“Does he know Mark Johnson?”
“No. He just moved to Cimarron City a few days ago.” Serena turned on her phone and found the text Mark had sent her. “Here’s what I was talking about. That’s the last time I heard from him. He did talk about taking a vacation. You might check on that.”
“According to his colleagues, he went missing the afternoon before this text was sent.”
Her stomach twisted into a knot. “When was this reported to the police?”
“Ten days ago. His partner received a text the day before you that Mr. Johnson was leaving town for a few days, but when he didn’t come to work on Monday, they tried getting in touch with him. The number’s no longer working. They contacted anyone or any place they could think of that Mr. Johnson would visit out of town. No one has seen him. Did he tell you about a place he wanted to go to?”
“No. He just wanted to get away. Was there any indication he’d left his home?”
“We can’t tell if any clothes were taken. A couple of pieces of luggage were in his house, but he could have had more than two suitcases.”
Her pulse raced. She couldn’t help thinking about Don Whitman in Mobile. He disappeared and was never found. She’d dated him exclusively for months after she graduated from college until he started going out with another woman. Her hands trembled. She balled them. “Was his car in the garage?”
“No. We have a BOLO out on it. Hopefully, we’ll find it and him.”
But what if the police didn’t find Mark? Even with over five years since Don’s disappearance, the police hadn’t found him. She’d always wondered if he’d had a run in with her stalker who had taunted her with what he did to people who didn’t treat her right.
I won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever. She’d never forget those words her stalker whispered into her ear the night she realized she would have to flee Mobile.
“If I hear from Mark, I’ll let you know, but you saw the text message. I don’t think he’ll contact me.”
The police officer held out a business card. “Call me if you do.”
Serena took it and slipped it into her jeans pocket. “I will.”
After she escorted Officer Parks to the exit, she closed the door and twisted around, reclining back against it. As she thought about the fear and helplessness she’d felt in Mobile, the pounding of her heartbeat increased in her ears. Her breathing shortened. Sweat popped out on her forehead.
Quinn stood in front of her, his forehead crinkled, a serious expression on his face. “Serena, are you hyperventilating?”
She opened her mouth to tell him no, but the word wouldn’t come out. Her legs buckled, and she began sliding down the door.
Quinn wrapped his arm around her and held her up. “Close your mouth, put a finger against one nostril, and breathe in and out slowly with the other one.”
She heard what he said, but lightheadedness attacked her, making a response difficult.
Quinn scooped her up into his arms and strode into the living room. He placed her on the couch. Again, he repeated his instruction, but this time he shut her slightly opened mouth and put his forefinger against one side of her nose. “Follow my lead. Inhale slowly. Exhale slowly.”
She focused on his words, her gaze trapped by his.
“That’s it, Serena. Keep it up.”
Gradually the faintness disappeared. Her heartbeat slowed, and she took over holding her one nostril closed. When she felt better, she murmured, “Thanks.”
She started to sit up, but Quinn stopped her. “Take it slowly. You had too much carbon dioxide in your blood. I won’t leave until you’re okay.”
In another ten minutes, Serena managed to sit up, her cheeks hot. “I’ve never done that before.”
“That’s good to know. There’s such a thing as a hyperventilation syndrome. As a firefighter, I’ve had a lot of medical training, especially the emergency kind.”
“Then I’m glad it happened while you were here.”
“Why did it happen?”
“The police showed up at my home,” she said, hoping Quinn didn’t ask any more questions about her reaction. She’d gone through this scene before, and the rest of what happened wasn’t good. All she wanted to do was run and hide, yet she didn’t want to spend her whole life running away.
He assessed her with a long look that seemed to delve into her thoughts. “If I can help you, I will. That’s what neighbors do for each other. This Mark guy must be very important to you.”
“We were friends who started dating. I like him. He’s a nice guy, but when I received the text message from him, I’d already come to realize a friendship was as far as it would go.” She shook her head. “I should have realized something might be wrong when he didn’t contact me this week about going out and celebrating my birthday. We had the past several years as friends and had made plans to do it this year.”
“When was your birthday?”
She stared at her folded hands in her lap. “Today.”
“Happy birthday. You should have said something. We can celebrate tonight. What’s your favorite restaurant?”
“Cimarron Steakhouse, but the only reason I ever celebrated my birthday was Mark. Birthdays were never important while I was growing up.”
“My family made a big production out of a birthday. Tell you what. My kitchen is nearly put together. Come over tonight, and I’ll fix you dinner.”
She started to say no, but when she looked at him, she couldn’t. She didn’t want to be alone on her birthday. “Thanks.”
“Great.” He rose. “Bring Susie. It’s about time Brutus and Susie meet each other without a window between them.”
“I don’t think they should.”
“I understand your concern, but Brutus is a pushover. He’s great around other dogs, no matter the size, and people of all ages.”
Serena shoved to her feet. “What time do you want me to come over?”
“Seven. It’ll give me time to go to the store and finish a few things in the kitchen.”
“I can help if you need it.” She wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone even for a few hours.
