Chapter 5
5
KELLI
M y coffee maker beeps at me from across the kitchen at the same time as my front door opens. My alarm starts chirping as Danny’s cursing floats down the hall to me as he tries to disarm it. I pour two cups of coffee, setting one on the island for him when he finally gets the alarm off and saunters into the kitchen. “I hate that stupid alarm. Brian sent someone to install one at our place last week despite my protests that it was unnecessary. Alex has gotten shit at work because I couldn’t get it turned off fast enough on Thursday and the cops called to check if it was a real emergency and it got around his department.” A loud laugh bursts from me. Danny was helpless with technology. He adds creamer to his coffee, standing across the island from where I’m sitting. “So, tell me about your date last night, everything you hoped and dreamed of?”
I groan and put my head down on the counter. “It was so bad. Like beyond so bad. He ordered all our food and drinks without asking me what I wanted, he talked about how amazing he was the whole time, and he wore a polo shirt.”
“Not a polo! God, straight guys have no class. Well, we can’t all be your prince.” His lips lift into a smirk. “Let me set you up on a blind date! Alex has a guy at the department that he thinks would be great for you.”
“I’m not opposed to it, but you are putting together two careers who tend to have terrible schedules. We would never see each other.”
“You’re right, that kind of defeats the purpose of having a guy to protect you. Speaking of, any new notes show up since the one in your mailbox?” His eyes narrow, his lips turning flat like he already knew the truth.
I don’t love that he still sees me as someone that needs protecting. “I can protect myself. I don’t need a man to do that. I want a man so I don’t have to be so lonely.”
“You can’t avoid my question. I grabbed your mail on the way in, Kelli.” He looks pissed as he stomps around my kitchen pulling out an envelope from his back pocket and hands it to me. I look down at the familiar scrawl of my name written on the front. Sliding my finger under the seal flap, I dump its contents onto the counter. Two photos fall out this time. I grab them both first looking at the front. One was of me and Carter outside the restaurant before our date where he had one hand holding the door and one hand on my lower back as I walked in. The other was dark, but I could make out Carter splayed out on the ground with a split lip and blood leaking from his nose. “What the fuck,” Danny mumbles from next to me. I turned them over and read what was on the backs. The first one said, No one touches what is mine -Mr. W. The second one said, You’re mine, Kelli - Mr. W.
We both sat there in stunned silence staring at the photos, while a million thoughts ran through my head. I shouldn’t have gone out with anyone while I had a stalker. It was extremely irresponsible and now Carter got hurt because of it. I let my guard down and failed to check my surroundings while walking into the restaurant.
Stupid. I was so stupid. I hadn’t even felt Carter’s hand on my back either but clearly, he had put it there for a brief moment. I think I need to call the police this time. I look over to Danny, but he is already on his phone, eyes roving from the photos to me and back.
Before I could even get my mouth open all the way, he interrupts. “I don’t want to hear it, Kelli. I’m calling Alex to get over here then we are calling the police. You are not allowing this to go on any longer.” I wasn’t going to argue. Instead, I moved on shaky legs to my room to grab the other notes that I had been collecting in the bag with the first one. When I come back out to the kitchen, Danny was pacing around the island, his brown eyes locked on mine as soon as I entered. “Alex is on his way. He said he was calling in some guys he trusts that are on duty and they will meet him here.”
“Okay.” My eyes turn downcast because he’s about to find out I have been lying about there not being other notes. Instead of facing his angry glare, I scroll through my phone to pull up the security app Josh had downloaded. I knew how to watch it live, which I only did when I got a notification that something had triggered the motion sensors. It had only happened so far when my car was pulling into the driveway or when a package was delivered to my porch. I wasn’t sure how to watch previous activity though to see if I could spot someone putting the envelope in my mailbox. “Have you and Alex ever watched back previous feeds from your security system? I can’t figure it out.”
He scrubs a hand down his face. “I haven’t and I don’t think Alex has either. Call Josh or Brian before the police get here. See if they can walk you through it and how to make a copy of it so we can have extra evidence.”
My feet pad down the hallway back to my bedroom as I debate who to call. I know Danny won’t keep this from Brian anymore after all this, but I’m not ready to deal with the anger I knew he would have towards me for lying to him. Plus, Josh told me to call if I needed help with the system. His deep voice answers on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Hey Josh, it’s Kelli Winters. I’m hoping you can help me out with the security system.”
“Yeah, of course, are you having problems with it?”
“No, I just need help with the app. I only know how to view the live feed from the cameras, but was hoping you could explain how to review previous footage. That is a possibility, right?” God, I hope it is. If I can catch a video of this guy, this nightmare can be over.
“The app keeps the feed from the previous 72 hours, so if it is in that time frame it should be no problem. What is the time range you are looking for and which camera? Is there something specific you need?” His tone lowers practically growling as he puts everything together. “Did something happen with your stalker?”
