Dark Realms (14 page)

I agreed and then she found me a uniform,
which wasn’t easy with my short frame. When it was all said and
done, I left the diner so giddy that I wanted to scream.

“Let me guess, they hated you,” smiled
Nathan as I got into his Mustang. He’d been listening to the stereo
and waiting for me in the parking lot.

I held up my hand. “I start tomorrow.”

He slapped it. “Good job. I also have
awesome news; Sonny called my cell phone and I start next Monday.
Pending a drug test. I’m sure Duncan had everything to do with it,
but I’m not complaining.”

“That’s great!” I said and then swore. “So,
how are we going to work this out? I need a ride to and from work
until I’m able to get a car. They want me working second
shift.”

“If I’m at the marina, I’ll try and work
something out with Sonny. Maybe I can take my lunch break and pick
you up at the cabin? I’m sure he’ll be cool with that. It’ll just
be for a little while, anyway.”

I smiled. “Thanks. I know it isn’t easy
driving me around everywhere.”

“Yeah, you’re kind of a pain in the ass,” he
smirked.

I smacked him in the
shoulder again. “You are an
ass
so I guess it kind of makes sense.”

He rubbed his arm. “I must have a permanent
bruise there from you beating up on me all the time. Show your
brother some love,” he pouted.

“Shut your yap and you won’t get hurt.”

“Ho, ho… big words from such a little
twerp,” he said.

I raised my fist again. “You don’t listen
very well, do you?”

He snorted and shook his head. “You’re so
violent.”

I smiled. “Just remember that.”

“So, let’s head over to the marina and check
out the surveillance equipment,” he said.

“Okay.”

Nathan gave me a sideways glance. “Although
I’m sure Duncan will be monitoring someone else.”

“What?”

Nathan smiled. “Oh, come on. You know he has
the hots for you.”

“Whatever,” I said, looking out the
window.

“He does, but that’s okay because he seems
like a decent guy. I think you should go for it.”

I snorted. “Go for it? Look, I’m not
interested in going for anything right now.”

“Right. That’s why you blush every time he
looks your way.”

“I do not!”

“You’re face turns as red as a tomato.”

I could feel it burning right now as he
teased me.

“See!” he laughed.

“It’s just a sunburn!”

He shook his head and gave me a knowing
look.

I turned up the radio and tried avoiding his
smartass grin.

When we arrived at the marina, we walked
over to the cabin next door, where Duncan was adjusting his
surveillance equipment.

“All set?” asked Nathan.

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got cameras set up
all around the perimeter of this place. There’s no way I’ll miss
this guy if he comes back.”

“You still want to do our cabin, too?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll follow you in my
truck. I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Shoot, I just remembered, I have to pick up
mom’s dry cleaning. Is it okay if Nikki rides with you and shows
you where we live? I’ll meet you both at the cabin as soon as I’m
done.”

My eyes narrowed, I didn’t remember her
requesting anything like that. In fact, she was supposed to drive
into town herself sometime today. I didn’t mention any of this,
however. I didn’t want Duncan to think Nathan was trying to play
matchmaker.

“Sure,” replied Duncan. He looked at me.
“Should we get going?”

I nodded and then followed him to a white
pickup truck with “Sonny’s Boat Repairs” on it.

Duncan apologized. “Sorry, it’s nothing
fancy but it gets me places.”

I smiled. “It’s better than what I have,
which is nothing.”

He turned the radio on and glanced at me.
“You look nice. How did your interview go?”

I smiled. “I got the job. In fact, I start
tomorrow evening.”

“See, I told you, you’d get it.”

I looked down at my clothes. For the
interview, I had worn a peach silk blouse and mid-length black
skirt with heels. My feet were already killing me.

“I guess I know where I’ll be eating dinner
from now on.”

I laughed. “It’s
your
stomach. I’m not
cooking, you know, I’m only serving.”

He shrugged. “That’s okay. I’ll come in and
be one of those annoying customers who sits and drinks coffee all
day long, but I’ll leave a much better tip.”

“As long as you tip, I’ll save you a
booth.”

