by Rose Pressey
Chapter 17
As I sat in my apartment contemplating my next move, a noise came from my door. At least I was almost positive it had come from the door. I thought it was the rattle of my doorknob. Was someone trying to get into my apartment? My heart rate sped up as I grabbed my gun and eased over to the window to peek out the blinds. I saw no one around and nothing unusual. No movement. But I couldn’t get a good look at the far side of the door from this tiny window.
My door didn’t have a peep hole either. I should have changed the door, but that wasn’t in my lease agreement. I just had to make do with what I had. I’d recently installed one of those camera doorbells, but someone had stolen it. Yes, someone had stolen my security. Had the person who had stolen it now come back to break in? That was possible. Or it could be one of the two people who had been by the building looking for me.
I moved over to the door, trying to prepare myself to actually open it. With my gun in one hand, I eased the door open with the other. I peeked outside. Thank goodness no one was standing right in front of the door. Maybe it had all just been my imagination. I sure hoped that was the case. I didn’t want to have a confrontation with a killer right now, or ever for that matter.
I peered around the courtyard. The ambient light ringed the perimeter of the pool, casting a glow across the sparkling water. A hint of a breeze ruffled the leaves of the nearby palm trees. Limitless stars dazzled in the velvety sky and a thick damp heat draped across the entire area like a blanket. No one was out in the courtyard at the moment. I supposed I should put my gun away now just in case someone saw me and thought that I was up to no good. I slipped the gun into my waistband and then stepped outside. I would just have a quick look around to make sure that nothing bad was going on at Casa Palms. It didn’t help that I was barefoot right now. What if I needed to run?
The sound from the traffic out on the road carried back to the courtyard, although the apartments were still somewhat quiet for being so close to a road. Since it wasn’t a main road, the traffic was never really that bad. Lights were on in the other apartments around mine, but that didn’t really make visibility that much better. Anyone could be hiding around, and I wouldn’t notice. Someone could be behind one of the big palms.
I stepped over to the end of the building and peered out toward the road. My car was parked out there just as I had left it. Nothing seemed out of place, so I turned to head back to my apartment. After only one step, I stopped in my tracks. A rustling noise carried across the warm breeze. I spun around and pulled out my gun, aiming at a nearby bush. Maybe it was just a stray cat. I tried to calm my breathing.
After getting my breathing to slow down and my heart rate back to somewhat normal, I turned around and headed back toward my apartment door, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure no one was behind me.
After rushing back into my apartment, I closed and locked the door. Then I hurried back to the window to check and see that no one was out there. I released a deep breath. No sign of a person, not even a cat. I placed my gun back on the desk and then went to bed. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to sleep anytime soon after that excitement. Plus, it didn’t help that my air conditioner wasn’t working that well. I fanned myself with my hand. Of course that wouldn’t help, so I turned on the fan. Even that wasn’t keeping up with the heat.
I must have dozed off at some point because I woke again to a rattling noise. And I swore it was that doorknob again. What was going on around here? Somebody had to be messing around with me. Unless I had dreamed this. Was it just my imagination? With blurry eyes, I jumped up again, grabbing my gun and dashing to the window. I peeked out, but still saw nothing. If someone was playing around, I was definitely going to catch them.
My heart beat fast again as I eased over to the door. I wasn’t sure how much I could handle of this. What would I do if someone was actually standing there? What if the person tried to attack me? Maybe I shouldn’t think the worst. What if it was a neighbor coming to see me or something? I would call out, but if it was someone bad, I didn’t want them to know I was actually in here. My lights were off, so they wouldn’t know for sure I was home.
I opened the door again, but no one was there. This was just a repeat of before as I stepped outside and looked all around. I even stepped over to the pool this time. All the lights were off in the apartment complex now. Everyone was in bed. Someone had to be playing a trick on me.
“I don’t find this funny,” I said.
Of course, I didn’t get an answer. I headed back toward my apartment. I wasn’t sure if I should tell Jake about this. He was already concerned enough as it was. I would just keep it to myself because I didn’t know for sure that anything was wrong. He’d be angry if something happened and I hadn’t told him though. But I would just have to take my chances and hope that things would be fine. I just wished that I could get some sleep.
As I reached the door, I spotted a person out of the corner of my eye. At first I thought it was just a shadow out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned, I realized the silhouette was a real person. She was taller than me with dark hair like mine. It had to be the same person who had attacked me. It was hard to make out if it was the woman from the office and coffee shop.
The woman reached out for me, but when she saw that I had a gun, she ran behind a couple of the palm trees and around the side of the apartment building. Without giving it a second thought, I took off after her. I wanted an explanation of why she was following me. And I wasn’t going to let her just get away.
She might not realize it, but I had the upper hand now. I sprinted across the path and around to where I’d seen her go. The path led me away from the building over toward the ocean. After a short distance, I stopped on the path and peered around. She was nowhere in sight. To my right led to the beach and up ahead was a parking lot. How had she gotten away?
