Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“That would mean someone would be in my house,” I mused to myself.
“Someone can be there with you. I can,” he said, surprising me, and seemingly… himself.
“I couldn’t ask for that.”
“You didn’t. I offered,” he said, reaching to put creamer in his coffee. Just one. I put three. He had no sugar. I, again, put three.
“Okay,” I agreed, giving him a small smile. “Thank you.”
“You have my number, so whenever you get it set up, just let me know. I would also recommend flood lights,” he said, holding the mug between his hands. “Light the hell up out of your yard. If there aren’t any shadows, no one can hide in them.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” I agreed. I’d planned on one for my backyard, but I liked his idea of putting them everywhere. “I wish I could afford a fence.”
“Even non-climbable fences can be gotten over,” he said with a shrug. “You already seem to have weapons hidden everywhere. And I think that’s smart. Some people might recommend a gun, but…”
“People are more likely to be killed with their own guns than to defend themselves with them,” I said, knowing the statistic.
“Exactly,” he agreed. “I would recommend a dog. Time after time, you ask criminals what is their biggest deterrent, and they say dogs. Especially big dogs. Breeds that are thought of as ‘mean,’ like bullies or rotties. Anything that seems like it could take a chunk out of you.”
“The other women… they didn’t have dogs?” I asked.
“No. Not even small ones.”
“A dog,” I said, nodding. “I’ve actually been meaning to look into getting one,” I admitted. It wasn’t possible when I’d been in school, and living in apartments. But now? Owning my own home? Having a pretty set schedule? I could have a dog.
“I know everyone wants a puppy, but I think an adult is the smart move right now.”
“I wouldn’t have enough time to puppy train anyway. Do you have pets?”
“I do. I used to train them. I had K9 partners when I was a beat cop. I have my old partner now. But he’s… old and mostly sleeps all day.”
“You should pick out the dog for me,” I said, joking, but he missed or ignored that.
“I can do that,” he agreed.
“I was just thinking out loud,” I said, shaking my head.
“It’s a good idea,” he said, shrugging. “I think getting the security system and flood lights installed are first priority, while you’re staying wherever you are staying. Once that is all squared away, a trip to the pound on the day you want to return home is a good plan.”
You couldn’t find any fault in his plans.
The waitress came back, taking our orders, and the detective’s mood was a bit darker when she was gone.
“How are you holding up?” he asked. “Really,” he added as I fiddled with the spoon in my thick milkshake.
“I think all the emotions about it are kind of… taking a backseat to the plans.”
“That makes sense. Have you talked to your work?”
“Other than a text saying I wasn’t going to be in for a few days, no. I’m sure they’ve heard the news by now. I, ah, I have all my sick days available, so they can’t really say anything about it.”
“What is work like? Do you work with other people?”
“Yeah. There are several people around at all times. And not anyone can just walk in. I think I will likely feel safer there than at home when I go back.”
“That’s good. It will be nice to have a place that feels normal during this whole situation.”
“I’m assuming, since we’re talking about protecting me moving forward, that he never showed up at a hospital. Or a morgue,” I added as an afterthought.
“Unfortunately, no,” he said, shaking his head. “We didn’t get that lucky.”
Maybe it was morbid for him to think that a guy being dead was ‘lucky,’ or that I agreed with him. But I’d think that society would all agree that one less sex murderer was not a bad thing.
The waitress came back to take our order, and there was a moment of strained silence before Detective Vaughn spoke again.
“What made you move to Navesink Bank?” he asked.
“Oh, ah, happenstance, really. I was in school in Florida. My family is in New York State. Jersey felt… close enough to them,” I said with a small smile that he returned.
“My folks moved us here when I was in high school. They eventually made their way to South Carolina. Which also feels… close enough,” he said. “Not a bad relationship, just not the stuff of Hallmark movies either.”
“Yeah, I can relate,” I agreed.
“So, you don’t have any family around?”
“No. And I haven’t really had much luck in making friends, either,” I admitted. “I don’t really have much in common with my coworkers, and if you’re not making friends at work, I honestly don’t know how you’re supposed to make them as an adult.”