Fifty Recipes For Disaster

by Carla Coxwell

  “Jenny, are you all right?” I ask as I throw my arms around her. “We saw the patrol lights as soon as we pulled in and I thought that he’d hurt you again.”

  “I’m fine,” she assures me meekly. “Just shaken a little, that’s all.”

  “I presume you’re Ms. Sands and Mr. Abbott,” Officer Marquez chimes in.

  “Yes, and you’re Officer Marquez. We met your partner in the parking lot. He didn’t seem to be very informed about the case,” Chase tells him.

  “I’m sorry about that, Dave and I agreed it would be best if one of us kept watch downstairs. Ms. Foster was kind enough to call Detective Delco in New York, and he brought me up to speed on the specifics of the case. We’re going to increase patrols in the neighborhood and make sure that Martin’s picture gets in every patrol car in Austin. I apologize that that hasn’t been done already, but with transfer cases things sometimes fall through the cracks.”

  “But you’ll keep a closer eye out from now on?” Chase asks.

  “Absolutely. I’ve also given Ms. Foster my contact information. If you need anything at all, just give me a call. To be on the safe side, you might want to install stronger locks on your door. Martin didn’t get into the building this time, but from what Detective Delco said, I think it’s safe to assume that he’ll be back.”

  “I’ll install new deadbolts first thing in the morning,” Chase says quickly.

  “If you’re finished with me, Officer Marquez, I’d really like to go lie down now,” Jenny says softly.

  “Of course, Ms. Foster. We’ll stay close by tonight, and I’ll speak with you tomorrow.”

  Jenny, Chase, and I take turns shaking the officer’s hand and escape to our apartment.

  “Are you sure that you’re all right?” I ask Jenny once we’re safely inside.

  “I’m fine, I just don’t understand why Robbs is doing this. We don’t deserve it, Kiara,” she says with tears in her eyes. “Why won’t he just stop?”

  “Jenny, it’s impossible to understand the motives of a crazy person,” Chase tells her softly. “You’ll go crazy yourself trying to figure it out. The best thing to do is remember that you’re safe now and try not to let him get to you.”

  “That’s easier said than done,” she replies with a weak smile.

  “I don’t like the idea of you girls being alone tonight, even with me right across the hall. What if I crash on the couch tonight? I’m a light sleeper. If anyone tries to get in, I’ll stop them before they get to either of you.”

  I hesitate at the idea but Jenny brightens at the suggestion. “I would sleep better if you were here,” she admits. They turn to me.

  “If you really don’t mind, that would be great,” I relent. “I’ve got a box of extra blankets and pillows. I’ll make up the couch for you.”

  “I can take care of it,” Chase insists. “Is the box in the closet?”

  I nod, and he retrieves the bedding. I turn back to Jenny. “Do you need anything? If you’re hungry, I can make a quick dinner.”

  She shakes her head. “You’ve been cooking all day, and I don’t have an appetite anyway. I just want to go to bed.”

  “Do you want me to stay with you until you go to sleep?” I offer.

  “No,” she says with a sad smile. “I need to be alone for a while. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. Goodnight.”

  “Sleep well,” Chase adds. “I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, guys.” Jenny disappears to her bedroom, and Chase and I share an awkward look.

  I decide to address the elephant in the room. “Chase, I know that there was a time I’d have let you sleep with me instead of on the couch. But—”

  He quickly interrupts me. “You’ve got a lot to deal with right now, Kiara. I admit that I want to pick up where we left off before you moved to New York, but I can be patient. Right now, you need a friend, not a new relationship. So that’s what I’m going to be.”

  “Thanks, Chase. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that. For the record, I’d like to pick things up where we left off, too. But I need to feel like myself again first.”

  “I understand completely. And like I said, there’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere. But I think you need to go to bed. You look exhausted.”

  “I am,” I confess. “Do you need to get anything from your place?”

  “I’ll pop over and grab my toothbrush and some pajamas. Don’t worry about me, just get some rest.”

