ok, just try.” He was driving now, she could hear the road noise.
Control to Seven.
“Go ahead.”
Rovers on scene. Detail Three’s car is also there, but no personnel.
“Ok, have the Rovers post up at the entrance. I’m two minutes away.” He had to have been breaking every traffic law to be that close. She went to her bedroom to put on a bra and her house shoes. If nothing else, she didn’t need to look like she was a total mess when he got there. “Melanie?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m about to pull in the parking lot. Are you ok?”
“I’m fine. This is the third time this has happened. It’s not like I’m in a closet trembling or anything.” She put on her bra and went to sit at the kitchen table. “Just do what you need to down there and then buzz twice so I know it’s you.”
“Ok.” His car door slammed. “I’ll be up in a few.”
Putting her phone on the table, she sighed and laid her head on her arms. This was why they couldn’t date. It wasn’t good for him to see this fucked up side of her life. The last thing that she wanted was for him to like her out of pity or feel like she was damaged in some way.
The buzzer going off twice made her jump, and she scrambled to her feet. “Levi?”
“It’s me.”
She unlocked the door for him then pulled her apartment door open, only to be startled when there was a bundle of flowers sitting there. Slowly, she backed up. Thirty seconds later, Levi came into view, looking down at the flowers in surprise.
“They were there when I opened the door.”
“Well, fuck.” He bent down and grabbed the card.
“What’s it say?”
“Soon.”
“This guy is a fucking creep,” she said, walking away to go sit on the couch.
“Yeah he is.” Levi stepped over the flowers. He came over and sat on the coffee table in front of her. “From now on, you go to and from work in a DeLaney vehicle. Two cars will be here at all times, even when you aren’t.”
“Did they find the missing security guys?”
“Not yet.” He shook his head and pulled out his vibrating phone. “It’s Scarlett,” he said, getting up to walk away. “Yeah.”
“Ok. I’ll be there as soon as I can. He left flowers outside her door too. I’m gonna call a cop buddy of mine and ask him to come photograph them and pick them up that way it goes in the file for when we get this guy.”
“Yeah. I get it.”
He hung up and looked back over at her. “I need to go to HQ, but if you want, I can come back. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“No, that’s ok. Thanks for coming.” They definitely had a lead on where the missing guys were. “Just be careful.”
“Always. I’ll put a guy up here on your floor for tonight, but call me if you want or need. I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go.”
“It’s fine. Thanks again.”
Watching him walk out, she sank back on the couch and pulled a pillow in her lap to hug. She really fucking hated this guy and what he was doing to her life.