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Nothing down there, said Ben, returning with
Julio. You can t even smell it.
The men looked at each other, frowning.
All right, said Steve, let s check again, room by
room. He handed Van an extra flashlight.
They split up, with Van concentrating on the two
bedrooms in the back. He peered behind the furniture
in each room where his flashlight beam illuminated
nothing but dust bunnies. When Steve called to the
group, he found them gathered in the dining room.
No one had found anything. Van didn t know if he d
simply grown used to the smell, but it didn t seem as
strong now.
Do you think we should call the police? asked
Van.
And tell them what? asked Steve.
Van shrugged. I don t know but we have to do
something. He opened his cell phone and punched
more buttons. Tommy? Van Whitney. Can you come
over to 324 Willow? He briefly described the events.
Are you sure someone isn t in the house? asked
Tommy.
I don t know. Van cursed himself for being so
careless with her home. Worse than that, he d put her
in danger.
Don t touch anything else, said Tommy. Go
outside and wait for us.
Van crossed the sidewalk to where Rowena still
stood on the front lawn, a deep scowl on her face. A
small crowd of neighbors had gathered in the street
behind her. The cops are on their way, he said.
Her eyes filled with fear. Why?
Van led her away from the neighbors. I don t
understand this yet, but the smell is only on the first
floor.
She blinked several times. As if this could get
any worse.
What does that mean?
I can t believe how fast they got here. She
nodded toward the fire truck.
It s a small town.
When two squad cars pulled up to the front of the
house, Van sprinted over to meet his former football
teammate, Tommy Farley, and three officers he didn t
know.
Keep everyone outside for now, said Tommy.
He turned to his officers and directed two to sweep
the yard, then went inside with the other one.
Van returned to where Rowena stood.
Where is the smell coming from? she asked
him.
I don t know.
Did you smell it? Is that why you were awake?
I don t know what woke me up. Old instincts, I
guess.
He watched her cast furtive glances toward the
group of neighbors that seemed to be growing by the
minute. Her hair was a mess, and in her haste she d
buttoned her shirt off-center. Was she worried what
they d think of the police and fire department
showing up in the middle of the night? He hated the
thought of her not feeling comfortable in her own
home.
Tommy emerged from the house and crossed the
driveway to where the group stood. I guess you
guys can go, he said to Steve. There s no fire. Can
you and Rowena come inside, please? He looked at
Van with an urgency that sent another ripple of fear
through him.
Rowena followed Tommy, and Van turned to
shake hands with the firefighters. Thanks guys.
Sorry it was a false alarm.
No problem, said Steve. It s a slow night. No
one blew anything up with fireworks, unlike last
year.
Steve hung back while Julio and Ben headed for
the truck. Van, you do know who she is, right?
She s Jake s sister. You know that.
I mean, you know why she left LA, right?
What the hell does that mean?
Steve shrugged. Nothing. Nothing at all. Good
night.
Van watched the truck pull away. As he scanned
the crowd of neighbors, tiny flashes of light danced
before his eyes. They were taking pictures with their
cell phones. No wonder Rowena was upset.
He found Tommy in the dining room. Rowena sat
in a chair with her legs drawn up staring at her
painted toenails. Snowball was still in her carrier.
Can she let the cat back out now? Van asked.
Sure.
Rowena picked up the carrier and left the room
without a glance at either of them.
She OK? asked Tommy.
Probably not. What do you think is going on
here?
Tommy shrugged. I can t figure out where the
smell is coming from. It s not outside, but it s
strongest in this room, even with the windows open.
I m having someone come over to dust the house for
prints, just in case.
Van wondered if Tommy had been drinking. Do
you really think someone came in here just to make
her house smell weird?
Hell if I know. Rowena said nothing appears to
be missing in the house. Had her walk through every
room and take a quick look.
The other three cops came into the room. How
long have those pickets been missing from the fence?
one asked.
Since she moved in. And the gate at the back
was already missing a hinge.
Rowena returned, and Van tried to put his arm
around her, but she moved away.
I d suggest you two sit tight for a while, said
Tommy. Once we dust for prints we ll be out of your
way for tonight.
Why would someone do this? Rowena asked,
her voice shaky and small. Van flashed back to a time
when she was about seven or eight, and he and Jake
had scared the crap out of her by hiding in the
basement. When Aunt Loony sent her down there for
more canning jars, they d jumped out. She sounded
like that now. A frightened child who needed
someone to hold her and assure her everything would
be all right.
Rowena, we don t know, said Tommy, taking a
small notebook and pen from his pants pocket. Is
there anything else strange that s been going on
around here?
Rowena sat down. When I first moved in,
someone called Aunt Loony s landline twice. It was
just heavy breathing. I thought it was a prank.
What? You never told me that. Van glared at
her.
That line still in service? asked Tommy,
shooting Van a look that said you aren t helping
right now.
No. I had it disconnected.
Do you remember the number?
Rowena rattled off Aunt Loony s number. And
there are weird sounds outside almost every night,
although I can t say for sure if they re still there
because I sleep with a floor fan on now. Rowena
described the sounds while Tommy wrote. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
Nothing down there, said Ben, returning with
Julio. You can t even smell it.
