A Sip of You(104)

“Yeah. Well, let’s hope so,” I replied. I felt like I’d landed in an episode of Law & Order.

“Are you sure that envelope came in the mail?”

“I assume so. It was in the mail pile Beckett made while I was in Napa, but I don’t know. I guess we can ask him if he remembers it.”

“Have you noticed anything unusual around your building? You know, weird cars outside, odd people hanging around? Anything unusual?”

I thought for a minute. “No, not really. It’s pretty quiet around there and Minerva and Hans are almost always home. If something was up, I’m sure they’d know about it.”

I sat for a moment, my mind whirling. Something was there, a thought that was hazy and just out of reach, kind of like déjà vu. Oh shit, déjà vu. William must have noticed the stunned expression on my face, because he quickly asked, “What is it? Did you remember something?”

I looked at him, my heart racing. “This morning, when I was leaving. There was a plumber who was walking up as I was walking out. He was just shutting the door of a white van parked out front and he asked me to hold the building’s door. He said he was there to fix a leaky pipe on the first floor. You don’t think…” my voice trailed off.

“Well, we can find out.” William looked around and saw my phone on the bedside table. He picked it up, looked at it, pressed a button, and held it to his ear. “Mrs. Himmler, this is William Lambourne, Catherine’s boyfriend.”

Even through my shock I thrilled a little at hearing William call himself my boyfriend. He was more than that to me now. My lover, my friend. My protector. Boyfriend couldn’t possibly encompass all of those things.

“Yes, she’s fine, thank you. And thank you for calling earlier. I have a question. Did a plumber come today for some work in your condo?” There was a pause and I saw him nodding. “Alright, thank you. We’ll see you soon. We’re leaving in a just a few minutes. Ok. Good-bye.”

William looked at me, his expression dark and weary. “She didn’t have a plumber come today, Catherine.”

“Oh fuck,” I replied. “Do you think I unwittingly let whoever broke into my condo in? I basically showed him the door?” I felt sick. If I really was in danger from whoever was threatening William, it was entirely possible that I’d literally walked right past him this morning and let him into my building.

“Do you remember anything? What did he look like, how old? Anything noticeable? Think!”

I ran the entire scene over in my head, closed my eyes and tried to remember. “He was mid-30s, I guess, kind of tall.” My voice trailed off. There had been something so familiar about him. Had I seen him around before? He reminded me of something…of someone. Then it hit me. I looked up at William.

“I remember now. Why I had that déjà vu feeling when I saw him. He reminded me of someone.”

“Who?” William was standing close enough for me to touch him, his face hard and impenetrable but his eyes filled with worry and concern.

I reached out and put my hand on his arm. I looked at the face of the man I loved, looked into his beautiful stormy, blue-grey eyes. “He reminded me of you.”