by Alison Stone
"Why did she break your pencil? Maybe she didn't mean to."
"No, she meant it. She told me if I didn't give her my dinosaur pencil, she was going to snap it in half."
"And when you didn't give it to her, she did what she said she was going to do."
"Yeah." Liam sounded a little more confident, as if he sensed his father understood the indignity of it all.
Theo knew there were two sides to every story, but he'd vowed to always back his son. Listen to his side of the story. His son had never lied in the past. "Liam, listen to me. What Molly did was wrong, but you know it's wrong to use bad language."
"I know," Liam muttered, sounding absolutely miserable.
"Have you ever heard me using the word you used?" Theo couldn't imagine what he must have said to prompt a trip to the principal's office and a phone call home.
"No."
"Where did you learn it?"
"Mom said it when I spilled my milk. She was really, really mad. And I was really, really mad when Molly broke my favorite pencil."
Theo scrubbed a hand across his face. "Even adults and people we love make mistakes. You shouldn't have repeated the word. You knew it was a bad word, right?"
"I figured it was, because Mom was angry. It sounded bad."
Theo paced on the gravel parking lot between two parked cars. "You know better. Next time you get angry, don't use bad language, okay? And if you can't handle a situation, go to an adult." Theo watched a Styrofoam cup blow and twirl on the wind. He turned his back and hunched his shoulders as a chill shot down his spine. It pained his heart that he couldn't protect his son from…from everything. "You know you can always talk to me, right?" Theo's own father was a good guy, but he wasn't much of a talker.
"You weren't there, Dad." Liam sounded so small, yet defiant.
"Your teacher can help when I'm not around. You know that, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, we'll talk more when you get home. Let me talk to the principal."
He wondered how many calls of this nature Theo's father had received over the years. He figured this was his payback. Payback for all the years of giving his father grief.
"I'll address this at home, Principal Finley. Liam knows better."
"Liam's a good kid. He's never done this before. I thought perhaps he could write a letter of apology to the little girl."
"I trust you'll handle it appropriately. Thank you for letting me know. I'll address this at home," he repeated.
Theo ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. He'd turned to go into the warehouse when he heard a loud crashing sound.
Adrenaline surged through his veins and Theo bolted toward the door.
Violet wandered the length of the warehouse. Theo had a nice operation. Her gaze kept drifting to Lorianne, Abby's sister. The family resemblance was striking. Since Abby's murder, Violet had been feeling sorry for herself, but this young woman had lost her big sister. She was the one Violet should have been focused on.
A heavy weight pressed on her lungs. The Graber family had lost Abby long before she was murdered.
To distract herself, Violet decided to walk down the aisle of stacked boxes to read the labels while she waited for Theo's return. His pinched expression as he hustled out the door suggested the call might not be good news. She hoped it wasn’t anything serious.
Each tag had a schematic of the play set. She smiled. Theo was not only a smart businessman, but he was an artist. These play sets were beautiful and she could only imagine the joy they'd bring the children who were fortunate enough to have one in their backyard.
The sound of a motor whirred behind her. Half aware, she glanced over her shoulder. The operator of the forklift had on full winter gear, probably because he loaded the trucks on the dock where the cold winter winds whipped in through the open doors.
Violet wandered down to the next tag under a large box. The boxes contained kits, including plastic steering wheels and phones and other items. The rock climbing walls and slides were stored separately. They must have decided selling the play sets as all-out kits was more lucrative than having a store piecemeal the play sets.
She ran her hand over the laminated card. Theo put his heart into these designs. This one had two rock climbing walls and a tire swing. She smiled. Perhaps Theo was a kid at heart.
Suddenly, a rustling sounded overhead. Violet glanced up and a few cardboard boxes tipped precariously out of their slot. Instinctively, she lifted her hands to cover her head. At the same time, she jumped back. Her hip hit the ground hard and the box landed on her legs and exploded open in an avalanche of wood, plastic parts and fasteners.
