Chapter Twenty-One
Andrew parked on the side of the street behind an old green sedan with stickers all over the bumper and a dented trunk lid. He had a good view of the demon’s house down the adjoining street to his left. The sun had started to rise, but darkness still blanketed the sky. Few people had left outside lights on their homes. From the lack of lighting inside, Andrew suspected many people were still sleeping.
He cut the engine and looked at Emily. Dark circles under her eyes revealed her lack of rest. She yawned and lifted the blanket covering her lower half. She hid her hands and arms underneath it as if she was cold, but she wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. The mid-sixties temperature seemed comfortable to him.
“Tired?” he asked.
“A little, but I’ll be fine.”
“You can always nap if you need to.”
“No, I don’t want to miss anything.”
“You look cold.”
“I am a little, but the blanket helps.”
He lifted his cup of java from between the seats. The hazelnut scent filled the car.
“Coffee would help wake me up and warm me,” she said.
He sipped his drink before returning it. “But the caffeine wouldn’t be good for you.”
“I know. I just miss it.”
“If it would make you feel better, I can stop drinking coffee.”
“No, smelling it helps. It’s not the same as drinking, but I feel better if I can smell coffee.”
She earned a grin from him. He’d offered before to give up the caffeinated drink since she couldn’t have any because of the baby. He didn’t want to tease her by the scent or by having the elixir available. She’d drank it almost daily prior to finding out she was pregnant. But she seemed okay with him continuing to consume java.
Together, they watched the demon’s house as the sun rose. More lights flashed on in houses, and cars left. Two school buses passed at different times. Although they’d blocked the view of the demon’s property, it appeared nothing had changed after the buses continued on.
In the daylight, Andrew couldn’t determine if the demon had woken or not. He’d used the binoculars a few times to check for movement. The curtains remained closed. Nothing had changed from when they’d first arrived. Other neighbors had left their homes, including the person living next door and a few across the street from him, but the sedan with tinted windows in the demon’s driveway remained idle.
“I’m starting to think he doesn’t have a job,” Emily said.
“At least not one where he leaves the house. Unless he works later in the day or at night.”
She sighed. “Which means we have to stay here for a long time.”
“If you want me to take you back to the hotel—”
“No,” she snapped. “Four eyes are better than two. But we will have to take a break later for food and a bathroom.”
“Tell me when you need to go.”
“Oh, I will.” She dug in her purse and withdrew a small box of cereal. “Want any?”
“No thanks.”
She ripped the cardboard to get to the inner plastic containing the food. After she tossed several Cheerios into her mouth, Andrew returned his gaze to the demon’s property.
Time seemed to move slowly. Emily had finished her morning snack and had sipped some water from the bottle next to his empty coffee cup. She hadn’t mentioned needing to use the restroom yet, but he had started to feel pressure to use one.
Around nine thirty, the demon opened the door on the side of his house. Intrigued, Andrew straightened. The man wore a dark-green shirt over his dark pants. The turban he’d worn the day before had disappeared. He locked the door and then proceeded to the garage. For several minutes, Andrew stared, waiting for the demon to leave his garage.
“I’m not a fan of long beards,” Emily said. “That’s too much hair for me.”
“Does that mean you don’t want me to grow one?” He kept his attention on the demon’s property.
“I didn’t mind when you had a short one. You looked very sexy with it. But don’t ever grow a long beard.”
“Hair stops growing in heaven, so you don’t have to worry about finding me with a beard.”
They sat in silence, watching the demon walk from his garage to his house. He unlocked the door and then disappeared inside. Andrew collected the binoculars from between the seats.
“See anything?” she asked as he peered into the lenses.
“Nothing looks different.” He lowered the binoculars.
The darkened windows on the garage door led Andrew to believe the man wanted to conceal whatever he had inside. What was he hiding?
Minutes later, the demon stepped out of his house again. He locked the door as he had the previous time. Andrew watched from the binoculars. The man carried something wrapped in a blue cloth as he headed for the garage.
“I can’t see what’s in his hand. It’s covered in what looks like a towel.” Andrew paused. “I think he locked the door on the side of the garage when he left.”
“That’s strange how he moves a few feet between the two but he has to lock the both. Why not leave them unlocked if he knows he’s going back and forth?”
“Maybe he’s very protective of his property.”
“Hmm… It makes me wonder more about what he’s doing.”
Andrew lowered the binoculars. “If I could get closer, maybe I could see what’s in the garage.”
