16. Kate

I’ve always loved books, and so owning a bookstore is a dream come true. Something that wouldn’t have happened without Liam’s money. I remind myself of that every time I think about Liam and how much I hate how he’s treated me. Then again, he did what he set out to do, get me back into the real world and away from his violent one.

The store is small but has a wide selection of books, and if I don’t have the book in stock, many of my patrons order it from me instead of one of the big online retailers. It’s one of the many things I love about my little town. They support local businesses.

Since it’s spring, the weather is always a crap shoot. Warm and sunny, or cold and blustery. Today, it’s raining but not storming, the perfect day to curl up with a book and a hot drink. Hopefully, others will think so and come in to buy one.

I’ve just finished stocking the newest releases when the bell over the door chimes. A man walks in, shaking his head of the rain. He’s not a regular, but I’m always happy to get new customers.

“Welcome. Is there a book you’re looking for?”

He looks up and smiles. He’s dressed in a dark suit. I peg him as a man with money. “Just browsing.”

That’s the code for don’t bother the customer. “Great. Let me know if you need any help.” I go back to the counter and busy myself with orders that have come in for my customers. I need to call them and let them know their books are here. Every now and then, I check on the man who continues to browse.

Finally, he comes to the counter with a stack of books. There’s no rhyme or reason to the selection. No single author or genre.

“You’re an eclectic reader,” I say as I ring up the books.

“I get bored easily,” he says affably. “I didn’t know there was a bookstore here. Then again, I haven’t been in town very long.”

“It was closed for a bit. I bought it a few months ago from a couple who retired. It was closed while I got myself situated.”

“Are you from here?” he asks.

“Not originally.” I sigh because I can’t tell him my true history. I can’t tell anyone about my past. It’s part of the deal in staying safe. It feels disingenuous. How can I ever make true friends, maybe even meet a man who can love me, if I can’t ever be myself? “But I grew up not far from here. How about you?”

“I’m in town on business. I don’t suppose you could recommend a restaurant?”

I give him an apologetic smile. “I don’t get out too much these days.”

“Really? Your husband isn”t romantic?”

“I don’t have a husband.” Can he tell I’m pregnant? I’m behind the counter wearing an oversized sweater.

“Boyfriend?” There’s a tone to his voice that suggests he’s fishing to find out whether I’m single. There’s a part of me that is lifted by that. Liam tossed me aside, and while he said it was for my own good, it still feels like a rejection. Like I’m not good enough. This man’s interest is a boost to my ego.

“No boyfriend.”

“Well, maybe I’ll find a restaurant and we can go together sometime.”

I nod. “Maybe.” But even as I say that, I can’t imagine it. I mean, I’m pregnant. I’m sure that’s not something this man, any man, wants to take on. “Does that mean your business will keep you here for some time?” I ask.

“I’m here for a few days, but I often travel to the area, so I’ll be back.”

I give him the total for the books, take his payment, and put the books in a branded bag with my bookstore logo on it.

“I’m James Babcock.” He extends his hand.

I shake his hand. “Kate Walsh.” Same first name, third last name.

“Lovely to meet you. Can I get your number?”

I vacillate on whether I should. He’s a stranger. What could possibly come of this considering I’m pregnant? But my ego wins out. It’s time for me to move forward. To live. To enjoy life. Nothing will likely come of this, but that’s not the point. The point is for me to live again, so I give him my number and he shares his.

“Thank you for the books.” He gives me a last smile and leaves the shop.

I’m proud of myself for taking another step forward in reclaiming my life. It puts a positive tone on my day. By the time I’m closing shop, I’ve called all my customers about their orders, had a good day of sales, and was asked out by a man. All in all, a good day.

I drive home feeling good about my life even if it’s still drizzling rain outside. I reach my quiet street with older homes like mine that give the neighborhood a Rockwellian feel.

As I pull into my drive, I hear an alarm. I park my car and turn off the engine. Stepping out of the car, I realize the alarm is coming from my home.

