Kacy said nothing, but waited to see what would happen next. The phone clicked and went dead. Her cell phone rang immediately after that. It startled her so much, she nearly dropped the house phone. It was Reyes.
“Hi, Kacy, just wanted to update you a little on that information you gave us. We’re still digging around, but it’s been very helpful. We think we can link the three companies irrefutably and have a line on the owner.”
“That’s fantastic! Something else has happened you need to be aware of.” She told him about the two phone calls.
“Have you checked the caller id?”
“Not yet, let me do that for you.” Just as she was looking, the phone rang again, making her gasp. “Oh, God, Reyes it’s the same number calling again!” She rattled the number off to him.
“Have you got a speaker phone?”
“Yes. One second.” She answered, once more saying nothing. The same uncomfortable silence and then the rasping whisper.
“I know you’re there, I can see your car in the driveway. I want an answer. What will it be?” The caller paused. “When you decide to be sensible, we’ll talk.” The phone clicked.
“Reyes, I’m terrified! He’s watching the house!”
“I dispatched a unit there as soon as I heard that, Kacy. Just stay calm. When the uniform gets there, tell me, and I’ll confirm before you let the officer in, got that?”
“Yes, yes. I’ll lock up now. Reyes, I’m so scared!”
“I know, Kacy, I know. It’s okay. You just go around and make sure all the doors and windows are locked, and wait for the police. I’m going on another phone for a moment. I’m going to call Dino. I’ll be right here, just talking on another phone. I have you on speaker phone so if you need me, you just yell. Okay?”
“Yes, okay.”
She was shaking as she went around the house checking all the doors and windows, peeping in closets and behind drapes. Her pulse racing, she sat in the living room with her phone clutched to her chest. A few minutes later, a black and white car pulled up in the driveway and a uniformed officer got out.
“Reyes?” Kacy’s whisper was harsh and tight.
“Yes, Kacy, I’m here.”
“A uniformed officer is here. What do I do?”
“Go to the window and check the identification number on the fender and read it off to me. And he will show you his badge, I need that too. Can you do that? Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m just a little shaky.”
She read him off the number and Reyes spoke briefly to the dispatcher who confirmed it.
“That’s Jasper Waters. Let him in, and let him talk to me.”
“Will do,” she opened the door, allowing the officer into the house, locking the door securely after him. Handing him the phone, she nearly dropped it when the kitchen phone rang again.
“I can’t,” she gasped. “I just can’t!”
“It’s all right, Ms. Du Champs, I’ll take it. I’ll call you back, Sarge.”
He hung up, handing Kacy her phone, then took up the house phone, answering abruptly, sounding a lot like a very grumpy Dino.
“Yes, I hear you, what do you want you dirty bastard?” He smiled encouragingly at Kacy. “Right, I see. You can threaten all you want, it’s not going to make me sell. No one pushes Dino Sawyer around!”
The conversation went on for several more moments, mostly the officer yelling into the phone. Kacy was worried he would wake Deacon, but under the circumstances, she didn’t think Deacon would mind. The officer stopped talking and left the line open as he called Reyes.
“Did you get it, Sarge? I kept him on as long as I could.”
“Not quite, Jasper. Maybe next time he calls. You stay there with Kacy and keep her company. I’m on my way over. I’ll be there in about five minutes. Hold the fort.”
“You got it!” Turning to Kacy, he smiled and introduced himself. “It’s gonna be okay, Ma’am. Sarge is on the way over. He’ll be here any minute. If that phone rings, you just let me handle it.”
“Okay. Would you like some coffee? Maybe a muffin? I made some, they’re in the kitchen.”
“Sure thing!” Japser smiled, looking around at the luxury of the guest house. “Nice place Mr. Sawyer has here.”
“This is the guest house. Mr. Stewart and I are staying here temporarily. Now that the theater’s burned, I don’t know what we’ll be doing.”
Fixing the coffee gave her something to do so she wouldn’t think about how scared she was. The policeman, Jasper Waters, was very comforting. He was tall, his huge muscles rippled under his uniform, which looked as if it might split at the seams if he moved too fast.
“You were Pete Du Champs’ wife, right?”
Kacy nodded slowly, uncertain where the conversation was going.
“He was a hell of a talent, Ms. Du Champs. I met him once, when he did that cop movie in Orlando. I was one of the extras. I was just a rookie then. He showed me a couple things that came in useful more than once. He knew more about how to handle a weapon than some of my instructors. He was a hell of a guy! Real nice too, he was good people.”
©2021 Dellani Oakes
Dellani Oakes 