Page 87 of The Breakdown

“Did you see who it was?”

“No. I was—too afraid to get up and look. But I switched on the lamp, and I think it scared them away.”

“You did good.” June patted her shoulder and went to the gun cabinet nestled in the far corner near the back door. She pulled out a rifle, made sure it was loaded, and grabbed a flashlight to walk into the kitchen. Natalie followed her.

“Should I wake Vaughn?”

“Not yet.” June stood sideways against the door and peered outside through the window. She unlocked the door, pulled it open, and stepped outside. Natalie once again followed and they stepped out onto the porch.

The early morning had a pleasant chill to it and Natalie hugged herself as they searched the property, taking a tentative step off the porch. June switched on the flashlight and swung the beam of light around.

Natalie held her breath as the light fell upon the front landscaping and the vehicles. She was certain someone was going to jump out and attack. Certain it would be Allen.

“I don’t see nothing,” June said. “They must be gone.”

“I saw them drive away.” But she wasn’t absolutely certain someone hadn’t remained behind. “But still, we should look.”

June walked closer to the vehicles and stopped dead in her tracks, pointing the beam of light at the tires on Vaughn’s truck. “Look,” she said.

“Oh my God.” The tires were slashed. June aimed the light on her truck. It seemed to be fine. Maybe Natalie really had scared them away before they could damage June’s tires.

“Sons a bitches,” June said, furious. She marched back up to the house and killed the flashlight beam. Natalie hurried after her and they walked back inside. June closed the door behind them and Natalie made sure to bolt it. June saw her.

“Let ’em come in. They can meet the end of my rifle.” She shook the rifle briefly as she spoke and leaned it against the counter before switching on the coffee pot. Then she collapsed into a chair at the table and motioned for Natalie to join her.

“What are we going to do?” Natalie asked.

“Other than buy Vaughn new tires? I don’t rightly know.”

“Do you think it was those boys?” She had to know. Because if June was certain it was them, it couldn’t be Allen and she could at least take some comfort in that.

“I don’t know. Probably. You said you heard whispers. As in more than one?”

“I think so.”

“It’s probably those two jackasses. Theo probably hasn’t caught them yet and they’re lashing out, having some fun with us.”

But Natalie still wasn’t sure. The email had really shaken her up. June seemed to notice her doubt.

“You don’t think so?” she asked.

Natalie hesitated. “I don’t know, June. I—” She told June about the email and about her fears. June listened quietly and rose to pour them both some coffee.

“I doubt it was him, hon,” she said, taking a sip from her mug as she handed Natalie hers. “He sounds like the type of man that would make more of an entrance. Not slash some tires in the night and run away.”

“You’re probably right.” But was she? It would be like Allen to toy with her, to frighten her and make her second-guess her every move. He’d gotten pretty good at it.

“You still don’t seem convinced,” June said.

Natalie wrapped her hands around the hot cup. “I probably won’t ever relax until he’s behind bars or out of the country or…” She shook her head, not wanting to go there.

“Dead?”

“I would never wish him dead.”

“No, you wouldn’t. But it sounds like he’s wished you dead more than a few times. He strangled you, for God’s sake.”

“He wanted to scare me.”

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