  I give Chase a long, hard hug and make my way to my bedroom. I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep, but I know I have to try.

  Chapter Five

  “No!” I scream. “Get off of me!” One moment Robbs is standing over me, wielding the butcher knife. The next, I’m upright in my bed, shaking and sweating.

  It was just a dream. You’re safe, Robbs didn’t hurt you. You got away. It was just a dream.

  My eyes adjust to the darkness, and I glance at my bedside clock. It’s three in the morning, but I feel wide awake.

  Chase is asleep in the living room, but maybe I can heat up some milk without waking him.

  I have a long day of work ahead of me and I need as much sleep as I can get. My mother used to make me warm milk when I was restless or upset. It’s one of the few comforting memories I have of my otherwise disastrous childhood, and I crave the familiar warmth.

  I slowly crawl out of bed, pull on my bathrobe, and slide my feet into my slippers. I open my bedroom door, careful to stay silent. I pad down the hallway and into the living room. Chase is sitting on the sofa, watching television with the volume turned low.

  “Are you all right?” he asks as I step into the room.

  “I’m fine, I just had a bad dream, that’s all. I was going to heat some milk. Do you want some?”

  “No thanks, that’s never really worked for me. And besides, I need to stay alert.”

  “You’re working the same hours I am tomorrow, you need your sleep,” I argue.

  “I can handle one sleepless night,” he assures me. “I doubt that I’d be able to sleep tonight if I tried.”

  “Has Jenny gotten up at all?”

  He shakes his head. “How do you think she’s doing, really? I know that she’s putting on a brave face, but this has to be torture for her.”

  “I think she’s really struggling. She blames herself for what happened to the baby. She thinks that taking Maggie was God’s way of punishing her for lying about Paul being the father.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense. God’s not like that,” Chase insists.

  “That’s not what Jenny was raised to believe.” I tell Chase about Jenny’s super-conservative, super-religious family.

  “So they think that God would condone them abandoning their child when she needed them the most? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. My dad can be difficult, but he’d never do anything like that.”

  I shrug. “I know it’s sad, but those are the parents she was stuck with. We all can’t be as lucky as you,” I tease.

  “Is that why you were able to forgive her so easily, because you relate to her family problems?”

  “That’s part of it, I guess. I also realized that I’d been acting like a complete bitch. Holding a grudge against her didn’t do either of us any good. And if I’d forgiven her in the first place, everything might have turned out a lot differently.”

  “It sounds like Jenny’s not the only one blaming herself for what Robbs has done,” Chase observes. “You couldn’t have known how much danger she was in. How much danger you were both in.”

  “I know that in my head, but I can’t get my heart to agree,” I confess. “If I’d been there, if I’d let her stay with me, Maggie might still be alive. We’d be ordering a crib instead of a memorial stone.”

  “I think that you should both talk to a professional. There are support groups for women who’ve been in your situation.”

&nb
sp; “I’ve done some research, and I think I found a great place for Jenny to go.”

  “You both need to go,” he says again. “You’ve been through almost as much as she has. Robbs tried to kill you, too. You may not have the physical scars like Jenny does, but if you don’t talk to someone, the emotional scars may be just as bad.”

  “I thought I could talk to you.”

  “You can always talk to me, but I’m not a professional. And I can’t imagine what it feels like to be in your shoes. I’d like for you to talk to someone who does, even just once.”

  “Okay,” I quickly agree.

  “That was easier than I expected.”

  “You’ve done so much for me, and you’ve asked for nothing in return. If you want me to talk to a professional, it’s the least I could do.”

  “Thank you, Kia…”

  “Shh… did you hear that?” I ask, raising my hand to silence him.

  Chase shakes his head and quietly rises to his feet.

  “There it was again,” I whisper. There’s a soft scratching noise coming from the other side of the front door.