She glanced around, half expecting, half fearing another box to come crashing down on her head. Had she accidentally bumped something? No, she knew that wasn't possible. She was only reading the tags.
The forklift.
It stopped on the other side of the rack. From her position, she saw legs and expensive-looking sneakers through an open slot visible near the bottom of the rack.
Footsteps sounded on the cement. She expected to see the man dressed in his winter gear offering a profuse apology. Instead the first person she saw was Lorianne bending over her with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"
"I—I—" Violet touched her head, her midsection, for confirmation that she was okay. She slid out from under the parts spilled over her legs. "Yeah, I think so." Her scalp tingled, mingling with the adrenaline pulsing through her veins.
More sounds of running feet. Violet brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and looked up to find a very concerned Theo staring down at her.
Theo crouched down next to her. "Are you okay? What happened?"
"Yeah." Her face grew hot as she suddenly felt stupid. Embarrassed. Had she somehow caused this? It wasn't like she had never been in a plant before. She knew to be cautious. Aware of her surroundings.
Violet craned her neck. What had happened to the forklift driver?
"What happened here?" Theo tossed a piece of plastic back toward the shelving unit.
"I'm not sure. I think the guy on the forklift knocked the boxes over from the other side of the shelves." Violet pressed her hand against the smooth, cold cement, but her wrist gave out on her.
Theo cupped her elbow. "You okay to stand?"
Feeling a little silly, she smiled sheepishly. "It would be preferable to the cold floor."
Slipping his solid arm behind her back, he helped her up. A twinge of pain shot through her leg when she put weight on it. "You okay?" he whispered close to her ear.
She nodded.
Theo turned to Lorianne who was standing nearby wringing her hands. "See who was driving the forklift. Maybe he doesn't realize he pushed the boxes over."
Deep in her heart, Violet couldn't believe any of this was accidental.
"Can you walk?" Theo asked.
Violet stepped free of Theo to test her ankle. The initial pain didn't seem to be an indicator of anything serious. She could walk on it just fine. "I'm all right."
A look of uncertainty flickered in Theo's eyes.
A moment later, Lorianne ran back over to them. "The forklift is sitting idle on the other side."
"Who was operating it?"
"No one seems to know. There aren't any orders going out. I asked LuAnn in shipping. As far as she knew, Levi, the usual driver, was on a smoke break. No one should have been using the forklift."
Violet dragged a hand across her hair. "I saw a guy dressed for winter operating it. I couldn't see his face."
Theo wrapped his arm around her and led her to the door. "Let's go sit down."
A shudder racked through her body that had nothing to do with the temperature in the warehouse. Someone had tried to hurt her.
Or worse.
Again.
Chapter 9
"Are you sure you're okay?" Theo had his arm hooked around Violet's elbow as they crossed the parking lot to his office trailer. She seemed a little
hesitant, but grew steadier with each step. He'd be lying if he didn't admit he feared the liability of having an unsafe work environment, but right now his primary concern was for Violet's well-being. He'd deal with the business—and legal—aspects later.
"I'm fine, really." Violet smiled, but her lips twitched slightly when she put weight on her injured ankle. He sensed that her pride had also taken a hit, but he wasn't sure why. By all accounts, a careless forklift driver had tipped over boxes from the racks.
"I'd feel better if you got checked for a concussion. Any other injuries."
"I didn't hit my head." Her hand went to her right hip. "I landed on my cushy backside." She deflected his concern with humor.
She tried to wiggle free of his grasp, but he was reluctant to let go of her. Not just yet.
Theo guided Violet to the small stoop on the front of the trailer and after fighting with the sticking door a minute he got her inside. "Here, have a seat on the couch."
Theo didn't let go of her arm until she was seated. He dragged the chair around from the front of the desk and placed it directly across from her. "Tell me what happened?"
