Page 73 of Beat around the Bush
As much as we hated the bad times in our lives, sometimes they had outcomes you’d never expect, and if you were lucky, they’d lead to some of the best moments of your life.
Meeting Lettie at that booth all those weeks ago and Lennon hiring me? That was luck. But Lennon and I becoming more than coworkers? That was fate. Like all my life, every small thing that happened was leading up to these bigger, life-changing events.
Heading out of the aisle to the front door, I twisted the lock, then went around the back of the register to grab the till. I made my way to the office, balancing the till in one hand. Leaving the door open, I sat behind Lennon’s desk and got to work counting the money and doing the closing duties he left on a list by his computer. I already knew what to do since he’d shown me multiple times, probably just for an excuse to be close to me, but I referenced the list anyway to make sure I didn’t skip anything.
As I was placing the bag of money in the safe under his desk, I heard a bang from out in the store, like something had hit the edge of a shelf.
I froze, peeking up over the desk from where I was still bent toward the safe. “Hello?” I called out.
Maybe it was Lennon getting back from the ranch and he came here instead of calling me since we had just closed.
But instead of Lennon’s voice, I was met with silence. I slowly stood from the chair and approached the door of the office, peeking my head out into the hall.
There hadn’t been anyone in the store when I locked the doors, so it couldn’t be a customer. The bell over the door hadn’t chimed for the last hour, at least.
Slowly inching my way down the hall, careful to keep my steps light, I peered around the corner, checking both sides but seeing nothing. The lights in the store dimmed after closing, so it wasn’t exactly bright in the store, but I still couldn’t make out anyone from where I was standing.
“Is there someone in here?” I called out, my voice echoing throughout the store.
Another clang sounded from a few aisles over and I yelped, spinning on my heel and running back to the office. I didn’t care if the sound came from a goddamn mouse, my heart was pounding out of my chest with the fear that it was more than that.
I slammed the office door shut, my fingers fumbling over the lock. Over the sound of my heart beating in my ears, footsteps sounded somewhere in the store, and then a crash, like glass being broken.
Swallowing the scream that threatened to escape, I launched for the work phone on the desk, my fingers shaking as I tapped out 9-1-1.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” The feminine voice over the line wasn’t soothing, despite her calm tone. Somethingabout having to call an emergency number made my heart pound faster, my knees threatening to fold.
“I-I think someone broke into Tumbleweed Feed,” I stuttered into the phone.
“Are you in the store right now?” she asked.
I nodded, then remembered she couldn’t see me. “I am. I’m locked in the back office.”
“We’ll send someone right now. Stay in the office and do not open the door. Are you safe in there?”
“Yes.”
“The officer is two minutes out. I’m going to stay on the line with you, okay?”
“Okay,” I said through a whimper I tried to hide.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Oakley Rae.”
“Alright, Oakley. Hang in there. He’ll be there soon.”
I hoped the glass breaking was them leaving the store, but I wasn’t going to risk it by going out there.
My cell phone was in the break room, so I couldn’t call Lennon while I was on the line with dispatch. God, if they shattered the front window, he’d have to pay to get it fixed. I should have just left the front door unlocked so they had an easier escape and didn’t resort to breaking a window.
“The officer just arrived. Backup is on the way. He’s going to clear the store, then come to you, okay? Just stay put.”
“Okay.” There was silence, and then what felt like an eternity later, a voice spoke up through the door.
“Oakley?” a male voice called through the door.
“Yes,” I replied, my voice shaky.
