5. Maggie #2
I walk straight toward him and fold my arms across my chest. “If somebody was sitting outside watching this house, I want to know about it.”
“I'll tell you later.”
“I'm not a child.” I plant my hands on my hips.
Neither of us gives an inch. I wait for him to argue. Instead, he exhales heavily through his nose and opens the door.
“Stay beside me.”
A small part of me wants to feel triumphant, which is ridiculous considering the circumstances.
Someone was sitting outside the mansion watching the property, and all I've managed to accomplish is winning an argument about being included.
Still, I follow him into the hallway before he can change his mind.
The security room sits behind a locked door near the back of the house.
When Alexei enters a code and pushes the door open, I stop short.
An entire wall is covered in monitors displaying camera feeds from every corner of the property.
The front gate. The driveway. The perimeter fence.
The gardens. The garages. Every inch of the estate appears somewhere on those screens.
Luka stands beside one of the desks while another man works rapidly at a computer. Both men straighten when Alexei enters.
“Show me.”
Luka points toward one of the monitors.
My stomach immediately drops.
A black sedan sits partially hidden beneath a cluster of trees beyond the property line. It doesn't look like much. Just another vehicle parked beside the road. But according to Luka, someone sat there for eighteen minutes watching the mansion, and the thought makes my skin crawl.
“When did it leave?” Alexei asks.
“Three minutes ago.”
The tech zooms in on the footage until the vehicle fills the screen. I wrap my arms around myself while Alexei steps closer.
“Can you identify the driver?”
The tech shakes his head no. “Windows are too dark.”
“Blyat,” Alexei growls.
The room falls silent except for the buzz of electronics. Luka points toward another monitor.
“We got the plate.”
The tech enters a series of commands, and information begins scrolling across the screen. Several long seconds pass before he swears quietly.
Alexei's voice hardens. “What?”
The tech glances over his shoulder. “False plate.”
My stomach sinks even farther. Nothing about any of this is normal.
Alexei takes another step toward the monitor. “Run it again.”
The tech tries again, but it doesn't help. The plate is still false, with no registration and no owner attached to it. Every answer creates two more questions.
No one speaks while Alexei studies the image on the screen.
“Find out who it was.” His voice drops lower. “Find out who dared get this close to my family.”
My family.
My chest aches unexpectedly.
Luka nods once. “We'll find them.”
Alexei doesn't answer. He continues staring at the monitor, already somewhere else mentally. Planning. Hunting. Calculating and looking for weaknesses. It should make me feel safer. Instead, it reminds me how serious this all is.
Nobody notices when I quietly back toward the door. Or maybe they do and let me leave. Either way, I slip into the hallway and let out a deep breath. By the time I reach the library, my nerves feel stretched so tight I could scream.
The door closes behind me. I lean against it and squeeze my eyes shut. My hands are shaking.
Well, ain't that just great.
I cross the room and lower myself into one of the oversized leather chairs near the window before pulling out my phone. There's only one person I want to talk to right now.
Jules answers on the second ring.
“Maggie.”
“Hey.”
“How's mansion life?” he asks.
I huff out a laugh. “Thrilling.”
“That's what I thought.”
The sound of his voice eases the tension in my shoulders a notch. “How'd everything go at the shelter?”
Jules launches into an update. Two dogs got adopted. Kevin hissed at a delivery driver. One volunteer accidentally locked herself in the supply closet. The air conditioning in the back kennel is making a noise that sounds like a dying walrus.
By the time he finishes, I can almost picture the shelter. Dogs barking from every direction, volunteers running around trying to keep up, and the scent of disinfectant mixed with dog treats hanging in the air.
“No emergencies?” I ask.
“No emergencies.”
“Thank you baby Jesus.”
I wait for him to say something. Instead, Jules sighs. “Maggie.”
I close my eyes. “Yes?”
“What's wrong?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Nothing.”
“Bull.”
I swear he knows me better than I know myself. “Jules.”
“Honey, I've known you too long. What's wrong?”
Part of me considers lying. Not because I want to, but because saying it out loud makes it too real.
“There was a car.”
There’s a hush on the line. Then, “What kind of car?”
“A black sedan.”
“And why do I feel like you're not talkin’ about somebody parked at the grocery store?”
“Somebody parked outside the mansion and watched the property.”
A curse slips out under his breath. “How long?"
“Eighteen minutes.”
“Jesus, Maggie.” He lets out a heavy breath. “Are you okay?”
“No.”
“That's fair.”
I rub a hand across my forehead. “I was trying not to freak out.”
“Trying?”
“Keyword.”
Thankfully, that earns a laugh. The sound makes me feel a bit better. Not because the situation has improved. It hasn't. But for a few minutes, talking to Jules makes all of this feel a little less overwhelming.
“You're in the safest place you could possibly be right now,” he assures me.
I know he's right. Between the security surrounding the property, Luka's team, and Alexei himself, this is probably the safest place I could be. That doesn't stop the anxiety from tightening its grip.
“I know. It just doesn't feel that simple tonight.”
He pauses before continuing. “Alright. That's enough doom and gloom for one phone call.” He lets out a small sigh. “You plannin’ to come to the shelter tomorrow?”
A small smile tugs at my mouth. “You know good and well I'll be there.”
“That's the Magnolia Hayes I know.”
I laugh and shake my head, feeling a little more like myself..
Eventually, Jules yawns.
“You need sleep,” I tell him.
“So do you.”
“Probably.”
I check the clock and realize it's much later than I thought. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” he agrees. “And Maggie?”
“Yeah?”
“Try not to borrow trouble before it arrives.”
A genuine laugh bubbles up. “Easier said than done.”
“Goodnight, honey.’
“Night, Jules.”
The call ends, leaving the library quiet once more. I stare down at my phone before setting it aside on the table beside me.
Tomorrow.
I can handle tomorrow. I just need to get through tonight.