He smiled. “It’s your birthday. Your day.” He walked toward the foyer. “See you at seven.”
Serena followed him to the door and locked it after he left. She hadn’t done a search of the Internet for Don Whitman or Brett Porter since the first year she moved to Cimarron City. She grabbed her laptop and sat on the couch, surfing the web for any news concerning the two men while donning her headset and listening to music. An hour later, she closed the computer and stared at a spot on the coffee table. Don’s family still lived in Mobile. She could risk calling them and seeing if they knew anything about what happened to their son. But as far as Brett, there was nothing about him as though he, too, had disappeared. His father, the only family member she knew about, died when he was a senior in high school, and he pulled away from others.
She shook her head. Too risky. Spring break was in another week. What if she went back home in disguise to see what she could come up with? Still too risky. People leave places all the time. She did without letting anyone know. But what really concerned her was that Brett was missing also.
And what happened to Mark? It was odd that he just disappeared. Mighty coincidental, considering what happened to Don. She shook her head. She’d done everything she could to disappear and start over. “I’m not going to let speculation ruin my birthday. I’m overreacting.” She stood to go into the kitchen to finish grading her papers, so she could enjoy herself tonight with a man who interested her.
Before she sat down at the table, she covered the distance to the back door and opened it to call Susie. As she stepped outside, she glanced at where her poodle had been the last time she saw her. She wasn’t there.
“Susie, come in,” she called out.
Nothing. She looked around the fenced area and couldn’t find her. Susie never left the backyard by herself. Serena raced toward the side to see if the
gate was closed. When she saw it was, her mouth went dry while her heartbeat increased.
Chapter Five
After Quinn emptied the last box of kitchen items, he glanced at his watch and noted he had three hours to go to the grocery store then come home, clean up, and prepare a meal for Serena. At least several rooms were in order, and he could stick the rest of the full cartons into the two extra bedrooms. Before he left, he needed to bring Brutus inside. He glanced outside and saw his Great Dane lying on the grass, the fence along Serena’s property and the ground below it still intact. Since he’d been preoccupied putting his house in order, he’d kept his dog on the chain because Susie had been lying next to the fence. Quinn didn’t want a repeat of yesterday. He started for the rear exit.
His doorbell rang.
Quinn detoured and headed for the entry hall. When he opened his front door, Serena stood on his porch, frowning, clearly not here for a social visit. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been searching for Susie up and down the street. She isn’t in my backyard. She’s never run away. Where’s Brutus?”
“Out back still on his chain.”
“You haven’t seen Susie?”
“If I had, I would have let you know.”
Her stiff posture sagged. “I knew this was a long shot, but I don’t know where else she would have gone.”
“I’ll get Brutus and see if he can pick up her trail. He might be able to find her. Come in.” He hated seeing the worry in her eyes.
“She’s been with me over three years and is like a member of my family.”
He stood to the side to let Serena into his house. “I understand. That’s the way I feel about Brutus. Five years for me.”
Serena followed him through his place. “You’ve done a lot in a short amount of time.”
“I can’t live in a mess. It takes too long to look for something.” Quinn grabbed Brutus’s leash in the kitchen and opened the door for Serena to go first.
“That’s how I feel.”
He’d gotten that sense when he’d been in her tidy home earlier. When he opened the back door, Brutus looked at him then turned away. Usually his pet immediately came to him. As he neared the dog, the mystery was solved. Cuddled next to his Great Dane was a ball of white fluff.
Before he could say anything, Serena’s eyes grew round as she pointed a shaky hand at the two dogs. “She’s been here the whole time.” She slowly surveyed the length of the fence that separated their properties. “How? She can’t fly.”
“That’s a good question. I’m as surprised as you.” He strode to the side of the house nearest Serena’s and shook his head. “My gate is closed.”
“And so was mine.” Her relief disappeared, and a frown darkened her features. “This has never happened before.” She again ran her gaze down the length of the fence. “Next time I’ll be bringing her in the house rather than leaving her outside, even if she wants to stay.”
Quinn waved his arm toward the two dogs still next to each other. “See how good Brutus is with Susie. He’s a gentle giant. The invitation to bring her tonight still stands.”
Serena moved slowly to the pair and knelt about a foot away. “Susie, come here.” Her pet looked at Serena then back at Brutus who nudged the poodle with his nose. Finally, Susie got to her feet and padded to Serena. “I don’t know if we should encourage their…”
“Friendship?”
Serena picked up her pet. “Yes, which I don’t understand. She’s never friendly to other dogs. Very territorial.”
“Maybe Brutus’s calm demeanor has rubbed off on her. Not a lot bothers him.”
“What an odd couple.”
While Brutus lumbered to his feet, Quinn smiled. “He’s been fixed so no worries there.”
“So has Susie. I like to take care of the ones we have now rather than add more dogs. Too many cats and dogs don’t have a home. I don’t want to add to that population until we can properly take care of the ones we have.”
“I agree.” With Serena beside him, he walked toward the house and entered. “If I don’t go to the grocery store, we won’t have anything to eat.”
