Page 4 of Silent Menace
After a moment of hesitation, she blew out a frustrated breath. “I suppose you’re right.” She dug out her cell and started dialing.
Peter snapped several photos, including a close-up of each area. When Hailey dropped her phone back into her purse, he slid a glance toward her. Her face was impassive, her posture stiff.
“They’re sending someone. Should be here in about ten minutes.”
“Good.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “Let’s head inside and get out of this heat.”
Hailey acquiesced with a nod, and they started back, more slowly this time.
“I’m sorry this happened.”
The hard line of her shoulders softened ever so slightly. “Me too.”
HAILEY DROPPEDinto a padded chair in the main lobby as the British-sounding security guard—Peter, as he’d introduced himself on their way back inside—headed for his office to check the camera feed. He’d invited her to join him, but she wanted to be where she could see the patrol officer the instant he arrived. The sooner they could get this awful mess over with, the sooner she could leave to pick up Jenna. With the thought came the realization that she wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. One slashed tire could be replaced with her spare. She didn’t carrytwospares. A groan slipped past her lips.
Once again, she dug her phone from her purse. This time, she dialed her dad’s number, upping the volume a few notches so she could hear over the babbling of the nearby stone fountain.
He answered on the first ring. “Hey, Hailey, I was just aboutto call. You almost here? Your mom says the spaghetti’s almost ready, and there’s plenty to share.”
How she wished she were there instead of here. She sucked in a deep breath. “I’m still at work. Someone slashed two of my tires.”
Her dad’s tone instantly changed. “You all right?”
She waved her hand. “I’m fine. It happened before I got outside. But I’m stranded here. The police are on their way to take my statement or file a report or whatever they do for things like this.” Frustrated tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
“Sit tight.” It sounded like his hand covered the receiver, but she could still make out his words as he explained the situation to her mom. “I’m back. Are you able to leave your SUV there overnight?”
She glanced toward Peter’s office. “Probably. I’ll ask the security guard.”
“Find out. I’m leaving now to pick you up. If we have to, we can get those tires replaced tonight, but it might take us a couple hours. I’d rather you just borrow our extra car this evening, and I’ll take care of everything tomorrow while you’re at work.”
Hailey wanted to refuse, to tell her dad that she was an adult and could handle things like this herself. But the words caught in her throat. She was tired, and she wanted to spend the evening with her little girl—not running back and forth to the service shop.
“You still there?”
“Yeah, Dad. Thanks. I’ll find out about the car. But I’m paying for the new tires.”
He grunted.
“Dad.”
“We’ll talk about that after I pick you up. Be there in fifteen.” He hung up before she could argue further.
“Better not be,” she muttered, lowering the phone. But she knew her dad—making the twenty-minute drive in fifteen wasn’t an empty promise, despite the winding roads between the familyfarm and Kincaid. She closed her eyes but looked up when she heard the swish of the security office door.
Peter stopped in front of her, a mug in each hand. “Coffee?”
“Yes, thank you.” She accepted the offered drink and the cream and sugar packets he pulled from his pocket.
He perched on the edge of the chair next to hers. “I pinpointed the time when your vehicle was vandalized. Unfortunately, the perpetrator emerged from the trees after everyone else was gone, did their dirty work, then returned the same way. They wore a baseball cap that shielded their face and never looked at the camera.”
Hailey blew out a breath. “So it doesn’t show us much.”
“No. Can’t even tell for certain whether it was a man or a woman.” He shifted slightly. “But it does raise the likelihood that you were targeted. While I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a random attack, it didn’t look like one. This person was alone, careful, and seemed to know where the cameras were. And they didn’t even glance at my car.”
“That’s just great.” She forced herself to take a sip of coffee rather than grit her teeth.
Peter grimaced and lifted a finger to touch a scar nearly hidden beneath his brownish-blond hair. “Sorry.”