Pinpricks of stars filled the black sky. Lights from some of the other buildings illuminated the sidewalk a bit, but not enough to make much of a difference in visibility. I stood there and took in the area, but it was so dark that I decided to give up on finding her. A few people walked down the path ahead of me, but I knew she couldn’t have gotten that far that quickly.
She had to be around here somewhere. Even creepier, it felt as if someone was watching me. Was she hiding somewhere and staring me? I was freaking out a bit. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one freaking out because she had run away when confronted. Even if she was spying on me from a distance, at least I’d scared her away this time. What was she doing following me anyway?
I’d given up on seeing the woman again tonight. Though I assumed she would be back for me at the earliest opportunity. However, just as I turned to leave, I spotted her out of the corner of my eye. At least I thought it was her. The parking lot nearby was mostly empty, but people had their boats there. There was one in particular that I’d seen someone run behind. I was going to check it out. Sure, this was dangerous, but I had my gun with me. I just hoped that I knew how to keep from having it taken away from me and used against me. Jake would never let me live that one down. If I survived.
I didn’t see anyone run away from the boat, so I was pretty sure she was hiding somewhere nearby. When I reached the cruiser, I stopped. She might be inside hiding from me. Did I really have the nerve to go in there? The answer was yes, because within seconds, I scaled the side of the thing and was now on board. Spotting the door for below deck, I headed inside. If she hadn’t come in here and the owner saw me doing this, I’d probably be in big trouble. They would call the cops. Oh well. It wasn’t the first time I’d had the police called on me, so no big deal. I’d gotten used to it. Jake wouldn’t be surprised either.
Space was limited down here, but it was still much bigger than my apartment. A full kitchen? What? Maybe I should live on a boat. Focus, Maggie, focus. Straight ahead when I entered was the kitchenette. It even had a microwave. Across from that was plush seating and beyond this area wa
s the bedroom, which was only a bed. There was no sign of the woman though. How had I been wrong about this? I was over by the bed when a noise came from somewhere below deck. Glancing to my left, I saw her as she moved up and out of the boat.
“Hey,” I called out.
I knew she’d been in here. Where she’d been in that small space was beyond me, but she’d hiding somewhere. When I raced back over, I spotted it—a driver’s license on the floor. It looked as if she had lost something on the way out. Ha. I had her now. I picked up the license and looked at the picture. She might have gotten away, but I had her address and name now. Wouldn’t she be shocked when I showed up at her house? Ms. Marie Scott, I was coming to find you now.
I climbed out of the boat and looked around to see if she was waiting outside for me, but she was nowhere in sight. But I had her address now and I was going to head over there first thing in the morning. I wanted to know exactly why she was following me. She had some explaining to do. Plus, I wanted to know if she was the one who had attacked me—I assumed so, but I couldn’t be for sure since I’d only seen the back of her. This woman looked the same though, so I assumed it had been her attacking me. Thankfully I made it back to my apartment without further incident.
Chapter 18
The next day I was sitting in the parking lot of the scene of the crime. An eerie feeling came over me as I remembered back to Morty walking down the condo’s hallway with a stunned look on his face. Now he was accused of murder and I had to find some way to get him off.
I got out of the car and walked across the parking lot toward the building. There had to be surveillance video at this place and I desperately needed to have a look at it. I was sure the police had gotten ahold of it as well, but another set of eyes never hurt anything.
As I opened the door to walk into the building, Reynold was stepping out. My eyes widened when I saw his handsome face. He dressed more casually today, forgoing the tie and jacket.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I guess I could ask the same of you,” he said with a gorgeous smile.
“I came to get surveillance video. If they’ll let me have it,” I said.
“No need to ask for that,” he said.
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I already have it,” he said. “I was just going back to the office to take a look at it.”
“Is there any way you would let me look at it too?” Did I bat my eyelashes? Ugh. Why had I done that?
“I was ready to call and tell you to come over.”
“Perfect,” I said. “I’ll follow you there.”
Reynold had certainly made my job easier. Now I just had to cross my fingers that we’d find something on the footage. I followed the sleek BMW back to his office. He parked in his reserved space and waited for me as I headed across the parking lot toward him. The sun highlighted his blonde hair. Thick lashes framed his sexy ocean blue eyes. Yes, he looked handsome standing there in his crisp button-down shirt and tailored gray pants.
He opened the door and motioned. “After you.”
I followed him inside to his office. Trying not to let him see me sniff, I tried to pinpoint his intoxicating scent. Coconut? A bit lemon? A sunshine soaked walk along the beach? Never mind. Focus, Maggie, focus. I sat down across from him at the desk.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” I said.
“You can’t see the video from over there. Come over here beside me,” he said.
