Page 15 of His Reward
And that reminds me of the strange things I found in my bedroom.I stare at the TV without actually seeing it, a terrible possibility gripping me.If someone was in my apartment, what if they come back when Malcolm’s gone?
“What’s wrong?”
I blink on return to the present and look at him.
“I’m—”
“No, don’t do that.”He frowns.“Don’t tell me you’re fine like you did last time.You’re obviously not.Tell me what’s going on.”
I’m either easy to read or he’s very perceptive.Probably both.I lower my gaze.It’s embarrassing to be a burden again, but he demanded the truth.
“My bedroom window was open when I came home, and I don’t remember leaving it like that on Friday.”
I feel silly sharing the rest about my underwear and the dirt marks, but Malcolm’s expression turns serious, his gaze alert.
“You think someone was in your apartment while you were gone?”
“I can’t say for sure.”
“Did you notice anything missing?”
“No.Something just feels…off.”
Malcolm strides to my bedroom.I stand and follow him.He approaches my bed first, bending to peer at the mark.Then he straightens, an unreadable look on his face as he moves to the window.He parts the curtains and holds them out of the way, examining the window without touching it.
He glances over his shoulder.“Come here.”When I obey, he points at a brown mark I hadn’t noticed earlier on the windowsill.“That’s a boot print.”
On a closer look, the mark is a partial pattern of short rectangles with a curved edge on one side.My stomach drops.Oh my god.That’s definitely from a shoe, and it’s too large to be any of mine.I’ve never climbed up on my windowsill either.
“Somebodywasin my apartment!”
He nods.“The mark on your bed might also be from their shoes.”
“Ugh!It’s bad enough they broke in.They also wore their shoes in my bed?”
I spin away from the window and hug myself, anger and fear twisted together in a hard knot in my chest.Someone forced their way into my home while I was gone and did who knows what.Oh god.I think I know one thing they did!If they were on my bed with my underwear—
I shudder, not wanting to finish the disgusting thought.
Malcolm moves closer and gently grips my upper arms.
“It’s OK, sweetheart.What matters is that you’re safe.”He slides his hands up and down my arms in a comforting caress.His touch and soothing voice calms me down right away, and I miss his warmth when he releases me.“Call the police.I’m going to take a quick look around your window from outside.I’ll be right back.”
He leaves my room and I get my phone.Once dispatch assures me someone will be on their way soon, I return to the living room.
Malcolm’s absence is palpable, the quiet unsettling.I’m glad when I remember he’ll need my help to reenter the building.I hurry out to the lobby to wait for him.He comes back a few minutes later.
“I checked your lock first.It doesn’t look like they tampered with it,” he says once we’re in my apartment again.“There weren’t any signs of forced entry from outside either.They got in with a key, and the open window is how they left.”
“Why would they leave through the window if they have a key?”
“Good question.It means they couldn’t leave the way they came.”He pauses, his stare direct.“I suspect they were in the apartment at the same time we arrived.”
The knot returns.I press my hand to my chest to soothe it.I almost met this awful person.Did they leave because we showed up?Or were they waiting for me alone to come home but left because they heard Malcolm’s voice?There’s no telling what would’ve happened if Malcolm hadn’t been here.
“Who has keys to your apartment?”
His voice grounds me, pulling me down from my float among fearful thoughts.
