Chapter 26: Escape Route

The response my mother’s call elicited was like a scene out of a movie; within the hour, there was a line of police cars parked along our street, accompanied by an ambulance.

The commotion roused the neighbors, who began to huddle across the street, still wearing their pajamas as they speculated about what was happening.

One woman pointed at me as she whispered to someone else, and her finger moved down the street right to where I’d wiped out. The other woman nodded and replied with a disapproving look.

I clenched my teeth and tried to ignore what they must think of me. ~The irresponsible, promiscuous new teen who’s brought crime to their sleepy street.~

Once the house was cleared, my mother and I were escorted inside. I stood outside my mother’s room as she described what had happened to the detective.

Apparently, she had been asleep, when suddenly she couldn’t breathe. She woke to discover a pillow pressed over her face.

“Then they suddenly released me and ran out of the room,” my mother explained. “I took a moment to reclaim my breath, then ran into the hall to check on my daughter.”

~How strange for the attacker to rush away like that~, I thought.

Then I remembered the flickering light in the pink room. Had that spooked them?

“Dharma, come in here, please,” my mother called.

I cautiously stepped into her bedroom, and the detective turned to me. She was a thin but strong-looking woman with short brown hair.

“Please tell me everything you remember,” she told me.

As my mother watched nervously, I described waking up suddenly and then hearing the thumping sound. “I got up as soon as I heard it.”

“Where do you think the thumping sound came from?” the detective inquired as we ventured back into the corridor.

“At first I wasn’t certain,” I told her. “One of our bedroom lights has been on the fritz—the lights flicker even when the switch is off—so I had assumed it was that.”

“Wires connected to the outlet may be loose,” the detective surmised. “I’ll order an officer to shut off the electricity to the room.” She paused. “Which room is experiencing electrical issues?”

I walked over to the pink room. “I was here when I heard a sound from the room next door, and just as I turned to go check it out, I ran into my mother, who dragged me out of the house.”

The detective stood at the threshold of the blue room. “You heard a sound from this room?”

“Yes,” I confirmed, following her as she entered the room. The first thing that caught my attention was the open door to the servant’s stairwell. Had the officers left it open after doing their sweep?

“Do you use this stairway often?” the detective queried as she peered down into it.

“No, I tested them out when we first moved in, but the stairs were so narrow that I didn’t dare make a second attempt.”

She made a note on her clipboard, then turned to me. “I think that is all I need for now. My partner took your mother downstairs. Would you like to join them?”

I nodded, and together we began to return downstairs. As we completed our descent, I was surprised by Justin, who made a mad dash through the open front door. He may have continued down the hall if I hadn’t called out to him.

“Justin!” I cried, overjoyed to see him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m part of the neighborhood crime watch,” he explained, running over so he could embrace me. “As soon as I heard that the police were called to this address, I rushed right over.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” I told him as we parted.

Justin must have been on friendly terms with the detective, because as soon as he released me, he turned and greeted her with an air of familiarity. “How are you doing, Officer Dunn?”

“That is ~Detective~ Dunn,” she boasted proudly. “I earned my shield this year.”

“Congratulations!” Justin exclaimed as he leaned in to hug her, then he turned to me. “If Jessie is on the case, it will be solved in no time.”

“Jessie?” I repeated, surprised by how casually he used her first name. Even in a small town like this one, it was considered respectful to refer to someone by their official title.

“You have too much confidence in me,” Detective Dunn blushed as she reached out and playfully punched Justin in the arm.

“I do their landscaping,” he told her. “I know the property better than anyone. Do you mind if I do a quick sweep on my own? I can have an officer accompany me, if you like.”

“If one of the officers is willing, I don’t see why not.” Detective Dunn shrugged. “Who knows? You might notice something we may have missed.”

Justin swept past just as my mother emerged from the kitchen. She eyed him in confusion before she made her way over to me.

“Dharma, what is Justin doing here?”

Before I had an opportunity to explain, Detective Dunn intervened. “Justin is a member of our neighborhood watch. He gets an alert when we are called. Grandville utilizes every resource at its disposal to ensure the safety of its residents.”

“I appreciate that,” my mother told her politely. “I just don’t know if his being here is appropriate.”

“This is Justin’s third year volunteering with our department, and I can assure you that he will be nothing but professional.” Detective Dunn’s tone sounded defensive as she added, “And if you don’t mind me saying, your daughter can do a lot worse.”

My mother, who was not accustomed to receiving unsolicited advice, gaped at her, but before the conversation had a chance to spiral, Detective Dunn received a prompt from her radio.