Violet slumped back into the couch and closed her eyes briefly, as if catching her breath. "I was admiring your designs on the laminated placards on the racks." She got a distant look in her eyes as if she was remembering a particular detail. "There was a guy on a forklift. I'm guessing he bumped the boxes from the other side and they tipped over. It was an accident." Her voice hitched on the last few words, indicating she wasn't so sure.
"We didn't see anyone, but whoever did it left the forklift right where he hit the boxes. I asked Lorianne to send Levi, the young Amish man who normally drives the forklift, to my office." He let out a long breath. "In light of everything else, I don't like this. Not. At. All."
A thin line creased her forehead and she shook her head, as if she didn't want to consider it. "I don't think he was Amish. He was dressed in winter gear. I couldn't see his face, but nothing about his dress seemed Amish. I noticed he had on expensive sneakers." She rubbed the back of her neck. "That doesn't seem Amish, does it?" She shrugged. "Maybe someone else was filling in for your usual person and got spooked when they knocked the boxes over. Took off."
Theo stood. "You okay in here a minute? I'm going to walk the warehouse. See who's around. Figure out what happened."
"Yeah, I'm fine." She pointed her thumb at the desk. "No reason I can't make some headway through the paperwork." Theo reached out to grab the door handle. Violet must have sensed his hesitation and asked, "Everything okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"You got a phone call before I…before I fell on my backside."
Theo's shoulders sagged and he plowed a hand through his hair, then turned to face her. "It was Liam. Well actually, his principal."
Violet's back straightened. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, it's me who's going to need some help."
She angled her head, listening.
"He got in trouble for his language at school." Theo shook his head. "I'm afraid the kid's come by it all honestly since I'm his dad."
Violet pushed to her feet and a fleeting grimace flashed across her features.
He raced over to her. "Sit down."
Violet waved him off. "I'm okay." She took a step toward him. "Give yourself more credit. I've only known Liam for a few days—and I've seen you with him. He's a great kid." She touched his forearm. "And you're a great dad."
"Thanks. But I'm afraid he's acting out. His mom deserves a chance to be a mom, but what about Liam? Is it affecting him negatively?" He frowned. "Little guy shouldn't have to deal with grown-up situations. I pray every night that I'm doing right by him. I've done my best to be a good dad. Liam used a few choice words at school that he's never heard come from my mouth, but…" Theo vowed he'd never throw the mother of his son under the bus. "He's gotten the idea that it's okay to speak that way."
"He's a little boy. He'll make mistakes. You'll do right by him."
"I'm trying." A hollowness expanded in the pit of his stomach. Theo had grown up without a mother. And the last thing he wanted to do was keep Liam from his. But didn't Jenny also need to prove she was up to the task? Liam couldn't suffer for her mistakes. He ran a hand across his forehead. Why did life have to be so complicated?
"Do you have to go to school? Don't let me hold you up. Please." Violet's question snapped him out of his wandering thoughts.
"He's coming home on the bus at dismissal. I'll have a chat with him then." Theo pulled open the door. "Meanwhile, I'll see who was driving the forklift." He patted her hand that was resting on his forearm. "We can't have accidents like this. Stay here." He smiled. "Stay warm. I'll be right back."
But after everything else, something told him this was no accident.
Violet tried to focus on work for most of the day, but she was distracted. She had tweaked her ankle when she fell, but figured nothing a day or two of taking it easy wouldn't cure.
Her life was another story. Everything was spiraling out of control.
She could have been killed today if she hadn't jumped back. Her stomach knotted as an all-out panic attack threatened. She quickly pushed the thoughts from her head. She would not allow the anxiety to take root.
Deep breath.
Violet leaned back in Theo's leather desk chair. The soft glow of her laptop with its backdrop of photos from around the world was familiar, comforting. She had spent countless hours behind the laptop, working from points all around the world. Now, here she sat in an uninsulated trailer with an auto parts calendar on the wall and a TV and game console in the corner. She ran a hand down her hair and twisted it around her finger. Realizing what she was doing, she dropped her hand. Twisting her hair was an old habit from high school.
