Page 26 of A Soldier's Destiny
“Umm, I can’t remember exactly. I thought most of the stuff was just a coincidence.”
“Like what? Try to remember, anything will help.”
“Hmm. I had the grand opening in April, just before Easter and it went off without a hitch. I was still getting the apartment renovated then, so I was still living at my parent’s house.”
“Okay, good. Now think, what was the first thing that wasn’t right?”
“I think it was in June. I started having trouble receiving my deliveries.”
“You couldn’t place the orders?”
“No. I’d make them the same way I’d been doing it all along, but somehow they’d end up being canceled. It was frustrating. There’d be days I had to run to Publix to pick up what I needed.”
“Did it happen a lot?”
“For a couple of weeks, then I changed suppliers and things straightened out.”
“And it didn’t start up again with the new supplier?”
“No, the orders were fine after that. But then there was the trouble with the delivery van and my car. First, it was flat tires and then a dead battery. I had the garage on speed dial until I moved in here.”
“And once you moved in the trouble with the car and van stopped?”
“With the car yes, because I left it at the house in the garage for now. So, I guess it’s okay. I haven’t been out there in a while. But I’ve had to get the tires fixed on the van at least three times.”
“And you thought that was a coincidence?”
“I’ve been so busy. I honestly didn’t think about it. I haven’t had to make a lot of deliveries, so I don’t pay attention until I need to use it.”
“Gotcha. Is that it or have there been other things?”
“After I moved in here, I started getting phone calls all hours of the day and night. I’d just fall asleep when the phone would ring.”
“Your cell phone?”
“No, it was the bakery number. I had the phone line run up here too so I wouldn’t miss any orders. But I shut the ringer off after the second night of calls. It really seemed like something teenagers would do. You know? So, I didn’t give it much thought.”
“Are you still getting the calls?”
“Usually once or twice a day. Not sure if they’re still calling at night since the ringer is off.”
“Did you get a call today?”
“Actually, no, I didn’t. That’s weird.”
“Maybe not. It’s the first time you weren’t alone in the bakery, right? What do they say when they call?”
“Yes, that’s true. You’re the first ‘helper’ I’ve had there. It started out as just hang ups Then the line would be quiet for a few seconds before they’d hang up. But over the last few months, it changed. They’d spew hate and call me names. But the voice is weird. It doesn’t sound like a person. Kind of robotic. I have no idea if they are male or female.”
“They probably used a voice-modifier. Can you remember what they said? The words they used?”
“The most used one was whore, telling me I should have been the one to die. Things like that.”
“And you didn’t tell anyone?”
“No, why would I?”
“The better question is why wouldn’t you?”