  Chase looks through the peep hole and backs away from the door. “Kiara,” he whispers in an even tone. “I want you to go to Jenny’s room and lock the door. Call the police and tell them that Robbs is trying to break into the apartment.”

  “What are you going to do?” I ask in panic.

  “I’m going to stop the bastard, but I’m not opening this door until you’re locked in Jenny’s bedroom. Grab your knives on your way, in case he gets through me,” Chase directs firmly.

  I’m filled with anxiety but I do as he says.

  “Jenny, wake up,” I whisper harshly as I gently shake Jenny’s shoulder.

  She rolls over and opens her eyes. “Kiara, what’s going on?”

  “Robbs is in the hallway,” I tell her urgently. “We’ve got to call the cops. Where’s your cell phone?”

  “It’s on the dresser, I plugged it in before I went to bed. He’s out there?” she asks anxiously.

  Before I can answer, we hear a loud crash in the living room.

  “Yes, he’s out there. He may be in the apartment now. Grab one of my butcher knives from the pouch,” I tell her as I grab her phone. I don’t have time to look for Officer Marquez’s card, so I dial 911.

  “Emergency services, how may I assist you?” a calm, female voice answers.

  “My name is Kiara Sands. I live at 129 Melrose Street, apartment 317. There’s a dangerous man trying to break in to my apartment. His name is Robbs Martin. We filed a report about him earlier this evening.”

  “Okay, Kiara, I’m dispatching officers to your location now. I’m going to stay on the line with you until they get there. Where are you in the apartment?”

  “My roommate and I are locked in her bedroom. A friend was staying on the couch, and I think he’s gone after Robbs on his own. We heard a loud crash a few minutes ago, but it’s been quiet ever since.”

  “I need you to stay exactly where you are until the officers arrive. My name is Brenda, just try to stay calm, and let me know if you hear any more noises.”

  “Thank you, Brenda.”

  “Can I have your roommate’s name?”

  “Jenny Foster. And Chase Abbott is the man who went after Robbs.”

  “Thank you… is it still quiet?”

  “Yes.”

  “Officers Jones and Marquez are pulling into your parking lot now, and two more units are on their way. Does anyone at the scene need medical attention?”

  “Jenny and I are fine, but I don’t know about Chase.”

  “Okay, Kiara, I’m going to dispatch an ambulance, just in case.”

  The doorbell rings, and Brenda hears it on her side of the line.

  “The officers are right outside, Kiara. I’m going to disconnect now.”

  “All right, thank you, Brenda.”

  I toss Jenny’s phone on the bed. “I’ll go make sure that’s the cops. You stay here, and I’ll come get you once I’m sure it’s safe.”

  “No.” She shakes her head. “I’ll come with you.”

  Jenny crawls out of bed and loops her arm through mine. We make our way to the living room and find the coffee table overturned.

  “That must have been the crash,” Jenny observes quietly. “I wonder where Chase is.”

  “Wherever he is, we owe him. He managed to get Robbs out of the apartment.”

  The front door stands ajar; I open it all the way and let Officers Jones and Marquez into the apartment.

  “Did you catch him?” I ask hopefully. I know the answer by the grave look on their faces.

  “No,” Officer Jones replies. “Robbs had already fled the scene when we got here. Your friend managed to get in a few good licks, but Robbs was too fast for him. Chase was able to get a partial tag off of the getaway car, as well as the make and model. We’ll run the numbers through the DMV database. There’s a chance Robbs is using a stolen tag, but even a small lead is better than no lead at all.”

  “Where is Chase now? Is he all right?” I ask urgently. I can’t stand the thought of Chase getting hurt while trying to protect me.

  “He’s fine. He’s probably going to have a black eye, but Robbs didn’t fight back much. He had to know that he’s no match for Chase. That boy is built like a linebacker.”

  “He was a linebacker.”

  “That’s not surprising. Anyway, he’s downstairs with the paramedics. They want him to stay there until his adrenaline wears off. Sometimes people don’t realize how badly they’re hurt in the heat of the moment. I imagine they’ll let him come back up in another half hour or so.”