“I don’t want you going near that place while he’s there. If he would see you, then your chances of getting close to him would be slim to none.”
She had a point, unless he could kill Ahmed on the spot. But out in the open, anyone could see him. And if someone did, they’d probably call the police. Andrew couldn’t risk being seen.
The demon stayed in the garage for close to thirty minutes before he returned to his house empty handed.
“He has to be working on something in the garage,” she said.
“Maybe he’s a carpenter.”
She frowned at him. He didn’t believe the man was crafting something out of wood either.
“I could try to sneak in if he would leave,” Andrew said.
She chewed on her bottom lip. “As long as you’re quick. I could keep an eye on the neighborhood.”
A black SUV with dark windows turned into the demon’s driveway. Two men exited the vehicle, one from each side. They both had colored auras and wore turbans and white pants. The passenger wore a long, brown shirt. The other man had on a long, white one. They stopped at the door on the side of the demon’s house and the guy in the brown shirt knocked.
The demon opened the door and spoke to the men. The two backed away from him as he stepped outside. The demon locked his door before he led the way to the garage. Andrew hurried to watch through the binoculars.
“Now I’m really curious to know what’s in the garage,” Emily said.
After the demon unlocked the door, the three men disappeared inside the garage.
Andrew lowered the lenses and glanced at Emily. Her scrunched brows and pressed lips indicated her concern. Of course, his level of worry increased upon hers. But his priority would always be for her.
“How’s the baby doing?” he asked.
“Fine. Kicking a little.”
“Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“I’m okay for now.”
He’d give her more time since she’d been drinking the water very slowly. She hadn’t drunk one fourth of the bottle, but he didn’t want her to put too much pressure on herself. Andrew felt the need to piss, but he could hold it a bit longer.
They watched for close to forty minutes before the two men walked out of the garage. Neither appeared to have anything in their hands. They left in the SUV.
“He’s inside still,” she said.
Andrew hadn’t seen the demon leave either. They watched for another fifteen minutes before Andrew’s bladder demanded attention.
“I think it’s time we take a break,” Andrew said. “It doesn’t appear he’s going anywhere.”
“Yeah, and I’m hungry.”
“Let’s find a place to eat and use the bathroom.” He started the engine.
“How about the store we passed by earlier? If they have some kind of wrap, I’m good eating that. I like grab-and-go food. And I’m sure they have a bathroom too.”
“Sounds good to me.” Given the fullness of his bladder, he was more interested in finding a restroom first.
Andrew pulled away from the parking spot. When he reached the main road, he headed back the way they’d come earlier in the morning.
“I don’t like the idea of you sneaking around his property, but I’m really curious to know what he is doing in that garage,” she said.
“The house on one side is boarded up. We saw the other neighbor leave. The demon has a tall privacy fence around the sides and the back. Plus, there is a tree line behind the property. My chances of being seen are low, I think.
“You can’t try while he’s there. It’s too risky.”
"But if he’s not, I think I should jump on the opportunity."
Lips sealed, she nodded.
Andrew pulled into a spot at the grocery store. Before he exited the car, he grabbed his empty coffee cup to toss into a trashcan. The aroma of fried chicken and freshly baked bread drifted from the entrance as they walked toward it. As soon as the first set of doors swished aside, Emily pointed.
“Found the bathrooms. I’ll meet you in a few minutes,” she said before she headed toward the ladies’ room.
Andrew found the men’s bathroom across from the women’s. After he disposed of the coffee cup, he hurried to do his business so he could catch up with his wife. Unfortunately, the facility didn’t have towels, so he had to stick his hands under the dryer on the wall. The cool air didn’t help much. He walked away, rubbing his hands on his jeans.
“They have a Subway,” Emily said as he came to meet her inside the store. “Would you rather eat a sub sandwich or wrap from the deli?”
“I’m good with a sub.”
She took hold of his hand and he followed beside her to the restaurant near the entrance of the store. Following a short wait, they ordered their sandwiches and left with their food in bags. Andrew sucked on the straw of his iced tea on the way out.
“Did you notice how poor the lighting was in the neighborhood?” he asked while they headed for the vehicle.
“Yeah, it was crappy.”
“I could always sneak around at night. I doubt anyone would see me.”
He’d sensed earlier she wasn’t comfortable with him nosing around the property because of the risk of being seen, but the darkness at night would conceal him.
