Chad

This was the first investigation I’d been on that had me fearing for the home owner’s well-being; not just physical, but mental, too. I could tell that Jacynda was completely freaked out by what was going on in her house and I couldn’t blame her; I wouldn’t stay here.

As I walked back into her house to get Susan a shirt, my skin prickled with goosebumps. I walked down the hall, anticipating something to happen, but it never did. I walked into her bedroom and opened the top drawer of her dresser, feeling around through lace and silk as I tried to find a t-shirt. I wish I’d have turned the light on so I could see what I was looking for, not to mention the other things I was rifling through. My fingers trailed across what I assumed was another pair of lace panties and an image of what she might look like in them flashed through my mind before I finally found a shirt and closed her drawer.

I gently shook the shirt, making sure that was all I had picked up, as I walked back out to the trailer. “Where’s Jacynda?”

“Getting some fresh air,” Jeff replied.

When I stepped back out, I found her behind the trailer leaning up against a tree at the edge of her driveway. “You okay?” She nodded, which was how she seemed to answer every question I asked her. I knew she wasn’t okay, though, so maybe that was the easiest way for her to lie.

I sat down beside her, unable to take my eyes off her. I’d thought she was beautiful when I first saw her, but now I didn’t know what I was feeling. All I knew was that I needed to protect her. To keep from looking like a creeper, I tore my eyes away from her and picked at a random piece of grass.

“So, do you think I should move?”

I absolutely thought she should move but didn’t want to scare her even more by stating my opinion, especially since she’d just moved into this house and it would probably be hard to move again so quickly. “I’d just wait and see what we can find out and if Susan knows someone who might be able to help. You can stay at my place as long as you need to.” I usually didn’t let strangers stay with me, but there was no way I was going to let her stay here alone.

“Thanks. I really appreciate that.” Her eyes were beautiful, even when they were sad and muted by the darkness. “I loved this house,” she confided as she shook her head.

“Well, don’t give up on it yet. We may be able to find someone to do a cleansing and rid it of whatever’s here.” For her sake, I hoped we could.

“But even if you can, I don’t think I’d ever feel safe here. I’d always be looking over my shoulder and jumping at every noise.” She took a deep breath. “I really don’t want to ever go back in there, to be honest.”

I felt the same way. I don’t know what it was about her, but I’d clear out my spare room and let her be my new roomie before I let her stay here another night.

***

We were both quiet on the way to my condo, but it wasn’t an awkward silence that you try to fill with useless small talk. We lingered in the comfortable silence until we walked into my living room, where Jacynda comfortably dropped herself onto my couch, which had never looked so inviting. But instead of joining her, I went to the linen closet to get her some blankets and a pillow.

“Your condo is nice.”

“Thanks,” I replied as I tossed the blankets at her, clipping the side of her head with the pillow and smiling. When she smiled back, thoughts of the contents of her top drawer danced through my mind and I knew it was time to go to bed. My bed. Alone. “Well, goodnight, Jacynda. If you need anything, just yell.” This would be the first time that a girl slept over and crashed on the couch and not with me.

“Goodnight, Chad. And thanks again for letting me stay here.”

I liked hearing my name cross her lips. “No problem. I just hope you don’t snore,” I added as I walked down the hall to my room. “I need my beauty sleep.”