Page 56 of Backdraft
I had to know, which meant facing what was on the note. First, I walked around and checked the vehicle. I circled the truck, giving all the tires a kick and looking for any new scratches or marks. So far so good.
I climbed into the driver seat and held the paper, staring at it. It looked normal enough, just a plain white sheet of paper.
I sighed, knowing that ignoring what was on the page was the coward's way out. As well as careless. Holding the corner between my thumb and forefinger, I gave the paper a little shake, and it fell open.
I gasped, and a chill ran down my spine. I wasn't expecting the gruesome image of a burned body, and it startled me. I had to force myself to breathe slowly so my heart would stop pounding.
Who would do such a thing?
I dropped the note on the seat beside me, but it fluttered to the floor. I didn't bother to pick it up and leaned back in the seat with my eyes closed. It hurt to breathe, and I tried to calm myself, or I'd have a heart attack or stroke or something. Why was I being targeted?
I fumbled for my phone, not finding it right away. Another moment of panic. Had I lost it? Did I leave it in the office? I briefly entertained the notion that whoever wrote the note had taken my phone.
I leaned over the console and shoved aside my bag. There it was. I let out a sigh of relief and grabbed it, opened the app and called Taylor on video chat. He answered right away.
"What's up?"
"I got another note." I heard the breathlessness of my voice and inhaled deeply.
His brows furrowed, and he pinned me with an intense gaze. God, I wished he was with me right now.
"Show me." His voice hard.
"Hang on. I dropped it, and it's on the floor." I leaned down to pick it up.
"Are the doors locked?"
"I-I don't… Ah, no they're not."
"Lock them."
I sat up and glanced around. "Now you're scaring me," I told him.
"If you're in your truck, you're fine. Just make sure you lock the doors. You don't know who this person is, and as long as you're alone, you're vulnerable."
I gritted my teeth, biting back the anger surging through me. One minute I was worried, even afraid, and the next minute I was madder than a wet cat.
"Fucking guy!" I shouted and hit the steering wheel.
"Show me the note." Taylor's voice was calm and firm.
I held it up in front of the camera so he could see it.
"Holy shit. I think you need to take that to the police. Where are you now?"
"I'm in the fire marshal's parking lot about to head home. I found this piece of crap on the windshield."
Taylor grinned.
"What's so funny? This isn't funny." I was about to explode from frustration.
"I'm not laughing at you, honest. Your anger is a new element to you." I didn't feel any better. He continued, "Okay. drive over to Oak Creek P.D. and show them this note. You are a government employee being threatened by someone. They need to be aware so they can deal with it."
I started the truck and turned on the air con. It had begun to get warm in the cab, and I was fuming, which made my temperature boil.
"Okay, I'm heading over there now."
"Good, I'll meet you. Now go," he instructed.