“So,” he said, changing the subject. “Do you
remember anything about the face you saw in the window?”

I shook my head. “No, it left so quickly. I
know it wasn’t an animal like the sheriff suggested.”

“You called the sheriff?”

“He came over for dinner. He has the hots
for my mom.”

He laughed. “Boy, he works fast.”

“My mom is already looking at engagement
rings.”

He raised his eyebrows.

I laughed. “I’m just kidding.”

“I was going to say...”

“No, but she certainly likes him. Anyway, he
went out and looked around for a while, but figured it was just a
raccoon.”

“But you don’t believe it?”

“No,” I said. “There wasn’t any fur on the
face that I saw.”

I then explained about the feeling of being
watched when we were on the deck and the shadow that flew into the
trees. As I went on, his face darkened.

“What?” I asked.

“That’s happened to me before, too. I
thought I was imagining it and made excuses, thinking it was a
large barn owl or something.”

I could feel the goose bumps traveling up my
arms again. “This thing that I saw stood as tall as you. I couldn’t
make out what it looked like, but it was something much larger than
a bird.”

“Hopefully, these cameras will pick
something up. They have a range of one hundred feet. I’ll make sure
some of them are pointing towards the woods, too.”

When we made it back to the cabin, it was
almost five o’clock and my mother was gone.

“Wow, nice place,” said Duncan.

“It is. Too bad I’m not enjoying it because
I’m so freaked out at night.”

“I don’t blame you.”

I showed him around the cabin and then he
started unloading the truck.

“Um, is there a way that you can put a
camera near my bedroom balcony?” I asked.

“Have you seen someone looking through it?”
he asked, incredulously.

“Actually, I thought I saw someone staring
at me through the window in my bathroom when I was getting out of
the tub.”

He raised his eyebrows. “He actually saw you
naked?”

My face turned pink. “I think so.”

Duncan smiled wickedly. “I guess it would be
inappropriate for me to say, ‘Lucky man’?”

My jaw dropped and I smiled. “Uh, yeah!”

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist.”

“Right.”

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for; a feeble
attempt to flirt.”

“You were trying to flirt with me?”

His gray eyes burned into mine. “I was. Did
it work?”

I shivered in pleasure. “Well, I…”

Thankfully, Nathan pulled up in his car at
that moment and I was saved from having to answer anything.

“Hey, guys,” he said, slamming the door.

“Hi,” said Duncan, walking past him. “Nikki
just gave me a tour of the place, so let’s start getting these
things set up before it gets dark.”

“Sounds good,” replied Nathan.

“Where’s the dry cleaning?” I whispered.

He smiled sheepishly. “Oh, I must have
forgotten it.”

“You did that on purpose. Thanks,” I said,
sarcastically.

“You’re welcome. Did you guys make out,
yet?”

I punched him in the shoulder.

Chapter Eleven

It took a couple of hours to set up all of
the cameras. Mom showed up just as we were finishing up.

“What’s all this?” she asked.

Nathan explained that we were setting up
surveillance to catch a Peeping Tom.

“I thought we were through with that?” she
said. She was wearing dark sunglasses and looked like she was still
suffering from her hangover.

I cleared my throat. “Duncan had someone
looking in his windows last night, too, mom. It’s not just us.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

Duncan nodded. “Yeah and it was definitely
not an animal.”

Mom yawned. “Then I hope you catch whoever
is doing it. It’s probably some pervert or something.”

“Or a killer,” I said.

“What?” she asked, incredulously. She’d
obviously heard me but didn’t believe what I was suggesting.

“Nothing.”

She yawned again. “Listen, I’m going to lie
down for a while. I’m so wiped out.”

“Do you want me to make dinner?” I
asked.

She grimaced. “Actually, I’ve been nauseated
all day. I’m going to eat a couple more crackers and then go right
to bed.”

“Duncan, would you like to dine with us?”
asked Nathan as mom trudged up the stairs and into the cabin. “I
make a mean frozen pizza.”

Duncan laughed. “No, I have to head back
before my old man starts hounding me again,” he said, raising his
cell phone. “He’s already sent me a message, wondering where I
am.”

