Page 68 of No Need to Run
He didn’t see me.Good. That would have been… inconvenient.
Relief floods through me, sharp and immediate.
My breathing is shallow and controlled, but my pulse refuses to cooperate.
I sink back into the seat, my skin damp from sweat.
I grab a napkin from the glove box to clean up the spilled water. Then glance back toward the house.
It’s silent. Only the chirping of the birds in the trees can be heard through my windows.
Don’t draw any more attention to yourself.
I carefully grab my binoculars from the seat so I can watch Drew move around the house. Lucky for me, no curtains or blinds impede my view.
By the time Drew exits the house with a big smile on his face, I already know he’s going to rent it.
My smile matches his.
I can’t wait to see your new place, Drew.
It’s latewhen I return to 291 Old Mill Road.
Most normal people are asleep. I’m not one of them.
The street is dark and quiet. The kind that settles into your bones if you let it.
I park in the same spot, slipping out of the car and pulling my hood overhead. I grab my tool bag, then silently shut the door.
My footsteps are silent as I make my way around the back of the house.
I stop in front of the bulkhead doors, looking around to make sure I’m alone. Then I crouch, my fingers brushing the edge of the metal.
It’s loose.
Not broken, just neglected.
Perfect.
I pull the small pry bar from my bag and slide it carefully beneath the edge, applying just enough pressure.
The door gives with a faint creak that splits the silence.
I pause, my ears straining.
Nothing but silence.
Good.
Slowly, carefully, I lift the door just enough to slip inside, then lower it back into place.
Darkness wraps around me instantly.
I click on my flashlight, the toolbag in my other hand.
The beam cuts through dust and shadows, revealing concrete floors and unfinished walls. A few old paint cans sit near the corner. A shelf leans slightly to the left.
I take a step forward, then another, surveying the basement.
