said, “They started about six months ago. My phone would ring well after midnight, sometimes as late as two or three a.m. The caller ID showed ‘blocked number’ or ‘anonymous call,’ I can’t remember which. At first, I answered, but there was never anyone on the line. Pretty soon I just let it ring without answering.”
“Did you try dialing star sixty-nine?”
“No, initially I figured it was either a wrong number or maybe some kids playing a prank. Then, when they continued, I tried to just ride it out.”
“Did you think about changing your number?” Larson asked.
“I could have, I guess, but it would have been a hassle to do it. I’d have to notify lots of people—the hospital, other doctors—and I . . . Frankly, at that time I didn’t want to invest the time and effort.”
“How many times did this happen?” Larson asked.
“Probably four, maybe five, all about a week apart. Finally they stopped, and I thought things had run their course. But a few weeks later I saw a prowler outside my window. At least, I think I saw one.”
“Tell me about that,” Larson said.
Sarah suppressed the shudder she felt. “I went to close the blinds in the living room one evening, and I saw the bushes outside the window moving as though they’d just been disturbed. I looked past them into the yard and that’s when I saw him.”
“Who?”
“I saw what I thought was the outline of a man running away. I recoiled, sort of a reflex I guess, and when I looked again there was nothing there.”
“Did you see a car?”
“No. I listened for a car starting, watched for headlights, something to show I wasn’t imagining things, but the street was quiet.”
Larson looked up from his notebook. “Was it a man or a woman? Tall or short? Did you see—”
“I have no idea. Frankly, I wasn’t even sure I’d seen anyone outside. I decided it was my imagination.”
“Did you go out to look?” Larson asked.
“No. I just closed the blinds, checked to make sure the doors and windows were locked, and went to bed.”
“Did you call the police to report this?”
Sarah shook her head. “The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if I was imagining things. Maybe I should have reported the incident, but right then was a bad time for me. I was doing well to put one foot in front of the other.”
“What about the next morning?” Larson asked. “Did you look outside in the daylight? Were there footprints in the flower bed?”
“Like I told you, I tried to ignore the incident. I wasn’t sure I hadn’t imagined it.” Sarah said. “Besides, it rained that night. Wouldn’t the rain have washed away any footprints?”
Larson ignored her comment and moved on. “Was this the only time you thought you saw a prowler?”
“I think so. But frankly, I kept the blinds closed day and night after that, so if someone was outside, I didn’t see him anyway.”
Larson looked up from his notebook. “Any other incidents?”
“No.” Sarah said. “Do you think these are related to the fire?”
“They could be,” Larson said. “At least this information gives me a time frame to start my investigation.”
“All these happened after Harry died,” Kyle said. “Right?”
Sarah nodded but said nothing.
Larson stood and pocketed his notebook. “I wish you’d let us know about these things when they happened, but I can understand how you must have felt about that time.” He looked directly at Sarah. “I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will. Keep your doors and windows locked. Arm your security system. Do you have a gun?”
“I . . . I don’t have a security system,” she said. “And I don’t have a gun. Harry got rid of his when Jenny . . . when we knew we were going to have a baby in the house.”
Kyle turned to Larson. “Do you think she needs one?” he asked.
“I can’t give you an official position on that,” Larson said. “But if you had a pistol, with a permit, and you knew how to use it, this would be the time to keep it handy. In the meantime, I’ll arrange for a patrol car to drive by here periodically for the next few days. I’ll be in touch, but call me if anything comes up before then.” He handed her a card.
“I already have your card,” Sarah said.
“This one has my cell number on the back,” Larson said. “Use it . . . anytime, day or night.”
After Larson was gone, Kyle said, “I came by hoping to buy you dinner.”
“I can’t eat, Kyle,” Sarah said. “But thank you anyway.”
Kyle stood and looked down at Sarah. She could tell he had something on his mind, but after a moment he simply nodded and said, “I’ll give you a call in the morning.”
* * *
Sarah was in the living room, staring numbly at the walls, when Tom Oliver found her to tell her they were leaving. He promised to be back tomorrow, Sunday.
“About what time?” she asked.
“I figured you might want to go to church, so I thought sometime after noon,” he said. “It looks like we may be able to have almost everything done by sometime Monday. Maybe even late Sunday.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Oliver stood there for a moment longer, apparently thinking. Then he turned away without saying anything more. In a moment, Sarah heard the front door closing.
After the house was quiet, she wandered around and found the crew had accomplished a lot. Bare floors in a couple of areas awaited new carpet that would be ordered Monday and put down when it arrived. No problem—she could stand uncovered floors for a few days. The smell of smoke was still there, but it was very faint. Soon that smell would be replaced by the odor of fresh paint. A few areas of soot staining around the door from her garage into the kitchen had been treated but needed more attention. That would undoubtedly be remedied tomorrow or Monday. She could look forward to having her house—her home—back soon.
Despite her approval of the work the restoration crew was doing, Sarah felt fear clawing at the back of her brain. She tried to fight it, but it wouldn’t go away. Would her home ever feel normal? And, even more important, was this fire the last event she’d have to tolerate? Surely the police would find the person responsible and stop him . . . or her. At least, she hoped so.
Sarah tried to summon up enough courage to put aside her fears. Bill Larson was working on solving her problems. Kyle was available if she needed help. Right now, she’d concentrate on some of the
