Page 45 of Levee

By the time I was somewhat satisfied about the state of the apartment, the delivery arrived. It was an unexpectedly lengthy visit where they actually helped my uncle into the chair, showed him how to use it, made adjustments, and made sure he didn’t have any questions before they finally packed up and headed out.

“You sure you got it?” I asked as he zoomed over to the living room, narrowly missing running into the TV dinner table he used as an end table by his recliner.

“Not a fucking idiot,” he said.

I figured that it was pretty idiot-proof, so I didn’t bother going over anything again, just made sure the plug was easily accessible, then made my way out of the door.

Then three feet across the hall.

I knocked, wishing she still had the whiteboard so I could leave a note to text me since it didn’t seem like she was home.

But then I heard the slide of the locks and watched the door slide open.

Maybe if I’d hesitated for just a moment, I would see that she looked even more haunted than the last time I’d seen her, that the dark circles under her eyes had intensified, that she looked pale and shrunken into herself.

I didn’t hesitate, though.

I ducked low, grabbing the backs of her knees, and lifting her up off of her feet.

Then walked both of us into her apartment.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jade

I wish I could say that I got myself together after sneaking back into 7D’s apartment to find everything set to rights. Or that I didn’t rush down to the lobby when I saw the mailman approaching so I could see if mail easily still fit into his slot, or if there was some struggle involved because 7D hadn’t cleared out his box in days. Or that I didn’t sit up at all hours of the day and night listening. But hearing… nothing.

I was actually avoiding calls from my mom because I knew that, of all people, she would be the one to pick up on something being wrong with me. I just wasn’t quite sure I wanted to talk to anyone about my concerns.

At least not without some other bit of information to go on.

I tried to remind myself that if 7D wasn’t around anymore, like I sincerely suspected, that eventually his rent was going to come due. Then maybe I could convince someone that something happened to him.

Even if the blood was cleaned up, the police had ways of finding traces of it.

I knew that because my paranoia and lack of sleep had led to a researching problem.

I was practically a pro when it came to crimes and cover-ups now.

The only thing my research hadn’t given me was the ability to compartmentalize the situation, to just let it drop so I could eat or sleep or even just think straight.

I wasn’t sure how people who witnessed actual, for sure crimes managed to ever go back to their lives. I kind of maybe overheard one and I was a freaking wreck.

I did manage to finish my canvases for Mrs. Jackson. As well as one for Lily, Curtis, and their kids since I knew they weren’t long for the building either.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to function without someone else around that I knew, that I felt like I could run to if I was feeling threatened or like I was losing my damn mind.

I was in one of my daily spirals when there was a knock at my door.

My whole body jolted as I shot off the couch in my bare feet, the blanket I was wrapped in pooling on the floor as I stared at the door like it might burst inward. Like the bad guys who wrote the note might try to force their way in and attack me in the broad daylight.

Realizing I was being stupid, that it was probably Lily, Mrs. Jackson, or even William showing up for some reason or another, I forced myself to move forward, ignoring the chill working its way up my spine as I got closer to the door.

When I looked out the peephole and saw a very welcome face, I practically clawed at my locks in desperation to get them free, to get Levee in my apartment with me.

The door was no sooner open before he was stooping downward.

Before I could even guess at his intentions, his hands grabbed the backs of my knees and pulled me right up off of my feet.

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