Page 7 of The Devil After Dark

seven

LIANA

The buzzer for my door went off and I nearly jumped.

I was not expecting anyone and no one I knew came to my condo uninvited.

I extracted myself from my blankets and the couch, tossing my book on the end table, and walked over to the box on my wall that would allow me to see and hear whoever it was.

“Yes?” I asked as I pressed the speaker button.

I watched the man turn towards the camera, then he held up a police badge.

“Ms. Sutton? It’s officer Rome Hawthorne.

I spoke with you the other night after the shooting.

Could I come up? There are a few more things we need to discuss.

” Rome. He looked familiar, then he held his badge closer to the camera.

The camera was not clear enough to really make out what it said.

“Sure, I will buzz you up,” I responded and pressed the button that would let him into the front gate and then my building.

I sprinted to my room and grabbed a bra, slipping it on under my oversized sweater.

Before I even had my shirt pulled back into place there was a knock on my door.

I carefully looked through the peephole and realized I did recognize him.

He gave me a disarming smile as I cracked the door. “Ms. Sutton?—”

“You can just call me Liana,” I interrupted him.

“Liana, may I come in? It will only be a few minutes, but we should probably talk in private,” Rome continued.

I glanced around the empty hallway with only one other condo door.

My neighbors weren’t here, like usual, but I wasn’t going to be rude.

I opened the door further and let Rome into my condo.

I had been in such shock the night of the shooting I had not realized how tall and fit he was.

Or maybe I had just been more focused on the man who had almost been shot instead.

Rome’s light brown hair fell over his forehead.

It had that effortlessly casual look to it and his honey brown eyes were oddly intense.

He was handsome and had a swagger like he knew it too.

“Thank you, Liana. Do you mind if we sit at the table?” Rome asked as he pulled out a chair for me then another for himself.

I sat.

“Did you find out who is responsible? Or do you have more questions about what happened?” I asked cautiously.

“No and no,” he said simply. Okay, I could appreciate the bluntness.

“Unfortunately, another one of the witnesses was killed in their home last night.” My eyes practically bulged out of my head in shock at what he had just said and my mouth instantly dried.

“We are not sure if it is related to the shooting or not, but I am here to inform you we will be doing patrols outside of your building. You might start noticing unmarked cars parked around as well. This is for your safety.” I didn’t even know what to say.

A witness had been killed and they clearly thought more of us were in danger if they were putting patrol cars outside our homes.

Rome slid a business card across the table to me.

“I don’t want you to be scared. Here is my card and you can call me or the emergency number at any time. ”

“Okay, ummm …” I was still nearly speechless as I instinctively pulled his card closer to look at it.

“I take public transportation to wo rk, should I be worried about doing that?” I was never going to look at an SUV with black tinted windows the same—I already got heart palpitations when I saw one.

What if they were killing everyone who witnessed the shooting?

They could just drive up and shoot me while I walked to the bus stop or, even worse, what if they killed me and everyone else at the bus stop in a drive-by shooting like they had done to Cassio and his friends?

“You should be fine, we would not expect them to try to come after you in the daylight. That would just create more witnesses,” Rome said and it was not reassuring.

So they would come after me in the dark and likely in my home.

I just nodded as my imagination went completely wild.

“Keep your door locked, but your complex has decent security. I really do not want to worry you. Most of this is just precautionary.” Rome reached across the table and his hand covered mine in what was clearly meant to be a reassuring gesture.

I only looked down at his hand blankly. “Do you have any questions? Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked as his fingers brushed along the back of my hand.

I shook my head, no. He tapped his card with his number on it.

“You can message that number too, if you get frightened or see a car that you aren’t sure about.

You can always call, but you can also just send a quick message. ”

“Okay, thank you, Officer Hawthorne,” I said flatly.

I was trying my best not to have a complete panic attack.

Instead, I forced myself to stand up to show him the door.

Rome stood slowly and kept his eyes on my face like he was trying to read me.

“I’ll be fine,” I said with a small smile, even though he hadn’t asked.

I opened my door for Rome and he paused in the doorway.

“Message that number, any time of day or night, Liana. I’m not going to let anything happen to you and I don’t want you to let something little spiral you out.

Just send a message and I can let you know if things are good or if I will send the flashing lights. ”

“Thanks,” I said softly. Rome nodded and crossed the hall to the stairwell. I watched him close the door behind himself before closing and locking my own front door. How was I supposed to sleep after a conversation like that?

I found myself peeking out my full length windows and trying to see over my balcony railing to the street a few minutes later.

There was an unmarked dark car parked in the shadows, one I had not seen before, but that did not mean much.

Maybe it was the patrol Rome had said would be driving through and sitting outside at times.

I had the urge to close all of my curtains—if I had curtains on all of my windows.

This side of my home was nearly invisible from the street and the expansive view I had did not actually have any other buildings that would put someone in a place where they could see in.

Still, the darkness of the night and with the lights on inside, it made me feel like I was in a fishbowl for anyone to see.

Turning off the lights, I grabbed my wine and my book from the end table by the couch and headed to my bedroom. At least I had some curtains I could close in there. My eyes caught on the single deadbolt as I passed my front door and walked down the hall. Would simple locks be enough?