“It was nice meeting you, Dharma,” she said before turning to my mother and extending a card. “If you remember anything else, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Thank you, Detective Dunn…,” my mother said, giving the detective a tight smile, which she held even as the detective made her way down the hall.

“Can you believe her?” my mother scoffed. “Telling me what is best for my daughter…”

I knew it was best not to argue with my mother when she felt like she had been slighted, so instead I placed my arm around her and began to direct her to the den.

“It’s been a long night,” I consoled her. “I think we all are a bit cranky.”

My mother sat on the edge of the love seat, picking at her nails as she waited anxiously.

I pulled her hands apart. “You are going to ruin your nails,” I lectured. “The last time you did that, you eroded your cuticle and got an infection.”

I snuggled in next to her, hoping my closeness would bring her comfort. Her nervous system rebelled at first, and her body went rigid, but then she slowly began to recline in her seat and then lifted her arm, inviting me into her arms so she could cradle me.

I felt foolish as I snuggled the upper half of my body into hers, but as she rocked me, my adrenaline began to fizzle out and soon I was snoozing. Though my eyes were closed and resting, I was still aware of what was happening around me.

A man with a deep voice approached my mother and offered to bring her a drink, then I recognized Detective Dunn’s voice as she returned to inform my mother that the pink room was on the same circuit as the upstairs bathroom, so it would be out of commission until an electrician was able to return.

“Chandeliers can be finicky,” Detective Dunn advised. “If I were you, I would replace it with a less complex fixture.”

I didn’t bother to stir until I heard Justin speaking. My mother’s grasp on me had been tight, so I had to wiggle a little before she realized she was clinging to me. I stretched as I sat up and saw Justin gazing at me with adoration.

The night’s events had left a hard lump in my chest, but when I caught Justin looking at me, my heart warmed, oozing away some of the bitter emotions I had not realized I had been bottling up.

I assumed Justin had sought us out to tell us something important, so I bit my lip and broke eye contact. Though his gaze had brought me some consolation, this wasn’t the appropriate time for googly eyes.

“The French doors that lead out to the deck aren’t latching correctly,” Justin informed my mother. “If you would like, I can come by later to repair it. Perhaps you may want to go a step further and update the hardware.”

My mother nodded numbly. Though she was hearing his words, I knew she wasn’t listening.

“That sounds like a good idea,” I intervened. “Is that how the intruder gained access?”

“Jessie isn’t entirely convinced that was how the assailant entered, but she is certain that was how they exited.”

“Then how did they get inside?” I demanded as I began to rouse from my mother’s arms.

“Through here.” Justin motioned for us to follow him as he marched over to the guest bathroom and pointed to the floor, where there was scant evidence of dirt and debris.

“The seal around your window is worn, but it is an easy fix. Some caulking and a fresh seal should do the trick. I can mend it after I finish securing the door.”

“I think we would appreciate that,” I said, throwing my arm around my mother and giving her shoulders a squeeze. I lowered my voice and whispered, “Are you all right, Mom?”

“I bought a money pit…,” she grumbled as she pressed her palm against her forehead.

“The window and the door are cheap fixes,” Justin quickly assured her. “And a standard light fixture shouldn’t cost you much if I use my discount at the hardware store.”

“That would be very kind of you,” she said, offering a smile of gratitude.

“But why did they choose to exit through the back?” I asked. “The foyer is at the foot of the main stairs.”

“The hidden stairwell leads directly to the French doors,” Justin pointed out. “Jessie suspects that the perpetrator got spooked, ducked into a nearby closet for cover, and discovered an escape route. The disturbance of dust in the stairwell seems to suggest someone stumbled down the stairs, rather than walked.”

“That would explain the thumping sounds,” I admitted. “And when we fled outside, I didn’t see anyone running away.”

“I just want this night to be over,” my mother sighed as she leaned on me for support.

“Most of the squad cars have already departed, and I think they are wrapping things up now,” Justin informed her. “I’m going to help do a final sweep of the house to ensure everything is locked up tight.”

“We appreciate all of your help,” I assured him. “We are just exhausted and ready to return to bed.”

“It’s no problem,” he said leaning in to offer me a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m going to go home and get a couple of hours of sleep myself, but then I’ll be back to make the repairs we talked about.”

I nodded numbly as I guided my mother back to the sofa.

“I doubt whoever broke in will return after such a response,” I said, hoping to put my mother’s mind at ease. “We should sleep well after things settle down.”

“I’m not sure I will ever sleep well again,” my mother remarked.

I was about to reassure her that time would pass and the fear she felt now would soon be forgotten, but as I met her tired gaze, I couldn’t utter the words, because I wasn’t certain they were true.