“I’m done sleeping up there for tonight,” she admitted. “Coffee?” she asked, walking into the kitchen.
“I wouldn’t say no to a cup.” Brock smiled. “I’ll be back.” Calvin led him up the stairs.
By the time they came back down, Ben was standing in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee with her.
“You called Ben?” she’d asked Calvin when Ben had arrived.
“Duh.” He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not stupid. If he found out about this from Brock…” He hissed. “I’d be in it deep.”
She smiled. “Thank you.” She kissed him.
The moment her brother had rushed into the house, she’d felt better. He’d wrapped his arms around her, and she’d cried for a moment, then she’d fixed them each a cup of coffee and found a bag of cookies to munch on while they waited.
“What did you find?” Ben asked Brock.
“Broken lock on the sliding door, wet boot prints, size eleven, and muddy tire marks that I snapped a picture of but will be gone by the time the crew gets here to take a mold.” He sighed. “Hopefully, we can ID them by the picture.” He waved his phone. Brock turned to her. “Any idea on how tall the guy was?”
She shook her head as she handed Brock a mug of coffee then handed one to Calvin. “No, it was just a flash. I mean, I only saw him when the lightning filled the room. I must have woken up to the sound of him sliding open the door. I thought…” She shook her head, trying to remember anything. Why had she woken up? But she’d been so deep in sleep, everything was fuzzy in her mind.
“Since we know where he stood, can you tell me if he filled the doorway?” He walked over to the sliding doors like the ones in the bedroom and stood approximately where the footprints had been then held up his hand to the top of his head. “Was he as tall as me?”
She tilted her head, then set her mug down and moved over to lay on the sofa. Turning her head, she looked at Brock and shrugged. “That looks about right.”
“Calvin, come here.” He waved his hand and Calvin took his place. “Or does this look closer?”
Bella shook her head. “No, Calvin is too tall. I can’t see the top of the door with him.”
“Okay.” Brock waved Ben over.
Ben stood where they had, and Bella nodded. Yeah, it’s between you and Ben.” She sat up.
“Okay.” Brock wrote something down in the notepad. “Between five-nine and...” He glanced over at Ben. “You’re still six?” he asked.
“Yes,” Ben said with a slight frown.
“Okay, between five-nine and six-foot.” He nodded to Ben. “Did you happen to notice anything else about the man?”
She thought about it. “He was wearing all black.” She shrugged. “I didn’t see his face clearly.” She thought about it. “He had very pale skin, or he was wearing a white face mask.” She shook her head. “Sorry.” She closed her eyes. “I was half-asleep.”
“It’s okay. At least we have some things to go on,” Brock said. “Calvin says he’s going to be installing a security system tomorrow.”
“I’ll be here to help,” Ben jumped in.
Brock turned to Bella. “I’ll keep you posted if we find anything on those tire tracks.”
“I’m sorry I can’t remember more,” she said.
“If you do, you know where to find us.” He took a large sip of the coffee and set the mug down. “Thanks for the cup.”
Calvin walked Brock out as Ben wrapped his arms around her again. “Want to come to our place for the rest of the night?”
She thought about going back upstairs with the busted lock and shivered. Then she thought of putting her nieces or Sarah in danger and shook her head.
“No,” she answered. “I’m wide awake now. I think I’ll make some breakfast and try and get some work done.”
Ben groaned. “I thought you’d say that. I guess I’ll be heading to the hardware store when they open and getting everything you guys need.” He glanced over at the stove then laughed. “Don’t cook. I’ll run and get us something from the bakery. They open…”—he glanced down at his watch and sighed— “ten minutes from now.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“Why can’t psychopaths do this shit in the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night?” Ben complained.
“It’s almost six,” Calvin pointed out as he walked back inside and removed his raincoat. “I’ll get started on fixing the door.”
“I’ll head in and get us some breakfast. The hardware store won’t open until eight.” He groaned. “Gotta call Sarah and let her know what’s up.” He turned back to Calvin. “Call and see if someone can cover your shift.” He started to walk out then stopped. “For the next week. I don’t want you leaving my sister’s side until we catch this madman.”
“Yes, boss.” Calvin saluted him with a smile.
“Shove it,” Ben groaned as he left.
“He needs sugar to wake up,” she explained. “More coffee?” she asked, pouring herself another cup.
Calvin’s arms wrapped around her, and she set her mug down and enjoyed the feeling of him holding her. “I’m sorry,” he said into her hair.
“For?” she asked turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around him.
“I should have…”
“There you go, blaming yourself again for things that are out of your control.” She reached up and kissed him.
He sighed and nodded, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re right.” His eyes met hers. “I’m going to make this place a fortress for you. I don’t ever want you to feel unsafe here again.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.” She smiled. “Now, can I help you fix the door?”
When her brother and Rowan walked in half an hour later with two boxes of donuts, they had finished fixing the lock on the door and had added a metal bar that would slide between the two doors for extra security. He even added the bars to the three other sliding doors in the house. Since the windows all rolled vertically and had little childhood locks on them already, no one could easily break those open without shattering the windows.
“I brought help.” Ben pointed to Rowan. “I ran into him at the Donut Hut and told him what happened. He volunteered to help install the new system.”
“I installed one a few years back.” Rowan shrugged. “It’s not that hard.”
“I helped,” Ben added as he took a large chocolate-covered donut and bit into it.
“Yes.” Rowan slapped him on the shoulder. “You held the ladder for me if my memory serves me,” he joked.
“Shove it,” Ben said through a full mouth, but it ended up sounding more like “Suvt.”
“Now, boys,” Bella said with a laugh as she took a sprinkled donut for herself. “Let’s all play nicely.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Working with his friends on installing the top-of-the-line security system around his house was like old times. It reminded him of the year they’d all worked together getting the house fixed up.