Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
CORRINE
His size struck me again. Six foot six, maybe?
With that booming voice. He was so imposing, without ever having to draw his weapon.
I wondered what it would be like to have someone like Roy Dennison for an older brother.
Or a father. Or a husband. He was probably the kind who would drop everything the moment he thought any woman in his life was in danger.
It never did me any good to think of things like that. PJ was never that kind of brother. Maybe it wasn’t his fault, being the middle child. The appeaser. He was so used to waiting for Sylvie to tell him what to do. And Dad before that.
I waved Detective Dennison over. I’d taken a corner booth at a little coffee shop in Paw Paw. It shocked me how quickly he agreed to meet me here. Almost like he’d been expecting the call.
“Good morning,” he said, smiling. He drew attention wearing his suit with his badge dangling around his neck.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I said. I had the server put a carafe of coffee on the table. Roy wasted no time flipping his mug over and filling it.
“I told you,” he said. “If you need anything, just call. I’m glad you did.”
“Did you have breakfast? She left the menu.”
Swallowing, he shook his head and waved me off. “I’m not a breakfast person. Coffee’s all I need. You sounded pretty upset on the phone. I don’t mean to be blunt, but I don’t have a lot of time.”
“I suppose I should have just told you all of this over the phone. But there are things I need to show you. I just didn’t think it would be a good idea to do this on your turf.”
He frowned, but didn’t seem particularly upset by my preamble. “What can I do for you, Corrine?”
I laid my phone on the table. I’d get to it in a minute. I just hoped he’d be willing to look at it after I got the basic story out.
“I think something might be wrong with Mina Sobel,” I said.
His frown deepened. “What’s going on?”
“I thought everything was finished. You said there wasn’t any way to tie the man you arrested to my case.
That was disappointing. But I expected it.
Anyway, Mina did something strange. And I…
gosh… this is really hard. I’m not even sure I know how to put it.
I think maybe she’s having some mental health struggles. ”
“Why? Has she done something to you?”
“She came to my house last night.”
Dennison’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“She showed up at my door. I’d just worked a partial shift at my brother’s bar.
We were unusually slow, so he sent me home around nine o’clock.
There’s a small apartment in the building, above the bar.
I live there. I don’t know how she got my address.
After everything that happened with Matt Woodson, I’ve taken great pains to keep my personal information off the internet.
I pay one of those companies to do takedowns.
If you type my name into a browser, you’re not supposed to be able to find me.
Actually, another police officer suggested I do that.
He gave me the name of the company I use. ”
“I’m familiar,” Dennison said.
“Anyway. Mina. It was just so strange. The bar was still technically open. I went home at an odd time, like I said. And not two minutes after I walked into my apartment, Mina knocked on my door. Like she’d been spying on me. I think she sat outside the bar waiting for me to come out.”
He didn’t respond, but his eyes darkened.
“I was thinking what could be so important she drove all the way to my apartment to find me that late in the day. I thought she was going to tell me somebody had died. Or that there was some break in my case. But she started accusing me of all sorts of crazy stuff.”
“Like?”
“That I was lying. She called me crazy. Then she threatened me.”
“Threatened you? Corrine, can you tell me exactly what she said?”
“She said if I showed up in Lasalle Harbor again, she’d kill me.
She accused me of stalking her. It was unhinged.
I didn’t even know what to say. I thought maybe she’d been drinking.
Her eyes were… she wasn’t… she just seemed really off.
Not at all like the professional person I met at your office those few times.
Not kind and helpful like you and everyone else has been. ”
“What did you do?” Dennison asked.
“I didn’t know what to do. She really scared me. And look, I could have left it at that. There’s no reason for me to be in her backyard anymore anyway. But then, she got physical.”
Dennison straightened in his seat. “What did she do exactly?”
“I really hate to use this word, but she assaulted me.”
His face went white. I picked up my phone.
“I have a camera,” I said. “I was honestly afraid to look. After I had a chance to process what happened, I knew I had to reach out. She’s a friend of yours.
And you’ve been so good to me. You really seemed to care about my story.
The Kalamazoo cops were pretty dismissive a few years ago when I first went to them.
Otherwise, I would have just called them.
I thought maybe you’d appreciate my coming to you first.”
I opened my security camera app and pulled up the video I saved from last night. I popped out my phone’s stand and set it between us so we could watch together.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t record sound,” I said. “It’s just a basic unit. I can’t afford to pay for the higher-end ones with the subscription.”
