Page 3 of Enchanted By a Pirate
Where was the strong breeze coming from? Perplexed, Anna scanned her small apartment. Her gaze fell on the dormer window. Had she forgotten to close it that morning after airing out the room? She was always conscientious about such things. As the paperwork on the counter shot upward, Anna quickly closed the door and the breeze abruptly died down.
She collected the bills, pinned the notes and business cards to the pinboard, and stowed the ice cream in the freezer. Then, she hurried to the dormer and examined it for signs of a break-in. She didn't find any scratches or other damage, but something else caught her eye. There was glitter on the window frame. She touched it. Where had it come from? Had someone been in her apartment?
Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself and looked around her domain. The comforter was folded in three layers like always, the kitchenette was tidy as usual, and she'd fixed the curtains in front of the bedroom window to one side with a broad tie-back, as she did every morning before she left for work. At first glance, everything seemed normal. The bills had already been a mess, but what about the documents in the drawers and the folders? Had someone perhaps rifled through them?
Did she even want to know if someone had been in her apartment? She would never feel safe again… But being uncertain was even worse, especially considering that person might return.
Praying to heaven and all good spirits, she hurried to the living room cupboard, opened the drawers and doors, leafed through the folders, and glanced at her documents. Everything was in order and nothing was missing. The only jewelry she owned were the delicate glittering studs she wore every day andthe delicate gold chain with a pendant in the shape of a sun. She didn't keep any cash at home, so there wasn't anything a prospective thief could steal.
Except for the window and glitter, the apartment and all her belongings were in the same condition as Anna had left them in the morning. Perhaps she had forgotten to close the window that morning since it had been so wonderfully mild outside. She couldn't recall, so she couldn't rule it out. She refused to let the comfort of her four walls be ruined simply because of a bit of glitter. No — for now, it was time for a snack and then she would watch a show.
Half an hour later, she was settled on the couch with a salad and clicking through the programs until she came across her beloved King's House series. Ravenous, she devoured her dinner and immersed herself in the intrigues and machinations of the evil governess who was making the young noblewoman's life a living hell. She placed the empty bowl on the coffee table and snuggled up under the dark green blanket, stretching her legs and propping her head up with a pillow. She was as cozy as could be as she watched the series, though her eyelids were growing heavier and heavier.
A loud thump startled her. What was that? Anna blinked and bolted upright. Was the noise coming from the roof? Who would be up there — and at that time of night? Her heart beat faster than usual as she tiptoed to the window, which was still open. An owl hooted, startling her.Relax, Anna.
She looked around intently. In the late twilight, only a few pinkish streaks stretched across the horizon, so she could barely see anything.
Was there something moving on the roof? She hunched her shoulders and peered into the darkness, but apart from the balmy evening air blowing in, she didn't notice anything. All the same, she closed the window and locked it. It probably wouldn'tbe long before it was freezing outside anyway, which Anna didn't care for at all. With the exception of ice cream, she couldn't stand chilly temperatures. None whatsoever. She hated the cold, wet, and snow just as much as the long winters. If it were up to her, Christmas would take place when it was at least sixty degrees outside — or even a balmy seventy-five.
Yawning, she switched off the TV and plodded into the bedroom. With her friend Nele's words ringing in her head, she quickly fell asleep again even though she was single and it was Friday night.
"So, what did you do Friday evening?" Nele asked, sipping her latte macchiato. They had arranged to meet at the little cafe by the fountain, where they went at least once a month. And not just because of the cute waiter, whom Nele pointed out time and again, but mainly because of the delicious cakes and pastries.
Anna grinned. She knew she was in for an earful. "What do you think?"
Nele rolled her eyes. "Gosh, Anna, you can't go on that way. Tomorrow is Sunday, so how about today…?"
"Stop!" Anna looked at her sternly, even though she knew that her countless freckles softened the effect. "What did you promise me yesterday?"
"Oh, never mind." Nele took a tiny bite of cheesecake, touching the dollop of cream next to it only by accident.
Deep in thought, Anna turned her latte cup on the table. "But something strange did happen yesterday."
Nele glanced up. "Strange? You mean like now, the way you're testing if your coffee will get dizzy?"
"Mm?" Anna stared at her hands, which were still spinning the cup incessantly. She hadn't even noticed. Reaching for her fork, she stabbed a bite of her strawberry cake. "When I got home, I found glitter on my doormat and later on the dormer window."
As the waiter passed them with an overflowing tray, Nele gave the waiter a yearning look before turning her attention back to Anna and their conversation. Irritated, she frowned. "Glitter? What do you mean?"
"Sparkling particles. Like children's makeup."
"Do you have children's makeup? Or carnival makeup?"
"No, that's what I'm getting at."
"Well, who knows? Maybe it's from the previous tenant."
Anna looked at her friend impatiently. "Please, I've lived there for years." Pensive, she pushed the fork into her mouth. The strawberry cake was fantastic.
"Okay, so not from the previous tenant. It must have been on your shoes. You must have stepped in it somewhere."
Anna chewed quickly and swallowed. "But how did it get on the window?"
Nele shrugged as she placed a small bit of cake on her fork, this time not even getting close to the cream. "Why are you so worried about it?"
"Because I can't explain where the glitter came from. Besides, the window was open when I got home."
"Well, then you'd better remember to always close it before you leave the house."