She had to get better so she could travel again. Live life without this constant knot in her gut. She rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the frustration.
A whisper of dread coiled around her spine and made her shudder. The same thought had been haunting her all day. What if it wasn't an accident? What if my stalker has really found me? She wasn't a big believer in coincidences. The flat tire. The tracks around her house. The near miss in the warehouse.
Abby's murder.
She bowed her head and threaded her fingers through her hair as panic bit at her scalp. Had her panic now turned to paranoia? How would some random stalker have gained access to the forklift? She bit her lip. It wasn't as if the warehouse was secure. Anyone could have wandered in and taken the opportunity. As if they were watching.
Stalking.
"Oh man, get a hold of yourself," she muttered, hating that she was about to go out of her skin.
The crunching of gravel under tires followed by a car door slamming caught her attention. A moment later, rustling sounded at the door. Chad, Theo's cousin, stepped into the office and gave her an assessing stare that unnerved her. Or maybe it was merely a reflection of her already frayed nerves.
Chad rapped his knuckles on the corner of the desk. "You okay? I got a call there was a commotion in the warehouse. Something about a near miss with you and some boxes." Tufts of his hair stood at odd angles, as if he'd been jamming his hands through it.
Violet lowered the lid of her laptop and it closed with a quiet click. "Some inventory fell off the top rack, probably nudged by an inattentive forklift driver. I was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"How long ago did this happen? Where's Theo? Does he know what happened?"
"It happened this morning. I'm fine."
Chad paced back and forth in the small space, then spun around to face her. "Unacceptable." He stopped and studied her. "Are you sure you're okay?" A strange vibe rolled off him, or maybe Violet was just surprised by his concern.
Violet held up her hands. "Yes, fine. I promise."
"I better get out there. Get some answers. We need to make sure we have a safe working environment. OSHA will be all over this."
Just then, Theo came through the door and did a double take when he saw Chad standing there.
"I heard what happened. Came to check on Violet."
Something flashed across Theo's face that Violet couldn't quite identify. "I thought you were in Buffalo all day."
"Finished up early. Did you find the driver of the forklift? Was it Levi?"
"No one seems to know who was driving the forklift. Levi was on a break. Left the keys in the truck." Theo looked like he wanted to say more, but instead his gaze drifted to Violet and stayed there.
Chad sat down on the arm of the couch. "Whoever knocked the boxes probably realized their boneheaded mistake. They're probably afraid of getting fired. He could have killed someone."
"I know." Theo crossed his arms over his chest. Violet felt invisible as they talked about the situation as if she wasn't here.
"I'm grateful Violet wasn't hurt." Chad stood. "And I know you might not agree with this—either of you—but if we report this, we'll have OSHA on us. The fines…" Chad shook his head. "Maybe we should review our procedures so this doesn't happen again. Make sure the forklift is secure. Keys locked in the office when it's not in use."
Violet stood and held up her hands. "This sounds like something the two of you have to discuss. I'm going to step outside for some fresh air."
"No, no need. I'm headed out. I've had a long day." Chad opened the door. "Glad you're okay, Violet. See you later."
The white shade rattled on the door with Chad's departure.
Violet leaned forward and planted her elbows on the desk. "I'm sorry I caused all this chaos." Then her voice grew quiet. "I know it sounds crazy, but what if a stranger"—it felt better to say stranger, rather than stalker—"was able to sneak into the warehouse?" She lifted her shoulders. "I don't know. It sounds crazy. Like I'm paranoid."
Paranoid. There was that word again. That's how she had been made to feel when she was fourteen. No one believed she had a stalker. It wasn't unusual for people to hound celebrities and their children. No one had crossed the line.
Theo met her gaze, and the seriousness in his eyes wasn't what she had anticipated. She had fully expected—no, hoped—he would have dismissed her claims as ridiculous. A simple industrial accident was far less ominous. "I don't like this at all."