Oh, dear, this wouldn’t be good. I stood as he grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to his so that we could sit next to each other and look at his laptop screen. I hoped I didn’t get caught sniffing him. The smiling face of his mother stared at me from the silver framed photo of his desk. How sweet was it that he kept his mother’s photo on his desk? Then again, maybe that was a sign that he was a mamma’s boy. Regardless, it was none of my business.
“The day that we found her I noticed a man in the stairwell. I followed him all the way down.”
“That’s dangerous,” Reynold said.
“Well, nonetheless, I did it, but he got away. I’m just wondering if we can pick him up on camera. Maybe that’s our suspect.”
“With any luck with spot him on camera. Let me know if you see him and I’ll pause the video,” Reynold said.
“How did you get them to give you this?”
“I just asked,” he said with a wink.
With Reynold’s charm and good looks, it was no surprise they’d handed over the video when he’d asked. He had the ladies swooning. And speaking of which, I was having a hard time settling the butterflies in my stomach.
Reynold and I watched the screen, looking for any suspicious activity.
“Wait. Go back,” I said, pointing at the screen. “See. That that’s the door that leads out on the side where the stairwell is. I caught only a glimpse of the man’s legs, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen those legs before.”
Reynold’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“My neighbor is completely into selfies.”
He nodded. “A lot of people are.”
“What I’m trying to say is this guy was coming around asking about me. My neighbor captured the guy in the background of one of her selfies. Those are the same pants and those are the legs.”
“How can you be sure? It’s just legs.”
“Trust me, I know.” I pulled out my phone and showed Reynold Anika’s Instagram page. “See the way he stands with his legs wide apart?”
“I have to admit that does look like the same legs,” he said.
“I think the killer came looking for me at my apartment. Plus, a woman too.”
“A woman?”
“It’s a long story,” I said.
“You should tell Detective Jackson about this,” Reynold said.
My phone rang. “Speaking of which. That’s him calling now.”
“I'll save this clip and send it you,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I’ll give you some privacy to take the call.”
Reynold left me alone in his office to talk with Jake.
“I think I have some new evidence,” I said when I answered the phone.
“What kind of dangerous situation are you in now?” he asked.
“No danger at the current moment.”
“Well, let’s keep it that way, okay?”
“Do you want to hear about this evidence or not?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” he said.
I explained about the video and man’s legs.
“How did you get ahold of the video?” he asked.
“I have my ways,” I said.
I wouldn’t bother to tell him that I was currently at Reynold’s office and that he had managed to get the video.
“Well, I have to say legs aren’t much to go on,” Jake said.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I was a bit excited but maybe I should tone down that enthusiasm.”
“I like your enthusiasm,” Jake said.
“It doesn’t seem like it sometimes.”
“Don’t say that. I just want to—”
“Make sure I’m safe.” I finished the sentence for him. Reynold appeared at his door. “Listen, I have to go now. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Talk to you soon, Maggie. Stay out of trouble.”
Reynold stepped back into the room. It was almost as if he’d be standing out there listening.
“I really appreciate you finding the video for me,” I said, standing from the chair.
“I’m just trying to get my client out of jail,” he said.
“Well, I know you’ll get him off the charges and things will be fine.” I looped my purse over my shoulder. “I should go now.”
“I’ll call you if I have any new information. Let me know about that man.”
I stepped around Reynold. We stood in the doorway of his office.
&nb
sp; “Maggie?” he said.
“Yes?” I looked up into his big blue eyes.
He just stared at my face for a moment. The butterflies danced around in my stomach. I mean, who wouldn’t swoon with those gorgeous eyes staring at them.
“Never mind,” he said.
“I'll talk to you soon,” I said.
I walked out of his office and hurried to my car. I’d better get out of there as quickly as possible. Once on the road, I headed straight for Dorothy’s house. She would probably wonder where I’d been, but I would explain to her that I had been working on getting Morty out. She would be fine with that.
Chapter 19
I had fallen asleep at my desk, which had left a crick in my neck. It hurt to turn it a certain way, but I’d managed to shower and dress. Now I was headed out the door. At least the woman hadn’t returned. I’d just made it around the corner and headed to my car when my phone rang. It was Reynold.
“Maggie Thomas,” I said, trying to sound professional when I answered.
He knew that I knew who was calling.
“Maggie, can you meet me?”
“Is something wrong?” I asked in a panic.
“Everything’s fine. I just need to talk to you about the case. If we’re going to solve this then we need to work together.”
Oh, Jake would not like this at all. Reynold was right though. If we were going to solve the case, then we had to talk to each other.
“When did you have in mind?” I asked.
“Where are you now?”
“I’m just leaving my apartment. I haven’t even gotten to the car yet.”
“Maybe you can meet me around the corner at that little café.”
“I know the one,” I said. “I can be there in five minutes.”
“See you soon,” he said.
I looked both ways before crossing the street to my car. I hadn’t even talked to Jake this morning. Or Dorothy. My thoughts then went to Morty. Just as I’d gotten to the car, before even starting the ignition, Jake called.