  “I’m so glad he’s okay.” I breathe a sigh of relief.

  “You’ve got a good friend there, ladies. You’re lucky he was on your couch. Would it be possible for him to stay with you until this matter is resolved?”

  “I’m sure that we can work something out.”

  “Great. I know the two of you have had a long night, so if you can give us quick statements, we’ll get out of your hair.”

  “Of course,” I agree. I tell the officers that Chase and I were talking on the couch when we heard the noises, and I locked myself in Jenny’s bedroom while he went after Robbs. “There’s really not much else to tell. We heard the crash and then it was quiet until you got here.”

  “Do you have anything to add, Ms. Foster?” Officer Jones asks softly.

  “No, I was asleep when Kiara came in. She told me what was going on and we stayed put until you got here.”

  The front door opens, and Chase walks in to the living room. A large red welt covers his left cheekbone but otherwise he seems unharmed.

  “The bastard got away from me. I’m so sorry, he was just too fast.”

  “That’s okay,” I tell him with a hug. “I’m just happy that you’re all right. I heard the crash and thought that he’d attacked you.”

  Chase shakes his head. “No, that was me. When I looked through the peephole, I saw Robbs trying to pick the lock. I flung the door open really fast and caught him off guard. He was still bent over so I grabbed him by the torso and tossed him into the table. He jumped up and hit me. He was probably halfway down the stairs by the time I got back on my feet. I made it to the parking lot just as he was jumping into his car. It was a black or dark blue Camry, I got part of the tag number. It’ll be easier to find him now, right?” he asks the officers hopefully.

  “Yes, I just explained to the ladies that we’re going to run the partial against the dark Camries in the DMV database. If we get a hit, we’ll put a BOLO out on the car. If the partial matches a stolen tag, we’ll at least have another avenue to investigate. I know that this is torture, but we’ll find Robbs eventually. Guys like this always get sloppy. It’s only a matter of time before he’s behind bars.”

  “That’s what everyone keeps saying,” Chase says impatiently. “I just hope it happens before he hurts anyone else.”

  “Detective D
elco in New York seems to think that nothing will detour Robbs. In your opinion, will he still try to get to us here now that he knows Chase is protecting us?” I ask the officers cautiously.

  “In cases like this, it’s best to hope for the best but plan for the worst,” Officer Marquez advises. “Get these locks changed out ASAP and if you can afford it, have a security system installed. If either of you are familiar with firearms, it may be a good idea to get one.”

  “I refuse to live with a gun,” I insist. “But some pepper spray is probably a good idea.”

  “We’ve got plenty at the station, I’ll bring some over tomorrow and show you how to use it,” Officer Jones offers.

  “If you don’t need anything else tonight, we should be getting back to the precinct,” Officer Marquez chimes in. “There’s another unit outside, Officers Vicker and Charles. They’re going to stay put for the night. You all try to get some sleep, and we’ll check in as soon as we learn something.”

  “Thanks again, Officers,” Chase says as he walks them to the door.

  “I can’t believe this keeps happening,” Jenny sobs as soon as the officers are gone.

  “I know, Jenny, but it will all be over soon,” I promise. “We’ve proven twice tonight that he can’t get to us here. From what Delco said, the harder we make it, the more determined he’ll be to hurt us. That means that he’ll keep trying, but the cops are watching the apartment now. The next time he makes a move, they’ll be waiting for him.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “I know so,” I assure her. “Why don’t you take one of the sleeping pills they gave you at the hospital? I know that you hate feeling groggy, but you really need to get some rest. Your body is still healing. Go get back in bed, and I’ll bring you a bottle of water.”

  “Okay, thanks, Kiara. And thank you, too, Chase. I hate to think about what could have happened to us if you weren’t here.”

  “You’re more than welcome, Jenny. I’m happy to keep you safe. Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning,” Chase tells her with a kind smile.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” I call after her as she disappears into her room.