Page 72 of Never Give Up

She rattles off an address, and I type it into the system as I hear Poppy in the background sending units to respond.

“I know he saw me,” she whispers into the phone. “He’s wearing all black with one of those stupid ski masks, and I know he saw me because I was watching the stars through my window. I know he saw me. I heard her scream. But I saw him. I saw that creep. You have to help her.”

“Lock your doors and get somewhere safe.” The words come out on autopilot, a chilling reminder of what I was told when I went through hell. “Go into a bathroom, or another room with a lock, and stay on the line with me.”

She’s crying now, her sobs etching themselves into my heart forever, and I’m counting the seconds until I get a deputy not only to her neighbor, but to her.

“Which neighbor is it?” I ask again. “If I’m standing with you right now, looking at your front door, is it the neighbor on your left or your right?”

“M-my right.”

I type into the computer, letting units responding know that the house is on the left side if they’re facing my caller’s house.

“What’s your name? Can you tell me that?”

“B-bailey,” she stutters. “My name is Bailey.”

“That’s good, Bailey. My name is Maya. And I’ve got help coming. Okay?”

“Hurry.” Bailey’s breathing is coming in small little pants. “I’m scared.”

“I know you are. But I’ll be here on the phone with you until they get there. Are you hiding for me?”

“I’m going,” she whispers. “Going to my mom’s closet.” She sounds so young. Too young to be dealing with this.

“How old are you, Bailey? Is there anyone in the house with you?”

“Thirteen.” Her voice breaks into a short cry, nothing more than a choked sob on the end of her word. “No.” I can feel the sting of tears falling down my cheeks. “My mom is working. Okay, I’m hiding.”

“Good. Now, I want you to be as quiet as possible. You’re going to hear me talking, and you might hear my partner in the background. No matter what, I’m not hanging up. I’m going to stay right here. Make sure the volume on your phone is turned down and that your ringer isn’t on for me. Just to be safe.”

I hear her voice drop as she says, “Okay.”

“I’m still here, Bailey. Breathe for me, and stay calm.”

Wood slams in the distance.

I mute my phone.

“He’s in the house,” I tell Poppy, who relays it to the deputies.

Glass breaks too close to the phone.

Unmuting my side, I take a deep breath and jump back into action, despite the trembling in my fingers.

“Bailey.” I say her name as calmly as possible, dropping my voice down a few decibels. “I need you to be as quiet as possible. It sounds like someone is in the house. If you’re in the closet, hide underneath blankets or clothes. Anything you can. Don’t answer me but know I’m still here for you. Help is coming.”

She doesn’t answer.

But I hear what’s happening.

Her small inhalations with every breath she tries to take through the fear.

“Help is coming,” I repeat. “Stay calm, and stay hidden.”

The closet door opens, metal and wood screeching in my ear, and I raise panicked eyes to Poppy.

“Units be advised,” she speaks into the radio while I mute my end of the call. “A male subject has found the caller.”

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