Footfalls reach my ears and I can almost see whoever it is walking over to my bed and discovering me gone. That’s when I almost wet myself for real, because instead of getting out of dodge at the knowledge that I know that they’re here and likely even now calling the cops, I hear…yup, the closet door followed by a hissed curse.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
“S-s-someone is in my house,” I whisper low and in a trembling voice that sounds nothing like my own.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, please repeat that.”
“S-someone’s in my house.”
The clanging of the bathroom cupboard reaches my ears and I flinch at the violence of the sound.
The operator demands my address, and after two attempts she finally assures me that someone will be despatched immediately. I’m staying on the line and clutching the phone to my ear hard enough to bruise, though I can’t say a thing at the moment.
Those footsteps come closer and I just know instinctively that the burglar is standing right beside my hiding spot.
I don’t breathe or make a sound, too terrified to even draw a breath lest they hear it.
Thank God Miah had taken a look at my windows and set them up to alert me, or I’m sure that I’d be in a whole lot more trouble right now than I currently am.
Although, considering I’m about to perish from terror, I can’t be all that grateful just yet.
“Ma’am, are you still there?”
Yes! But I can’t answer because the psycho standing right beside my window seat will probably hear the chattering of my teeth if I unclench my jaw.
“She’s not here.”
“Bullshit. Her sheets are still warm and the bathtub is still a little wet from her bath. The bitch is here.”
Two men?
I’ll be dead in under a minute and I know it.
“Ma’am, do not panic. Whatever you do, don’t move if you’re hidden. A unit is pulling up at your house as we speak,” the operator says calmly.
She’s right and I know it the minute I hear the two men curse followed by their hard footsteps a second before a loud bang ricochets around me.
“Police!”
The relief is enough to break that leash I’ve had over myself and I start sobbing into the phone like a baby, my brain and muscles exhausted, as if I’ve run a marathon.
“Ma’am? Are you in here?”
“Ma’am, you need to go out there and let the officer know if you’re okay.”
“I…thank you.” I wheeze, fighting for breath as the choking sobs get louder and force me to finally reach my shaky arms up and push at the lid of the seat.
How I fit in here I will never know, but I’m just grateful to be out and alive as I struggle up and out of the small space and into the waiting arms of…Officer Gonzalez.
“Miss Elms, are you okay?”
“I…there were two men in my house,” I wheeze, still crying silent tears of joy and just…relief that I’m okay.
This whole episode could not have lasted longer than eight to ten minutes, max, and yet it’s as if I’d been in that box for hours.
“Officer Rourke is looking around, ma’am, but it seems they got away. Here. Let me get you a robe or something to cover up with,” he says, extricating himself with difficulty since my arms seem welded around the poor man’s neck.
It’s only then that I look down to see that my panties have ridden up my ass crack and my tank is so threadbare that I can see my own nipples through it.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks. Uh, can I call someone?”
“Sure, but we’ll still need you to come down to the station, Miss Elms.”
Great. yet another night without sleep and the terrific fear that not only will I have to come back here later, but I’ll have to stay here till I can afford to move.
I decide against the call just before I hit the send button.
I can’t tell you what I would give to see Miah right now and to feel his strong arms wrapping around me.
I want it so badly that I have to squeeze my fists together and shove my phone into the pocket of my robe. No way am I calling any of the Lanes and asking them to help me. Jude would have me living at the Lane house so fast, my head would spin, and I won’t even start with the hell I’’ll have to endure once the man currently pursuing me finds out about this.
And here I thought I could control at least one area of my life without wanting to run to a man to fix it.
“Miss Elms? We’re going to need you to come with us while they dust for prints. Have you called anyone?”
“Er, no, I’m okay. Just give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll be right with you,” I mumble, walking to the closet on shaky legs. I’m dressed in under a minute and grabbing my bag to follow Officer Gonzalez out to the squad car soon after.