“Okay, thanks for setting all of this up. I
kind of hope we see some action tonight,” said Nathan.

“Here’s my number,” he said, holding out a
business card. “My dad made these for me to give to customers. Call
me if something happens.”

“Will do. Your dad has my number, call me if
you catch a prowler.”

“Okay. Good luck with your new job, Nikki,”
said Duncan. “I’ll give you a couple of days before I stop in and
harass you.”

“Thanks.”

After Duncan left, we walked around the
perimeter of the house again to make sure all of the cameras were
facing the right way.

“There’s even one by your balcony to make
sure some Romeo doesn’t try and steal you away at night.”

I snorted. “If someone shows up on my
balcony, I’m going to beat them with my bat while I scream bloody
murder.”

He laughed. “That guy has no chance.”

We went into the kitchen where Nathan made a
pizza and then joined me on the couch to watch movies.

“So what do you think of mom dating Caleb?”
I asked.

“He seems like a good guy.”

“You don’t think it’s too soon for her?”

“I think mom is lonely and wants to feel
protected. The town’s sheriff sure fits that bill.”

I shrugged. “I suppose. I’m just worried
about her getting hurt.”

“Nobody can hurt her as much as dad did,”
said Nathan. “Sad but true.”

That was for certain.

I fell asleep halfway through some horror
flick about zombies when several loud thuds from outside woke me
up.

“What was that?” I gasped.

Nathan stood up and I could tell he was as
freaked out as I was. “I don’t know.”

Something heavy banged against the door, and
we both jumped.

“Oh, my God, Nathan, what’s happening?”

He ran into the kitchen and came back out
carrying the butcher knife.

“You’re not going out there, are you?” I
whispered in horror.

He swallowed. “I was considering it.”

More loud bangs and I grabbed the phone.
“I’m calling nine-one-one.”

“Wait, it could be a raccoon or a bear.”

“A bear; like you’d want to tackle that by
yourself, anyway.”

He nodded. “True. I’m going to open up the
blinds and look outside.”

I followed him over to the window. “Can you
see anything?” I asked as he peeked through the gap in the
blinds.

“Shit,” he whispered.

“What?”

He turned towards me, his face as white as a
ghost. “It’s the cameras. Un… fucking… believable!”

I looked outside and gasped. Even in the
dark I could tell that someone had destroyed all of the
surveillance equipment we’d set up.

We raced upstairs and woke up mom. She
called the police, and a half hour later, one of the deputy
sheriffs arrived at the house.

“I don’t know who did this, but they’re gone
now,” he said. He was a middle-aged man with a curly black
moustache that he kept touching, which creeped me out.

Mom let out a long, ragged sigh. “Why would
somebody do this?”

“Oh, I don’t know… so they
wouldn’t get caught spying on
us
?” I muttered
sarcastically.

“Can you check for fingerprints or
anything?” asked Nathan.

He nodded. “Yeah, I put a call in for a
couple of our guys to get out here and do that, so try not to touch
anything. They should be arriving any minute.”

“So, where is the sheriff?” I asked.

“Caleb? Oh, it’s his night off,” replied the
deputy. “He won’t be back in until late tomorrow night.”

Mom nodded. “He mentioned that he was going
out of town today with his daughter.”

“Let me get a statement from you and then
I’ll be on my way. There isn’t much we can do without any evidence
right now. If we pick up something from the fingerprints, we’ll
proceed from there.”

After everyone was gone, mom dragged herself
back to bed but Nathan and I were still spooked and unable to
sleep.

Nathan shook his head. “Duncan is going to
be pissed when he finds out what happened. That was thousands of
dollars in video equipment this person destroyed.”

“Let’s call him, it’s only eleven. I’m sure
he’s awake.”

A half hour later Duncan pulled up in his
white truck. Our eyes met immediately and I had to admit, I was
really glad to see him.

“Wow,” he said, “This is amazing. I can’t
believe someone trashed all of these cameras. Did you see
anything?’

“We heard the crashes but were too freaked
out to investigate when it was happening,” I said. “It actually
happened pretty quickly.”