Page 12 of Daddy's Protection
After another drink of coffee, she explained, “Business is actually really good. I’m not getting rich, but I make enough to live. Especially since my grandma left me that place. It was free. I just have to pay the property taxes and utilities. Though she left a little in an account to help me get started. It’ll run out next year, though.” She shrugged. “But I can still make it. Not having rent or mortgage sure helps!”
“I’m sorry to hear of your grandma’s passing,” Isaiah said. “When was this?”
“About a year ago. And thank you.”
He leaned back fully against the back of the booth’s bench. He seemed to be contemplating what he’d just heard. “When did the spooky stuff start?”
The conversation was interrupted when the waitress came back, delivering two platters of pancakes and bacon. “I’ll touch up those coffees.” She disappeared for a second, came back with a pot of the piping hot liquid, refilled their mugs and then left.
Cami watched steam rise from hers and said, “Maybe six months ago. But it’s gotten progressively worse. And I never experienced anything like last night until… well, last night.”
They ate for a few minutes. The pancakes were light and fluffy, just like Cami liked them.
“Were you close to your grandma?”
“Yeah.”
“Around her often?”
“Sure.”
He took another bite and washed it down with coffee. “So you’d been in the house plenty of times before you inherited it.”
“Oh yeah. All the time.”
She had a pretty good idea where he was going with this. Her hunch was confirmed when he spoke again. “Did you experience anything weird back then?”
Her mind raced, trying to recall. The fact that she couldn’t think of anything gave her the answer. She figured she’d certainly remember something like what she’d seen last night! How could anyone forget that?
“No. I mean, the house always seemed old and kind of creepy. You know how it is in those places; you hear weird noises and stuff. But nothing too crazy.”
“Sure,” he said. “Did your grandma ever talk about anything strange happening?”
“No.”
A heavy silence settled over them. Finally, she said, “You know, if it was my grandma, I would feel a sense of peace and calm. Like she was just coming back to tell me goodbye or check up on me. But this is different. It’s a sense of dread. I feel like I’malways being watched. And then what I saw last night, well…” She shuddered.
The gulp of hot coffee she sent down her throat felt good, warming her core.
“I’m going to find out what’s going on,” he promised. “Is it okay if I take your keys and go have a look around while you’re working? I think some of the other guys are going to join me.”
“Sure,” she said.
“Thank you for trusting us. Do you want us to bring your car up here?”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble.”
He waved the concern off. “I’m going to come here to pick you up anyway. Might as well bring your car.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Sir.”
After eating a few more bites of pancakes, she pushed her plate away. “I need to stop! I’m already a fat cow. Scarfing down three giant pancakes isn’t going to help me any.”
She was raising her mug to her lips when she glanced across the table and saw the stern, disapproving gaze Isaiah wore.
Oh crap! He looked serious.
“I know I’m not your Daddy. But when you’re around me you will not speak so meanly about yourself. Do you understand me?”
