Page 75 of Taming a Menace

“I’ll just wait on them. I know you’re out of town for that shower. I don’t even know why I called you. I guess I’m just so anxious. Somebody has been in my house, Key. I’m shaking right now.”

“I haven’t left yet. I decided that I would wait and leave in the morning. Do you need me?”

“I can’t ask you to drive all the way over here.”

“You didn’t ask me to come, Iyla. I offered. I’m out for a run anyway. I can be there in twenty minutes. How far away are you?”

“Maybe like fifteen minutes,” she told me.

“Wait for me or the police, Moon. Let me make sure it’s safe before you go back inside.”

“OK.”

“Do you need to stay on the phone with me?”

“No. I’m fine. I’m going to call my sister and tell her that she doesn’t have to come.”

“OK. Call me as soon as you pull into your driveway.”

Thirteen

Iyla

“Ma’am, did you lock your doors before you left the house?”

“Yes, of course,” I told the officer who couldn’t have been too much older than twenty.

“I asked because when we arrived on the scene, your front door was slightly cracked. That could have possibly set off the alarm.”

“I locked my doors. I always lock my doors,” I assured him.

“It’s possible that the alarm could have scared the intruder away. We did a sweep of the property and didn’t see any sign of anyone in the house. Over the next few days, if you find that something is missing, make sure to reach out to us. Your police report will be ready for pick up in about forty-eight hours.”

“And you’re sure no one is in there?” I asked again.

“Positive,” the female officer with him told me.

“OK,” I said, nodding my head.

It was all well and good that they could assure me that no one was in my house, but that didn’t mean I was going inside. I refused to go in there just in time for whoever had brokenin to pounce on me. I had watched too many TV shows where someone came home and found somebody lying in wait for them.

Who would do something like this? I lived in a quiet neighborhood where nothing ever happened. Now someone had broken into my house. I wouldn’t have put it past Wyatt to try to do something to scare me if he knew where I lived. Maybe it was just some kids messing around. Either way, I wasn’t going in that house until Keywan made it here.

As the cops left, I got back in my car and waited. I put my hands on the steering wheel but dropped them to my lap when I realized that they were trembling. I couldn’t remember the last time that I was so afraid. That’s what I got for binging true crime shows every night. Now I was scared to go in my own damn house even after the cops did a sweep and guaranteed me that no one was inside.

Five minutes passed before I saw the headlights of Keywan’s truck. I grabbed my phones off the passenger seat and stuffed them in my clutch. I never took my work phone with me anywhere. I just so happened to have left it in my car after work. Thank God I did because I wouldn’t have gone inside and looked for it so I could call Keywan. I probably would have stayed in a hotel for the night.

When Key stepped out of his truck, I jumped out of my car and ran to him. His steps were urgent as he moved in my direction.

“You’re good, baby. I got you,” he said, throwing his arms around me and pulling me closer.

“Oh my God. I can’t believe I called you all the way over here. I didn’t even ask what you were doing.”

“Iyla, you know it didn’t matter what I was doing. I’ll drop everything for you. What happened, baby? What did the cops say?” he asked.

“Someone broke in. The cops don’t think they actually went inside, but I’m terrified. I’m not going in there alone.”

“You have an alarm system, right?” he questioned.