Part 7 (2/2)

We all moved as if we were glued together. We walked to the bathroom door. I reached for the k.n.o.b, threw the door open and backed up, my arm extended as if to protect them. It was also to give whomever a fast and clear getaway.

Nothing. I poked my head around to check out the bathroom. The shower curtain was closed and of course, it wasn't transparent. Quietly, I walked into the bathroom with the Winfield family behind me.

I reached over and quickly pulled back the curtain, with a tad too much strength. There was no one in the bathtub, but in my adrenaline rush, I yanked the curtain off the rod.

I stood there with the plastic remains in my hands. ”S-Sorry...”

Maggie merely nodded and took the curtain.

Back in Maggie's room, I flipped on the light and looked around. ”Is everything in place?”

Maggie shrugged as she looked around. ”I believe so.”

Then she went over to her bed, sat down and grabbed a pillow to hug. A piece of paper fell off the bed and onto the floor. She bent to pick it up and examine it.

She looked up, stunned, and handed it to me.

”What is it, dear?” Hannah asked in a shaky voice.

I reached over and took the paper.

YOU SLEEP LIKE AN ANGEL.

The realization made my stomach lurch. He had been in her room while she was sleeping. He must have been in there. I interrupted him when I opened Maggie's door. Christ, he was in the room the whole time.

Why would he lock her door? What was he planning to do? Leave the note or something worse? I looked at Maggie and Hannah. By the looks on their faces, I could tell they were thinking the same thing.

”Maggie,” I started while she stared at the note.

She didn't answer, just continued to stare at the note.

I went over and gently shook her shoulders. ”Maggie.”

She blinked and looked up. She was beginning to scare me. Like I wasn't scared spitless all ready.

”Maggie, what is it?” I said.

”My mother used to say that to me when I was a young girl. That I slept like an angel.” She had tears in her eyes. Hannah looked like she was about to faint.

I was still trying to figure out why he locked the door. I looked around the room. The only other way out was through the window. I went to the bedroom door and examined the lock, pus.h.i.+ng the b.u.t.ton on the doork.n.o.b. My mind raced with a scenario. ”Okay, let's try this. He gets in through the French doors, comes upstairs to presumably leave the note, and hears me in the hallway...”

”But why lock me in?” Maggie asked as Hannah sat next to her on the bed.

”He can't merely slip out now. He could have heard me in the hallway and knew the only way out was the way he came in, through the French doors. So, he locks you in and comes downstairs, figuring he can get by me, but it would be difficult to get by both of us.” I said. ”Okay, no one goes anywhere alone anymore. We all go together. The police checked the house tonight so we're fine for now.” I was trying to sound confident. I hoped it worked. ”Give me the note, Maggie. We'll call Steve.”

We went back downstairs and in our paranoia, we double-checked the doors and locks.

Hannah sat on the couch, looking scared, tired, and, for the first time, her age. I sat at the other end of the couch. Chance, the coward, jumped up on the couch and put her head on Hannah's lap. Hannah smiled and ruffled her ears lovingly. d.a.m.n mutt was good for something.

Maggie had started the fire. She sat in the armchair next to Hannah. We talked for a while longer, and they both fell asleep.

I, too, nodded off, but couldn't sleep. I roused myself and looked at my watch. It was 6:45. They had been asleep for two hours. I got up, very stiffly, as my shoulder throbbed wildly. I took the afghan from the back of the couch and laid it over Hannah. I found another one, with a beautiful Native American pattern on it, behind a chair. I used it to cover Maggie, even as I wondered if there was some way it could mistakenly slip into my bag when I left.

It was a cool, crisp autumn morning with a light fog covering the ground. I decided to take a walk down the path and into the woods. Perhaps the intruder dropped something when he dashed through these woods last night. In the light of day, maybe I'd find something the police couldn't see last night. It was very creepy, walking in the light fog, but with Chance a good twenty yards ahead of me, I felt braver than wandering around alone. Ryan, you big ninny.

