18. Chapter Seventeen
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
MARGERY
F rom where she was sitting on her couch, Margery had a clear view of the stuffed zebra, which she had moved to the coffee table in front of her. She had called the police again, wanting them to look at them and to see if they could find anything.
Ethan must have left some prints around the house or on the stuffed zebras. Maybe one of his hairs left behind.
But when she mentioned that to the police officer she had talked to before, he told her it was impossible. That her house was contaminated because he had spent time in the house before he died. Margery tried to tell him it wasn’t true, but he shut her down.
Margery hadn’t even lived in the house when Ethan was alive. How was it possible for his hair to be in the house? She had gotten rid of all her clothes and bought new ones when she moved, wanting a fresh start .
Nothing made sense.
Officer Matthias sat her on the couch and explained it to her again. Said she needed to stop calling since it wasn’t a real threat. That they had more important things to deal with than someone who had a secret admirer.
Harsh .
Margery cried as he spoke those words. Nobody believed her, but she knew what she had seen was true. Maybe she should do her own investigation. Collect all of the evidence she needed and take it to Officer Matthias so he could see she was telling the truth.
Maybe then, he would believe her.
“I really think you should take the week off,” Adalisa suggested.
“Shit. I forgot you were still on the phone with me,” Margery sighed.
She was zoning out more and more, trying to figure things out.
“Of course you did. You really need to take the week off and talk to somebody. Maybe even check into a place.”
“I don’t think I need to check into anywherre. But I will take the week off. It’ll probably do me some good to relax and not have to worry about getting in on time.”
“If you aren’t better after this week, then I will admit you into a place myself. Don’t think I won’t do it because I will. I hate to see you like this. I just want what’s best for you.”
“I know. I really do. Thank you for worrying about me.”
Sometimes, she thought Adalisa was in on it. That somehow Adalisa knew Ethan was alive and was making her feel like she was going crazy. But that couldn’t be possible. Adalisa wouldn’t do that to her. Would she?
“If you need anything, and I mean anything, you call me. I will close the shop for a couple of hours if you need me, or I’ll find somebody to come in. But I’m dead serious: If you need me, you let me know,” Adalisa asserted.
“Adalisa, you know I will. And you know I wasn’t able to call you when I was at the cabin because I lost my phone.”
“I know, but I just have to repeat it. I want you to know and believe that if you do need anything, you know to call me.”
“I know. Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I’ll check in on you later,” Adalisa said before hanging up.
Margery let out a breath of air. She needed to get out of the house and be alone in her thoughts. Sadly, she couldn’t really do that.
For one, it was raining, and it was too soon for her to go out into the rain and not have a flashback of the crash. She also didn’t have a forest to walk through and think. Just a sidewalk, which wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the same.
Margery walked to her room. She needed to let out her frustration. Maybe she could yell into her pillow. Let out some of the stress there. She couldn’t do it anywhere else because her neighbors might call somebody.
They probably wouldn’t, but she didn’t want to add to their list of why they thought she was crazy. No doubt they had heard about the attack. The police had been to her house several times, and her neighbors were nosy people. And they probably knew somebody in the police department who could tell them what was happening.
She laid down on her bed and put her face into her pillow, letting out a scream of frustration but also fear, worry, anger and so much more. Pulling her face out of the pillow, she lay on her side and closed her eyes. She started to relax into her bed, exhaustion weighing on her body. She just wanted a full night’s sleep with no interruptions.
An eerie feeling fell over Margery as she lay on her bed, the hairs on her neck and arms started to stand up.
“I’m just cold,” she mumbled to herself.
Maybe she did need medication to help her sleep, but Margery didn’t want that. What if something happened and she didn’t wake up? What if her house was burning down and she didn’t wake up because of being so deeply asleep?
She lived alone—anything could happen to her while she was asleep. She didn’t want another thing to worry about.
Grabbing the sheet, she dragged it over her. That should do the trick. After a couple of minutes, Margery was half-asleep when she heard the first creak. Was someone in her room?
Ever so gently she felt a finger brush up against her cheek. She sighed and relaxed into her pillow.
“You’re okay,” someone whispered. “Daddy’s coming for you soon.”
Her arm was lifted and something soft was placed against her chest before her arm was gently put back. She nuzzled her face into it. It was so soft and felt amazing against her cheek.
“Snuggle up and think of Daddy. I love you.”