After letting themselves in the vacant house, Christian and Slade slowly climbed the steps to the attic.

“What is that smell?” Slade spat.

Christian swung the flashlight around the empty space and fixated on a far corner. As they got closer they could see that someone had been there. There was an old sleeping bag with a shredded pillow. Critters had obviously been pulling the stuffing out to make nests. Off to the side was a Bunsen burner that sat on what looked like a fishing tackle box. Garbage was strewn everywhere, including empty cans that carried the stench of uneaten food. Christian kicked at one with his foot and said, “Whoever’s been staying up here probably left prints on these cans.” He bent down and scanned the area. “And I don’t think he’s been here for a while.”

“If you can sneak back over here with a plastic bag and get a few, I can get them dusted,” Slade offered while scanning the area. “Chances are it’s just some vagrant who needed a place to sleep and thought it would be fun to mess with your heads.”

Christian swung around and gave Slade a hard glare. “No. This is more than that. Whoever this fuck is, he’s been targeting Mimi specifically. Something seemed off this morning when we stopped for gas and she brought up accidentally putting diesel in her tank. After seeing her regular gas station, it just didn’t make sense. Not to mention a lot of the newer diesel nozzles won't fit in a regular gas tank. And it’s not just the diesel. There’s been a lot of stupid shit happening at our house. I chalked it up to forgetfulness. Damn. I even teased her about it.” He shook his head in disgust. “It’s obviously been more than that and it’s one of the reasons I wanted you to stop by. I was gonna ask you for some help.”

After Mimi had offered to give Erin a tour, Christian explained to Slade how his neighbor, Tom, had approached him and said there was something he should see. Tom had Christian follow him back to his house and showed him video of what his surveillance camera had picked up.

“I’m sorry for not coming to you with this sooner,” Tom said apologetically. “Richard and I never have cause to look at it. I had it installed a while ago before you and Mimi even moved here when a neighbor’s kid was breaking into houses. That kid was sent off to military school and we haven’t had a problem since. I don’t know what made me decide to look at it today, but I’m glad I did. Some of this footage goes back months.”

Christian leaned closer to the screen and squinted his eyes as he watched a hunched figure in a black hoodie approach Mimi’s car with a jug. The diesel in her tank. He also watched as the man went around the side of their home and disappeared from view. He let himself in through a window out of camera range, Christian thought. There was footage of the intruder near their front bushes, where the hose was neatly wrapped around its holder. The flooding incident. Each time, the lone figure came into view from the back side of the vacant house. Of course, he could’ve been weaving his way through back yards and skirting around the lake to get to their home, but Christian’s gut told him the person in black had been squatting in the empty house next to theirs. Mimi had detected a smell when they’d let themselves in to check out the house. Was the stranger lurking about even then? The last shot of the man was curious and was from just over a month ago. He’d approached Mimi’s car, on the driver’s side, but Christian couldn’t tell what he was doing. He couldn’t remember Mimi telling him anything unusual about her car. Maybe the guy had gotten spooked and run off before doing any damage.

“That’s the last time he shows up,” Tom informed him. “I have no footage of where he’s specifically coming from. Nothing of him walking down the street. My best guess is he comes from a block over and makes his way around your lake and through the back yards. Or maybe he’s slumming at the vacant house next to yours.”

Christian nodded. “Yeah, you can easily get into that house through the back slider. I’m gonna check it out.” He stood up straight and pinched his nose between his fingers. “I appreciate you telling me about this, Tom.”

“I didn’t want to tell you in front of Mimi.” He paused thoughtfully before adding, “I didn’t want to scare her.”

“No,” Christian quickly interjected. “You did the right thing. I’m not going to tell her just yet. Will you keep an eye on your footage and let me know if anything else shows up?”

After agreeing to do so, they’d exchanged cell phone numbers.

A loud crash brought Christian back to the moment.

“Sorry,” Slade said sheepishly. “I wanted to see if there was anything in the tackle box that could provide a clue as to who’s living here.” He stood up. “It’s empty.”

“Someone is purposely messing with her,” Christian said through a clenched jaw.

“Any idea who it could be?” Slade asked.

“Shit, man. It could be so many people.”

Slade raised an eyebrow.

“An old enemy of Grizz’s. A woman that he rejected for Mimi’s mother. The boyfriend she dumped in college.” He scrubbed his hand down his face in frustration. “There was an old bitty where she works who told her that some woman who Grizz killed years ago still has sisters that live around here.”

Slade let out a low whistle. “I get the biker connection, but do you think sisters of one of Grizz’s victims would know who Mimi is?” he asked.

“Nothing would surprise me,” Christian confessed. “It could even be Nick Rosman’s fiancée. Maybe the woman is pissed at me and wants to take it out on Mimi.”

“What about Autumn?” Slade asked.

Christian nodded. “She’d be the most obvious.” He paused before adding, “We’re assuming it’s a guy, but I couldn’t tell from the video. And I can’t shake the feeling I know this person. It’s the walk, the gait. It’s familiar.”

“So other than the diesel in her tank and a bunch of other stupid shit, this person hasn’t tried to hurt Mimi.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “And whoever’s been doing it, hasn’t done it for a month or so.”

“It would seem that way, but I can’t take any chances. When my gut told me something wasn’t right at the gas station this morning, I was gonna ask you to find me a legitimate guy who can watch Mimi for me. I didn’t want to go to anyone in my circle, including Blue or our parents, because if it’s someone who’s close to us, I don’t want them to know I’m on to them.

“You couldn’t possibly think it’s our parents?” Slade asked incredulously.

“Of course not,” Christian chided. “I don’t want them involved. You know them. Mom especially. You’d think raising my daughter would be enough to keep her busy, but she’s always looking for a project. She wouldn’t approach this subtly.”

Christian’s eyes snapped to Slade’s, and his expression grew dark. “I don’t want Mimi to know about this. I want to handle it and get rid of the person without her even suspecting. She’s tried so hard since we moved here, and I couldn’t bear for her to think she has an enemy. Especially if it’s someone who’s been holding a grudge over something Grizz did.”

Slade nodded his understanding. “I have a guy for you. He’s good. She’ll never know he’s keeping an eye on her. He’s expensive.”

“We’re leaving in a couple days to spend Thanksgiving with her family. I want him to watch her until we leave, and resume when we get back which will be a week from tomorrow.” Christian scoffed. “And since when has money ever been an issue?”

They left the attic, and before they got to the house Christian whispered, “I’ll get a couple cans to you as soon as I can sneak back over without Mimi knowing.”

“Why don’t you invite us to stay for dinner and we can run back over when the girls are busy?” Slade asked.

“Sounds like a plan, bro,” Christian said as he gave Slade a slap on the back.