The men looked at each other, frowning.
All right, said Steve, let s check again, room by
room. He handed Van an extra flashlight.
They split up, with Van concentrating on the two
bedrooms in the back. He peered behind the furniture
in each room where his flashlight beam illuminated
nothing but dust bunnies. When Steve called to the
group, he found them gathered in the dining room.
No one had found anything. Van didn t know if he d
simply grown used to the smell, but it didn t seem as
strong now.
Do you think we should call the police? asked
Van.
And tell them what? asked Steve.
Van shrugged. I don t know but we have to do
something. He opened his cell phone and punched
more buttons. Tommy? Van Whitney. Can you come
over to 324 Willow? He briefly described the events.
Are you sure someone isn t in the house? asked
Tommy.
I don t know. Van cursed himself for being so
careless with her home. Worse than that, he d put her
in danger.
Don t touch anything else, said Tommy. Go
outside and wait for us.
Van crossed the sidewalk to where Rowena still
stood on the front lawn, a deep scowl on her face. A
small crowd of neighbors had gathered in the street
behind her. The cops are on their way, he said.
Her eyes filled with fear. Why?
Van led her away from the neighbors. I don t
understand this yet, but the smell is only on the first
floor.
She blinked several times. As if this could get
any worse.
What does that mean?
I can t believe how fast they got here. She
nodded toward the fire truck.
It s a small town.
When two squad cars pulled up to the front of the
house, Van sprinted over to meet his former football
teammate, Tommy Farley, and three officers he didn t
know.
Keep everyone outside for now, said Tommy.
He turned to his officers and directed two to sweep
the yard, then went inside with the other one.
Van returned to where Rowena stood.
Where is the smell coming from? she asked
him.
I don t know.
Did you smell it? Is that why you were awake?
I don t know what woke me up. Old instincts, I
guess.
He watched her cast furtive glances toward the
group of neighbors that seemed to be growing by the
minute. Her hair was a mess, and in her haste she d
buttoned her shirt off-center. Was she worried what
they d think of the police and fire department
showing up in the middle of the night? He hated the
thought of her not feeling comfortable in her own
home.
Tommy emerged from the house and crossed the
driveway to where the group stood. I guess you
guys can go, he said to Steve. There s no fire. Can
you and Rowena come inside, please? He looked at
Van with an urgency that sent another ripple of fear
through him.
Rowena followed Tommy, and Van turned to
shake hands with the firefighters. Thanks guys.
Sorry it was a false alarm.
No problem, said Steve. It s a slow night. No
one blew anything up with fireworks, unlike last
year.
Steve hung back while Julio and Ben headed for
the truck. Van, you do know who she is, right?
She s Jake s sister. You know that.
I mean, you know why she left LA, right?
What the hell does that mean?
Steve shrugged. Nothing. Nothing at all. Good
night.
Van watched the truck pull away. As he scanned
the crowd of neighbors, tiny flashes of light danced
before his eyes. They were taking pictures with their
cell phones. No wonder Rowena was upset.
He found Tommy in the dining room. Rowena sat
in a chair with her legs drawn up staring at her
painted toenails. Snowball was still in her carrier.
Can she let the cat back out now? Van asked.
Sure.
Rowena picked up the carrier and left the room
without a glance at either of them.
She OK? asked Tommy.
Probably not. What do you think is going on
here?
Tommy shrugged. I can t figure out where the
smell is coming from. It s not outside, but it s
strongest in this room, even with the windows open.
I m having someone come over to dust the house for
prints, just in case.
Van wondered if Tommy had been drinking. Do
you really think someone came in here just to make
her house smell weird?
Hell if I know. Rowena said nothing appears to
be missing in the house. Had her walk through every
room and take a quick look.
The other three cops came into the room. How
long have those pickets been missing from the fence?
one asked.
Since she moved in. And the gate at the back
was already missing a hinge.
Rowena returned, and Van tried to put his arm
around her, but she moved away.
I d suggest you two sit tight for a while, said
Tommy. Once we dust for prints we ll be out of your
way for tonight.
Why would someone do this? Rowena asked,
her voice shaky and small. Van flashed back to a time
when she was about seven or eight, and he and Jake
had scared the crap out of her by hiding in the
basement. When Aunt Loony sent her down there for
more canning jars, they d jumped out. She sounded
like that now. A frightened child who needed
someone to hold her and assure her everything would
be all right.
Rowena, we don t know, said Tommy, taking a
small notebook and pen from his pants pocket. Is
there anything else strange that s been going on
around here?
Rowena sat down. When I first moved in,
someone called Aunt Loony s landline twice. It was
just heavy breathing. I thought it was a prank.
What? You never told me that. Van glared at
her.
That line still in service? asked Tommy,
shooting Van a look that said you aren t helping
right now.
No. I had it disconnected.
Do you remember the number?
Rowena rattled off Aunt Loony s number. And
there are weird sounds outside almost every night,
although I can t say for sure if they re still there
because I sleep with a floor fan on now. Rowena
described the sounds while Tommy wrote. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]