He stopped just past the ripped open couch and peered down the short hallway toward her bedroom. Pictures were off of the walls and smashed on the tile floor of the hall. Light was also beaming from the open door to Annie’s bedroom and bathroom. He walked slowly down the hall, aware of the fact that Annie had not stayed put where he told her to. She was now in the standing behind him.
Kip asked her: “Anything missing?”
Annie shook her head slowly, trying not to allow the tears that were welling in her eyes from rolling down her face. “I don’t know, Kip.”
“Well, I’d wager nothing is.”
“How can you be so sure?” She asked.
“This doesn’t look like a normal burglary. Why would someone break in to steal something, spend the time to wrestle the Plasma TV from the wall mount, then let it fall onto the table? No. Something else has happened here.”
“What, Kip?” Annie asked, her voice cracking. She had never been burglarized before, even in this low income building.
“I don’t know. So, I am going to look around and try to learn what I can. Now, I mean it, stay put,” Kip said sternly, jabbing his finger to the spot she currently occupied.
Kip turned and continued down the hall, glass cracking under his shoes.
He turned and disappeared into her room for a moment, then reappeared again, only to vanish into her bathroom again. A few minutes later, he was standing by her side.
“I am sorry, your bedroom and bathroom look pretty much like this,” he waved his arm around the room. “This may have been a burglary, but whoever did it was looking for something in specific.” Kip raised his eyebrows at Annie. It was a questioning look.
“What?”
“I am just wondering what you have in here that is valuable, hidden and that someone knows about. Valuable enough that they would break in and trash the place looking for it.”
“Kip, I don’t have anything of value. The TV is the most expensive thing I have, and there it is.” She pointed to the shattered glass and plastic hulk in front of her. “When I left Stewart I left with nothing. I live writing job to writing job. The TV was a gift to myself after I got the senator’s biography published. The royalties barely paid for it. I haven’t had new clothes since I left him. Except for the ones you bought me last night.”
“Okay, well, there must be something else then,” Kip said, “Something I missed.” He looked around the room again. Then he stepped over to the window and looked out upon the busy street below. Scratching his head, he turned back to the room, but stopped, something clicking in his mind.
“Why the curtains? He asked.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Why tear down all of the curtains? I mean, some might get torn during the trashing of the house…”
But all of them have been deliberately torn down. The whole apartment, living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, is exposed to the building across the street.
“Annie,” Kip said urgently, “when I was in the Marines, the most important thing in combat was to have cover and concealment.”
“I don’t understand, Kip. What is that?” Annie said, shaking her head in confusion.
Kip moved quickly and pushed her forward as he headed toward the door.
“It’s something we don’t have right now.”
As they reached the doorway, Kip reached back to grab the door and pull it shut behind him. As he did, the glass window shattered and the plaster wall exploded just inches from his face.
Kip slammed the door closed and grabbed Annie’s hand. He pulled her down the hallway, yelling to the playing children to get into their apartments and close their curtains. Annie was crying and when she looked at Kip’s powder covered face she screamed in horror. Kip grabbed her by putting both hands on her face and held her still. He pushed her up against the hallway wall.
“What is happening?! Kip, what is going on?” She cried.
“I don’t know, Annie.” Kip look as confused as she did. “I need to figure this out. Somebody wants either you or me dead. But I can tell you that we are safe for now. Whoever was shooting was across the street. We are safe here in the hallway. Please try to calm down. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Kip, who would want us dead?” Annie asked as she wiped the tears from her face.
Kip froze and held her tight. He looked around the hall as the children disappeared into their apartments. Their mothers shooing them in and giving Kip evil looks. As if all of that was his fault. Hell, it may be!
“I don’t know Annie, but I intend to find out.” Kip said, and he left her there against the way as he bolted back to her apartment door. “And Annie, I mean it, you stay right there.”