I pressed play. The recording started as Mina walked up to my door and pounded on it. My camera was positioned on the ceiling in one corner. As I opened the door, Mina’s back was to the camera. Her body obstructed most of me.
At first, it was just the two of us talking. Her hand gestures became more exaggerated. At one point, I stepped sideways so you could more clearly see my face. I shook my head. My expression looked painful. Then I stepped back closer to the door. Again, Mina’s body filled the frame.
Then it happened.
Mina raised her arms. She pushed me against the wall. My arm flailed out as I staggered sideways and then backward into the door. A few seconds later, Mina turned and faced the camera. The recording ended with Mina in a freeze-frame, her face contorted with rage.
Dennison grabbed my phone, held it closer to his face, and then played the recording again.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know what to do. I trust you. But I know she’s your colleague. Probably your friend too.”
“No,” he said, handing me back my phone. “It’s good that you reached out. Can you email that to me?”
“I can’t have this,” I said. “I’ve come too far. Worked too hard on myself. After everything that happened with Matt… I was in a really dark place for a long time. I was agoraphobic for a year. And now… well… it took a lot for me to come here today. I hope I haven’t made a mistake.”
“You haven’t,” he said. “I want to help you.”
“She can’t come near me again. I’ve never done anything to her. I didn’t even know who she was until I met her at that first interview you set up. I have to protect myself. I have to protect my mental health.”
“I understand,” he said.
“I don’t want to have to get a restraining order. But if I did… would I apply for that in Benton County because that’s where she lives? I don’t want to cause trouble for anybody. I swear.”
He took another sip of coffee. “I can’t give you legal advice. But you’d file in your own county.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t trust the courts.
Until I met you, I didn’t really trust cops either.
Can you make sure she stays away from me?
I’m willing to keep everything informal.
Like I said, I’m not interested in getting Mina in trouble or anything.
But this isn’t right. It’s harassment, isn’t it? ”
“It’s unacceptable,” he said. “But she’s also made some accusations against you. She believes you vandalized her car and broke into her home.”
“Are you kidding? That’s ridiculous. How would I even know where she lives?
I’ve never done anything to her. Now I wonder if you talk to her, will that make things worse?
I just thought maybe if she could be told to cut it out and leave me alone.
I mean… before I have to do something that’s public.
I don’t want the attention that might bring.
This is the kind of thing a nosy reporter might pick up on. I know they go through court filings.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “I’ll do what I can.”
“You’ll talk to her?”
“Yes. But I want to be very clear. I’m doing this because you’re asking me to. Not because I want to dissuade you from pursuing your legal rights. But if you’ll give me a chance to talk to Mina first, I’m happy to do that.”
“Okay. Yes. I was so worried about how you’d react. Lasalle Harbor is a small town too. I know she’s one of you.”
“Corrine,” he said, his voice dropping an octave.
“If someone breaks the law, they will face the same consequences no matter who they are. But you understand, I have no legal authority to do anything on this one. If you want to press charges, that’s your right, but you’ll have to do it in Kalamazoo County. ”
“I understand. And I really don’t want to. That’s all I’m saying.”
“But if you’re asking me to talk to Mina informally, I’m willing. If this does happen again or if you walk out of here and decide you want to proceed and file a police report, then do it.”
“I get it,” I said. “I’m not asking you to bend the rules. And you’re not asking me to either. We’re on the same page.”
“Okay,” he said. His scowl softened into a smile. “I am glad you called me. I know you’ve been through a lot.”
“I’m okay,” I said. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“I don’t doubt it. I’ve seen it myself. Now, if you’ll forgive me, I’ve got to get back.”
He rose and extended his hand for me to shake. For as much of an alpha male as he was, he didn’t try to crush my knuckles as some sort of dominance move like a lot of guys did. I really did feel like he could be someone to trust.
He walked me out to my car and thanked me again for calling him. I sat there for a moment before turning my key. I held my phone and pulled up my camera roll. My most recent photo made me smile.
Lock and me. Just this morning. Right before I left for this meeting.
We were in bed together. Lock had a dreamy expression on his face.
The one I loved most, right before he was fully awake.
His eyes half closed so you could really see his luscious dark lashes.
I looked straight at the camera as I extended my arm to take the selfie.
He leaned his head against my shoulder. I tapped the photo again, pulling up the option to set it as my screensaver.