“Well, I don’t want to keep you. I have papers I still need to grade. See you tonight at seven.” She left out the front door.
Quinn stood on the porch watching her departure with Brutus next to him. “I wish you could talk. How in the world did Susie get into the backyard?” He hadn’t wanted to make a big deal about it, but other than through the side gate, he didn’t see any way the poodle got inside.
Quinn scanned the neighborhood. Across the street were two boys about ten or eleven. Could a kid here on the street or at school play a prank on her? The alternative was that Susie magically found a way to get into his backyard. He didn’t like mysteries. That was why he worked hard to figure out how each fire he went to started.
* * *
As Quinn entered his living room after dinner, he paused for a few seconds. His gaze fixed on Serena sitting on his couch, staring at Brutus and Susie lying next to each other on the carpet in front of the fireplace. In that moment, he remembered the fear in her expression when she came over to his house earlier looking for Susie. There was a vulnerability she tried to hide, but he’d seen it today.
He cleared his throat and made his way to the couch, taking a seat at the opposite end from Serena. “I boxed up what was left of your birthday cake for you to take home.”
She swung her attention to him, a smile on her face that reached deep into her beautiful eyes. “I hope you’ve left some of the cake for you. There’s no way I can eat it all, or rather I should say, I shouldn’t eat it all. I’d have to exercise twice as long for the next three months to take all the pounds off.”
“You can do whatever you want with the cake. Maybe some of the teachers at school would like a piece.”
“That’s a good idea.” She twisted around to face him. “Your dinner was delicious. The steak was perfect, and I loved the asparagus with your lemon cream sauce. I’ve never had it that way. Thank you. You’ve made my birthday special.”
“Good. I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.”
“The least I can do is help you clean up.”
He shook his head. “No. Consider it a part of my gift to you.”
“But you hardly know me.”
“I love helping others. I feel like I’ve known you longer than just one day.” He peered at the two dogs. “When I came in here, you seemed lost in thought. Everything okay? Did you get your papers graded?”
“Yes, which is a relief. I don’t like assignments to pile up. I try to give my students as much feedback as I can. I want them to be successful when they graduate.”
“Do you have any kids who give you trouble?” He could see a teenager playing a prank on her with Susie.
“Every year there are a few I can’t reach no matter what I do. I have one in my third hour class who’s angry at the world. He has a lot of talent. I’ve seen glimpses of it when he decides to turn in his papers. He doesn’t have a father, and he could benefit from a positive male role model. Sometimes being on a sports team will help, but he doesn’t seem interested in athletics.”
“What’s he interested in?”
Serena’s forehead crunched. “I don’t know for sure. I’ve heard he restored the car he drives. It took him a year before he could use it.” She tilted her head. “Why did you ask about troubled kids?”
“In Dallas, I worked in a youth program for underprivileged kids. I was hoping to do something similar here after I get settled. But that isn’t why I asked you that question. I remember hearing Susie bark for a couple of minutes this afternoon. I figured she was trying to get Brutus’s attention. When she stopped, I thought you’d taken her inside your house.”
“I didn’t hear anything. I must have been engrossed looking for some information I needed on the Internet. Sometimes I like to work with my headset on listening to music. It helps me concentrate better. Why didn’t you
say something earlier?”
“I’m probably overreacting. I know Brutus barks at odd times, but after you left earlier, I started thinking about it. I figured you had heard Susie. Brutus barked a couple of times, too.”
“But you think it’s strange that Susie escaped my yard and ended up in yours?”
“Yes. I imagine it was a prank, possibly done by one of your students.”
“The one I told you about lives at the end of the block with his mother and two younger brothers.”
“Maybe tomorrow we should take our dogs for a walk since it’s dark now. You can show me where. It makes sense that it could be someone who lives near us. Otherwise, how would a person know when to do that unless he was watching us? I’ve only been here for five days. I haven’t had enough time to make someone mad at me. You’re a teacher of teenagers. Some love to pull pranks.”
Serena opened her mouth but shut it before saying anything. She looked at the two dogs then back at him. “It does sound like something a kid might do—not an adult.”
“That would be my guess.”
“I wonder if I should say something to Keith. Warn him I know what’s going on.”
“I wouldn’t, not unless we have some evidence to support our conclusion. But I would definitely keep an eye on him.”
“No confrontation unless we have some evidence?”
“You heard right. When the prankster involved Brutus, it became a concern for me.” Although it would have been a concern without his dog being part of it. He couldn’t shake the feeling something was going on. Last night someone had been on the other side of the hedge, possibly casing out Serena’s house. He wasn’t going to mention that to her because it was most likely the mischief-maker. He’d been involved in enough arson cases to know the lengths people would go to fulfill a plan—whether it made sense or not.
“I don’t know if you’ve seen the park that’s not far from here. We can walk our dogs to it and go by Keith’s house. It should be another beautiful day tomorrow. So far this spring hasn’t had any tornadoes, although we could use more rain.”
Obsessed (Everyday Heroes Book 2) Page 3