A heavy sigh slips past my lips, “I just need to see if any cameras caught someone putting something in my mailbox. It would have been sometime between ten last night and nine a.m. this morning. I need to get a copy of it, too, if there is something.”
“Kelli, you need to tell me if something is going on. Are you safe?”
His rough voice is demanding and sure with a hint of worry. I bite my lower lip to stop it from quivering. “Yes, I’m fine, just another little note. The police are coming to take my statement and the notes. Can you help me with the cameras or not?” I was irritated when I had no reason to be, but I’m overwhelmed and fear was starting to creep in again.
“I will go through it and send you anything I find. And Kelli? I’m telling Brian.” With that he hung up. Well, I guess it’s better he hears it from him and not Danny who could tell him just how many notes I have received by this point. I walk back to the kitchen to find Danny and Alex both stone faced and staring at me.
“Hey Alex, I didn’t even hear you get here. Thanks for being here for this and helping.” I supply with a small smile.
“My colleagues should be here in about two minutes and when they get here, you are going to explain to all of us about how, when and where this whole bag of notes and photos came from.” That would explain the expressions. Nodding, I take a seat at the island with my head in my hands. What a cluster this was all ending up to be. I was forever going to curse that damn patient who took the video that set this all off.
Two hours later, I was locking my door and setting the alarm. The cops took my statement while I went into detail about when and where each note had shown up over the last few weeks. They had taken the bag with all the evidence, as well as an email copy of the screenshot of the first DM and the short clip Josh had sent me. One camera angle caught someone dressed head to toe in black putting the note in my mailbox around 3 AM. They looked to be wearing a hat, hood and gloves, but they couldn’t be seen getting into a car, just walking away down the street. They had also taken the info I had about Carter and were going to try to get in touch with him in case he caught a glimpse of who attacked him.
Danny and Alex stayed about an hour after the cops did to make sure I was okay. That would have been sweet, except they spent the first twenty minutes yelling about how reckless I have been not telling anyone about the notes sooner. They tried to get me to stay with them again, but I don’t want to. While I am scared, I don’t want to put anyone else in danger. Plus, this person knows where I work and has had no problem following me around, so I don’t feel like their house is any safer than my own. I spent the rest of the day in my pajamas on my couch eating every comfort food I owned and binge-watching rom-coms on Netflix to make me feel better.
My body jolted awake from the spot on the couch where I fell asleep to the loud sounds of crashing coming from the back of my house. On instinct, I reached for the knife on the side table and scrambled to find my phone. My hands shook as I searched through the cushions until my hand wrapped around it. The jarring sounds of glass shattering were still coming from different directions in my home. I immediately dialed 9-1-1 while running toward the hall bathroom that had no windows. Slamming the door shut and locking it, I sunk back against it. “9-1-1 what is your emergency?” a lady answered me.
“I think someone is breaking into my house, it sounds like they are breaking my windows. Please hurry!” I rush out in a whisper-yell.
“Ma’am are you somewhere safe? If you can, get to a locked room. Are you at 138 Maple Drive?” she responded calmly.
“Yes, that’s my address and I am locked in the hall bath. I don’t hear footsteps but I think another window just broke.” My strangled voice broke at the end. Danny was right, I have been so reckless and stupid. I should have stayed with him. I should have called the cops sooner.
“I have officers on the way, they are less than a minute out. I am going to stay on the phone with you until they get there. Is there anyone else at the home with you or any animals to be aware of?” she asked in the same calm, even tone, making me feel like she was in complete control of the situation.
“I think I hear the sirens now. It’s just me. Do I need to let them in?” Despite her calm manner, I was freaking the hell out. It sounded like the crashing was getting closer and closer.
“They will search the perimeter then make their way in. They are aware you are locked in the bathroom, and will knock and let you know when it is safe and clear to come out.”
Car doors slammed and voices rang out sounding in different directions. Knowing help has arrived didn’t seem to be making a difference on the panic coursing through my veins. My vision blurred as I tried to hold in the tears, my body still trembling. I clutched my phone to my ear like a lifeline as I waited to get the all clear.
The loud slam of my front door crashing open hit me like a jolt of lightning. The voices continued to yell out as they searched through the inside of my home. “I can hear them in the house now. Thank you for your help. I am going to hang up now.” There was a soft rap on the door then.
“Ma’am? The home has been cleared, you can come out now.” It hit me all at once how close I had just come to serious harm and my adrenaline started to fade. My whole body was shaking like a leaf as I slowly unlocked the door trying to drag in breaths to keep from passing out. I couldn’t get enough breaths in; my throat felt too tight like I was breathing through a straw. I saw an officer crouch down in front of me, but my ears were ringing and the edges of my vision were turning black. His lips moved as he turned slightly to someone behind him while reaching for my hand as everything went dark.