They returned to the Jeep. Andrew set his drink in the empty cup holder.
“Can I have a small sip?” she asked.
“Sure.” He handed her his food to hold while he drove.
She placed the bag on her lap next to hers before she took a small drag on the straw. “Thanks. I just wanted a small taste.” She set the cup down.
“If he doesn’t leave his home, then I’ll snoop around after dark and see what I can find,” he said as he steered the Jeep onto the road, heading back to the demon’s house.
Emily took her sandwich from the bag. The paper wrapped around her food crinkled. The smell of her grilled chicken and warm bread roused his appetite. Unlike her, he’d ordered a cold foot long.
“I’m fine with that. I can keep watch for you.” She took a bite of her sandwich.
Within minutes, Andrew turned onto the demon’s street. As he neared the house, Andrew’s pulse quickened.
“Shit, he left.” Emily lowered her sandwich.
Andrew quickly pulled to the right side of the road.
“What are you doing?” she asked and he shifted the gear.
He cut the engine. “This is a good opportunity to nose around his property.”
Her eyes widened. “Now?”
He scanned the homes on the same side of the street as the Jeep. Neither had cars in the driveway.
“The neighbors are all gone. This is a good time.” He opened his door.
“Be careful, Andrew, please.” The worry in her tone couldn’t be missed.
“I will.”
Anxiety high, he left her in the Jeep and crossed the street. Emily preferred sticking to plans and rarely acted on the spot, so he hadn’t been surprised by her response. Andrew had always been the type of person who could wing anything on the fly. And since the demon had left, he had the perfect chance to snoop. All Andrew wanted to do was see if he could look in the garage or get inside, neither of which required much time.
He strode up the driveway, heading for the garage. The width of it could only house one vehicle. Weeds grew tall in the small space between the structure and the privacy fence. The area would be a good place to hide if he needed to.
He passed the door on the side of the house. Paint was chipping from the wood. As he neared the garage, he strained his eyes to study the windows on the garage. Curtains weren’t covering the glass. It seemed a black coating or film blocked any view in or out.
An old grill, lawn mower, bikes, and other junk had been lined up along the side of the garage, past the door. Weeds and tall grass ruled the yard. Andrew stopped in front of the entrance. He listened for sounds inside as he touched the handle. Hearing nothing, he tried to turn the knob, but it wouldn’t budge. The damn door had been locked.
Andrew walked past the junk to see if there might be windows in the back. He found a three-foot space between the garage and the fence, but no windows. His steps swished in the tall grass. He surveyed the back of the small home. It had two small windows on the left and a larger pair on the right. All were covered.
He walked back up the driveway. As he reached the door on the side of the home, he stopped and checked the handle. Of course, it had been locked too.
Andrew returned to the car since he couldn’t get into either building.
“Let me guess, he secured the doors,” she said.
“Yep. And the garage windows are covered with some kind of black film.”
“I’d guess paint.”
Andrew twisted the key in the ignition. "Breaking in will be difficult. There are windows in the back of the house. I’d have to shatter one to get inside. I didn’t see a way into the garage other than through the door. But there is space around the building. I could easily hide behind it and wait for him to unlock the door. Once he opened it, I could make my move, push him inside and kill him." He left the parking spot to find another one so they could watch without looking suspicious.
“It’s a decent plan, but you’d have to be quick. If he slams the door on your face, then you’re out of luck.”
“I’m pretty quick. I think I can reach him before he can shut me out.”
“He’ll fight.”
“I’ll fight back. I’ll have the switchblade. He’ll have keys in his hand.”
After making a U-turn, he returned to the same parking space he’d been in earlier. Emily stared forward with her brows tense. The sandwiches lay on her lap. She hadn’t eaten any more of hers since he’d left her to check out the demon’s property.
“Are you thinking of trying this today?” she asked.
He inhaled a deep breath. While he could try to kill the man if he got the right chance, Andrew hadn’t considered doing such. The plan for the day had been to watch and learn. Maybe they were better off sticking to what the agreed to do. But if he saw an opportunity, he would grab it.
“Let’s watch him more. If I see a chance, then I’ll take it. If not, then tomorrow.”
“All right.” She nodded. “The sooner you can kill him, the better.”
“Exactly.”
Once he destroyed the demon, they could return to Utah. More importantly, he could resume spending time with his wife and preparing for the arrival of his baby. Andrew eagerly looked forward to completing his task.