Chapter Two

 

 

Kellie hadn’t slept well most of the night. Every time she started to drift off to sleep, she heard something. Her imagination was working overtime. After about the fifth time walking around her entire house to check the door and window locks, she found a set of ear plugs to help her get some rest. She was seriously considering a dog for her own peace of mind.

An animal wouldn’t stop somebody with a gun but it might just deter someone from breaking into her house to begin with. She always locked every door and window but if someone really wanted to gain entry, it wouldn’t be hard to break the glass. Of course, if they did, she would hear that. Maybe she should take Dane up on his offer for a home security system after all.

He’d explained in great detail how everything worked from the super tiny cameras which would be placed inconspicuously to the motion sensors that could be set sensitively enough to pick up a fly. She just didn’t know if she was desperate enough to give a security firm the access to look in to her house. He’d also explained that she would be able to receive the camera feeds right on her cell phone even when she wasn’t at home and that the security firm did not have access to those feeds.

Maybe she would start with a dog. There was a shelter in town and she knew one of the girls that worked there from having her daughter in her classroom. When Kellie wasn’t loafing around home, she was an elementary school teacher. She bounced between third and fourth grade teaching a special needs program for kids needing a little extra help. Most of the time the children had trouble staying focused in a full sized classroom so she offered a steady stream of encouragement and a quiet place for them to work.

The school system she worked for had adopted a no contact curriculum which made it much easier on her psychic abilities. In the beginning, she’d seen the future of a child or two and it broke her heart. Mostly it was her inability to explain what she’d seen to be able to help the child. To keep from jeopardizing her own career and the other teachers from thinking she was a kook, she’d kept her distance. On a whole, people weren’t accepting of anything different from what they knew to be true. That’s why working with Dane gave her such a sense of self-worth. She knew she was using what came natural to her, to help others stay safe.

If Dane was around when she made her trek to the park, she’d stop and talk to him about it. First, she needed a shower so she didn’t feel like the walking dead.

***

“Hey neighbor, we have to stop meeting like this.”

However, he really hoped not. He loved that she just showed up in his driveway, two days in a row now. He wanted to believe she was there because she wanted to see him but more than likely it had to do with his line of work. Either way, he’d take what he could get.

“Hard to help when you’re situated between my house and the park.”

“Suppose you’re right. Anything strange at the park today?”

She couldn’t hide how bothered she was yesterday by what she’d seen.

“Not really, I just spread my blanket out on the grass and read a book for a while. Tried not to touch anything.”

“I don’t blame you. That can’t be easy. But hey, I just finished grilling up some left-over steak I had in the frig and its lunchtime, can I interest you in a bite to eat?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose.”

She was doing that thing again that she did, trying to hide her face and escape. He was good at reading people and he’d seen her do it more than once when they were working together.

“No imposition, I have plenty. Come on in.” His hand reached out to touch hers but when she flinched he pulled away. Wished he would have thought before he acted. Dane tried not to let on that it meant anything. He motioned to the house, grabbed the platter of food from the grill and walked into his garage. When he opened the door, and stepped into the house he glanced back to see her following.

This would be the first time Kellie would be a guest in his house. Whenever they talked about business, she met him at his office downtown. He didn’t usually mix any kind of work with pleasure. However, it was kind of hard when it came to her.  They were neighbors that saw each other occasionally, and he was worried about her. His mission was for her and everyone around them to be safe. Guess he might have to reevaluate that rule if she agreed to come around more often. Besides, if she was around more, it would be easier to keep her safe.

“Dane your house is beautiful. Did you do the decorating?”

He had to laugh. He was a marine first, and a guy second. Decorating was not in his vocabulary.

“Thanks, but no, I can’t take credit for anything in this house really. My sister just couldn’t stand to see it so drab so she used my money and transformed it.”

“Well she did a wonderful job. It suits you well.”

“I’ll make sure to tell her. She never passes up an opportunity to gloat.”

Kellie walked into the kitchen while Dane got two plates from the cabinet and served up the steak and salad.

“I had no idea you were such a great cook.”

“If I were you, I’d save judgment until you’ve tried it.”

He handed her a plate and pointed to the frig.

“There are a few kinds of dressing so pick what you like. If you’re game, I rented a movie. We can sit in the living room and watch it while we eat.”

“Sure.”

Dane and Kellie were about a half hour into the movie, their dinner plates sat empty on the coffee table when a loud crash sounded somewhere in the house. Dane jumped up with Kellie quick on his heels.

“Was that glass?”

She was right, he’d thought the same thing too but he wasn’t sure from what.

“Stay behind me.”

When they rounded the corner into his bedroom which was situated in the front of the house facing the road, there lay a brick on the floor with a piece of paper wrapped around it.

“What in the hell is going on?”