Page 12 of Take My Kiss
“Help her fall back asleep, okay? I’ll be right back.”
I motion for Raven to follow me out, and once we’re alone in the kitchen, the tears well in my eyes.
“What happened?”
Bailey sleeps on her shoulder, so I keep my voice down.
“He insists he saw the man from the store outside his window…with a flashlight lookin’ inside his room. I’m shakin’ so bad, I dunno what to do.”
“Amelia! You need to call the sheriffnow.”
“I know, you’re right. I just don’t wanna scare him more than he already is, but if he really saw him, he’s figured out where we live.”
He saw where I turned, so it was only a matter of looking for my car and seeing where it was parked to guess which place was mine.Fuck. I should’ve driven somewhere else and called 911 while I was on the road.
“I’ll call him for you since you’re about to have a panic attack, but you should contact Wilder so he gets over here too. He’ll wanna know what’s goin’ on and should alert the rest of the ranch hands and family.”
“Okay,” I breathe out, nodding. “Thank you.”
Within twenty minutes, my living room is packed. Between Wilder, Mr. Hollis, a few of the ranch hands who live in the other duplexes, and Sheriff Wagner, there’s barely any room to stand.
Raven took Bailey back to bed and stayed to keep an eye on Sam and Lily. I don’t need him to see the fear in everyone’s eyes.
“Y’all can’t stay here while we figure out who this stalker is,” Wilder says.
“I think that’d be best,” Sheriff Wagner agrees. “He’s already made contact with Sam and now knows where he lives. It’s not safe.”
“And where’re we supposed to go?” I ask, defeated.
Wilder wraps his arm around me and squeezes. “I’ll make some calls, okay? Don’t worry.”
That’s easier said than done.
“And you can’t think of anyone you know who’d do this? Or anyone actin’ suspicious when you’ve been out?” the sheriff asks. “Maybe at the bar, the school, the stores?”
“No.” I shake my head, frustrated that he’s asked already but seems to think I’m hiding something. “I go to work, home, and sometimes the grocery store. When I drink, it’s in my livin’ room. I only moved here a couple years ago, so I don’t know many people outside of the ranch and retreat.”
I’ve lived all over Tennessee, but up until I came here, we were in the next town over. At the time, it was the only area I could find work and a reasonable one-bedroom apartment.
“And Sam’s father?”
The room goes silent.
I swallow hard, wishing I didn’t have to answer in front of everyone. Not even Wilder knows. I never told him, and he’s been respectful enough not to ask.
“He was sent to prison before Sam was born, and as far as I know, he’s still there.”
“Has he ever reached out to you? Called or sent letters?”
“No. I’ve always been unlisted and changed our last name when I filed for divorce.”
Wilder squeezes my shoulder. Another new tidbit he now knows about me.
“Would he hire someone to find you? A private investigator, maybe?”
“I dunno.” I massage my temple. “Not sure why he would or how he’d get the money to do that.”
“Sorry, we gotta explore every possible suspect. What ’bout Lily’s dad?”
