Page 40 of The Keeper and I

“How about Christmas?”

“What if he’s got plans with his family?”

“He probably doesn’t yet, which is why I’m trying to get dibs on the two of you.”

Laci had dreamed of bringing someone home to meet her parents all her life. But she wasn’t sure how she felt about it when the relationship was fake. She didn’t like lying to them, and the thought of spending several days doing that made her feel a bit sick. Especially when she was certain there would be an ice cream and pajama moment.

“I’ll speak to him about it,” she said.

Pam squealed with excitement on the other end of the phone. Laci giggled.

“I can’t wait!” Pam said. “First Tate and Britt, now you and Jordan. All that’s left is to get Jax settled.”

“Mum, no one issettled. We’re all starting—”

She didn’t finish that sentence because her phone dinged with a WhatsApp notification. As her mother rambled, Laci switched to speakerphone and opened the app. It was another message from Dane with a photo taken from the window behind her. It was a shot of her with her phone to her ear in the clothes she had on, Jordan’s kit and some bike shorts. He must have taken it seconds ago. The message read:All alone tonight?

She whipped around, half expecting to see Dane’s wild eyes staring back at her, but the window was empty. Was he ducking beneath her hedges? She turned her eyes to the sliding glass backdoor, but she found it also empty, which was a relief. She went over to ensure it was locked, which it was, so she snapped the curtain shut.

“Laci?” her mother said, drawing her attention again. “What was that? Are you there?”

“Uh, yeah, sorry, Mum,” Laci said. She looked toward the front door. A shadow moved in front of the long window to the left of it. She sucked in a quiet breath. “I’ll see about Christmas, must go.”

“Hold on, Laci—”

“Love you!”

She hung up before Pam could protest further. Her breath was shallow as she approached the front door. The deadbolt was upright, unlocked. The figure moved again, and Laci threw her body against the door as the person outside—undoubtedly Dane—did the same. The wood shook as he banged his fists against it. Holding firm, she turned the deadbolt. A heavier thump at the door startled her, and she stumbled backward, landing hard on her rear. Her phone slipped from her grasp and skidded across the floor.

Then he was in the side window staring at her. A sinister smile parted his lips. She watched as he mouthed her name at her. Her heart jackhammered against her ribcage. She scrambled back and with shaking hands, picked up her phone to call the police. As she did, she aimed her phone’s camera and snapped a photo for proof. She only got one before he turned tail and ran.

Eyes stinging as she caught her breath, she dialed 999.

Chapter 10

Jordan’slaptopwhirredtolife, the only sound in his otherwise silent flat. He pulled up the YouTube page he’d bookmarked and clicked on the next video called British Sign Language Basics, Lesson Four. The instructor began by going over the things they’d learned in lessons one through three, so Jordan glanced over his notes. Not only was he learning something new, but he was also getting practice at drawing hands by sketching out the signs. It helped him feel more connected to it. Sometimes, during a lull in training, he practiced the motions under his gloves. It was slow going, but he was determined to get it right.

Before he could draw the first line of the new signs, his phone rang and Laci’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Jordan!” she cried. He stiffened at the frantic sound of her voice. “Jordan, he’s at my house! Dane, he—oh my, God! He was here!”

Jordan leaped to his feet. “What?”

“He was outside my window,” she wailed. “He took a picture of me in my kitchen. He knew I was alone and—oh, God, Jordan, he was here. He tried to come inside!”

His pulse quickened and he saw red. An image came to him of grabbing Dane’s slimy little face and slamming it into the nearest wall. Taking a moment to breathe, he focused on Laci. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”

“No, I took a picture and called the police,” she said. “They’re on the way, but…can you come over? Please?”

“I’ll be right there.”

Flashing red and blue lights greeted Jordan as he pulled his Range Rover onto Laci’s street. He couldn’t get right up to the house, so he turned the car off, barely getting it into park before he threw himself out, and jogged the rest of the way to her door. She stood on her front steps, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, with a police officer who took notes while she spoke. Jordan pushed past the other officers lingering on the street and opened the front gate.

“Jordan, thank God!” she cried when she spotted him, and threw herself into his arms.

“I’m here,” he replied, holding her tight.