Page 10 of Malice

“You were in plain sight when he tried to grab you off the street the other day. That’s not a deterrent to him, it would be to some. Can you get inside while you wait? Did you touch anything?”

She glanced around again, there were a few people around, but only people she recognized as her neighbors. She could step inside, but then she wouldn’t be able to see when the police arrived, and she told him that. “But I didn’t touch anything. I stopped several feet away, as soon as I saw it. It took me a moment, but I called the police right away.”

“Can you stay on the phone with me? At least until the police show up?”

“I can.”

“Good. Give me just a second.”

“Okay,” she said.

There was still sound on his end of the line, but it was muted, as if he’d put his thumb over the microphone. Only a few seconds passed before the sound changed back and he spoke.

“All right. I’m back. Give me your address. I’ll be there as soon as I can get there.”

She gave him her address and wondered what good his coming would do, but she didn’t ask. The idea that soon she wouldn’t be alone made her feel better. At least a little.

“Look around, tell me what you see, other than your car that is.”

Bonnie frowned and scanned the parking area again. “It’s just the parking lot. There have been a couple of my neighbors headed to their cars, but that’s all. Other than my car, it all looks normal.”

“What’s behind you?”

“My apartment building,” she said without looking or turning around.

“Did you turn to look at it?” he asked. A vehicle door closed in the background then an engine started.

“No.”

“Do it, please.” The sound changed and she knew the sound had switched to the vehicle’s speakers. Since he’d said he worked and lived on a ranch she assumed it was a pickup.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, not seeing why she would need to turn around and look at the building she’d lived in for the last three years but did it anyway.

“Okay, I’m looking at the building. What am I looking for.”

“Not for anything in particular but tell me what you see.”

She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush as she let her eyes play over the surface, trying to find anything to tell him about.

“Four floors of windows, the front door, the keypad to get in the door, the security camera, the bank of mailboxes, a couple of the windows have blinds, the rest are covered with curtains.”

“Okay, good. Turn around again and see if there’s anyone new around you, anyone you’re not used to seeing.”

She shook her head but did as he said.

“Nope, nothing new. There are a couple fewer cars, the ones people got into and left but that’s all.”

“That’s okay. I just wanted to distract you. Do you feel a little calmer, maybe a little more with it?”

Bonnie frowned and took a sip of the coffee from the mug still in her hand. Maybe the first since she’d stepped outside.

“I do but I’m not sure why.”

“That’s good. I’ve almost reached the highway. I’m sure the police will be there before I can get there. I’ll let you go when they get there, so you can talk to them.”

“Good.” A large black SUV with the word POLICE stenciled in gray turned into the parking lot. “They’re here. They just pulled in.”

“Good. Once they start talking to you, I’ll let you go. What’s your apartment number, in case you’re up there by the time I get there?”

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