Chance was in doggie heaven with her nose to the ground and her tail wagging. She roamed back and forth in the same area. What was she doing?

I walked to where Chance was tenaciously nosing about. As I got closer, I noticed small pieces of what looked like material strewn about on the ground. I picked them up and realized it was burlap. I remembered when I first saw my crazy dog with the bundle in her mouth the day before.

As I picked it up, it almost immediately disintegrated in my hands. Whatever Chance dug up must have been buried for quite a while. I looked over at her. She still had her nose to the ground, sniffing.

”What is it girl? I'd give big bucks if you could talk right now!” I ruffled her ears and looked out into the woods. I fought the s.h.i.+ver that ran down my spine at the thought of venturing out there alone. ”Let's say we take a walk, Chance?” She heard the word ”walk” and ran around in circles. I saw a fine-looking path and decided to see where it led. Chance was in front of me, eager to go exploring yet again today. I wondered if she already knew where we were heading.

As I walked along, I noticed how quiet and peaceful the woods were. I'd only walked about three-hundred feet when I came up to the lake. I was amazed. I had no idea it was this close. It was beautiful. Straight across, I saw a flock of geese lazily swimming.

With Chance running ahead, sniffing, I had an eerie feeling and s.h.i.+vered slightly. Okay, here we go again. I had the feeling of being watched. I looked in all directions but saw nothing.

Then I stopped dead and noticed Chance. She was no longer nosing around, but sitting perfectly still with her head c.o.c.ked to one side. She was staring across the lake. I looked but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

”Hey girl!” I called and the scary mutt sat there, staring at whatever. With that, I heard her whine as she lay down, still staring.

As I started for her, she took off running around the small lake and into the woods. ”Chance!” I called after her. I must have been a little too loud. The small flock of geese honked up a storm and flew off the lake. Chance was braver than the geese and me as she ran around the lake. I saw a glimpse of her darting in between the trees. Fine, now I have to go get her. I hope she didn't find an animal or something. The squirrel incident last summer came to mind.

As I started in her direction, she came darting out of the woods with something in her mouth, shaking it.

I slowly walked up to her and she dropped the material without me asking, begging or pleading. There was something wrapped around the burlap. It appeared to be a necklace of some kind. As I picked it up, I noticed it was locket with a broken chain. Tarnished badly, it must have been out in the elements for sometime. I turned it over and noticed the inscribed initial M.

A few feet away something glinted. A watch, also badly tarnished. What in the h.e.l.l was this? I carefully searched the surrounding area. When I saw more burlap pieces, I knelt down and picked them up. A ring fell out. I looked at it. It was a wedding band. On the inside was an inscription: All my love, Jonathan. 6/3/65.

I was shocked. I frantically looked around for anything else. I couldn't remember any places by the house that looked like she might have been digging. I searched for signs of her digging around here, but found nothing. Where did she find these?

Yesterday, she had something in her mouth, shaking it up. I looked at the letter on the locket. My curiosity was piqued, but I decided to give it to Maggie and let her take the first look at the inside. I carefully put all the findings in my breast pocket.

I started back to the house. I looked down and saw Chance staring at me, her nose in the air. I knelt down and she immediately snorted at the pocket of my s.h.i.+rt. I ruffled the fur on her head.

”Is this what you found, you bloodhound, you?”

As I watched my mutt sniff around, I thought of the intruder last night. My father's words were haunting me-everything is useful. Never discount a thing no matter how small it may seem. I was missing something.

What came to mind was how easily I'd fought last night's prowler off. Was I actually stronger than I thought? What were the odds of that? I'd heard of adrenaline rushes where people lifted cars and all that. Either I was Super-Adrenaline Woman or he was a wuss. I was desperately trying to remember some kind a distinguis.h.i.+ng feature about the intruder.

What was it?

Chapter Seven.

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