Fear paralyzes me. I take tentative steps up to my door. It’s closed, but when I open it, it’s unlocked. Someone has been here. For all I know, they’re still here. Waiting for me. Planning to kidnap me.

I back away, stumbling down the steps of my porch.

“Are you okay?”

I whip around to find one of the men who live across the street trotting up to me. “How did this happen?”

He arches a brow. “What do you mean? Did someone break in?”

“Aren’t you watching me?”

He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Ah… I… Maybe you should call the police.”

It takes a moment for my brain to engage. I nod. “Yes, of course.” My hands shake as I pull out my phone and call 9-1-1.

“Would you like to wait with us?” He nods to his home across the street.

“Is that what Lucy would want?”

Again, he stares at me like I’ve got a screw loose. “Lucy?”

It dawns on me that perhaps I’m wrong about him. Maybe it really is a coincidence that they moved in around the time I did, that they look like the type of men who work for Lucy and Donovan.

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I thought…” I stop myself. If he thinks I’m nuts now, imagine what he’ll think if I tell him I thought he was hired by the Mafia to watch over me.

“Could you just wait with me?” I ask him because I’m afraid, and yet, what if danger is lurking? Have I just put him in danger?

“Of course.”

It’s probably ten minutes, but it feels like forever when the police arrive. One goes inside to look around while the other stays with me and asks my neighbor questions.

“I came home and my alarm was going off and the door was unlocked.”

The cop turns to my neighbor. “Did you see anything?”

“When I arrived home, the alarm was already going off. I saw her out here and came to help.”

“We’ll ask if the neighbors saw anything. Could be you forgot to lock the door and the wind or rain somehow triggered the alarm.”

I nod even though that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t have a shoddy security system.

“Do you have cameras?”

“Yes.” My fear seems to have short-circuited my brain as I hadn’t remembered them.

“Let’s look at those and see what we find.”

The other officer returns. “There’s no one there, and it doesn’t look like anything is disturbed, but you can come in and let us know if anything is missing.”

“She’s got surveillance too,” his partner says.

“Great. Let’s take a look.”

I thank my neighbor and then, on shaky legs, return to my house with the two policemen. Inside, everything appears to be where it should be. Nothing is open or rifled through.

I open my phone app and pull up the surveillance footage. I have cameras on each side of my home, but nothing appears in the street, side yards, or back yard. That makes no sense.

“Could be the wind,” the second officer says.

But that doesn’t seem possible. This is state of the art security. It’s the type the Mafia uses.

I study the footage again, noting a slight blip on the recording of the front of the house. “Did you see that?”

The men lean in and watch. “That could be the wind too.”

Why aren’t they taking this more seriously? Probably because they don’t know my history.

“Maybe you can call someone to come stay with you if you don’t feel safe,” the partner says.

“Yes, that’s a good idea.” Of course, I don’t have anyone. Sure, there’s Elena and Lucy. But Elena is busy with her babies, and there’s no way Niko would allow her to come stay with me after my home was broken into. Lucy would come, but seeing her is just a reminder of how my life has become a horror show.

When the police leave, I lock up, resetting the alarm. I work to steady my nerves as I make dinner and eat it while reading one of my pregnancy books. I’m just about finished with my meal when my phone rings. For a moment, I think it’s James, but Lucy’s number flashes in the caller ID.

“Hello.”

“What the hell, Kate? I’ve been calling?—”

“What? My phone hasn’t rung.” Did I turn off my ringer by accident when we looked at the video?

“Someone breached your security?”

“How did you know?” Was the guy across the street working for her, after all?

“That’s not important?—”

“It is to me. If those guys are watching me, why didn’t they catch?—”

“What guys?”

I let out an exasperated breath. “The neighbors across the street. They work for you, right?”

“Why would you think that?”

Ugh. “Because they moved in at the same time as I did, and they look like they could work for you.”

She sighs. “We’re keeping tabs on you, but not like that. I’ll check them out.”

God, I’ve now just put the Mafia onto my neighbors. “If they don’t work for you, then they’re minding their own business. Don’t go killing them or something.”

“Fucking hell, Kate. I wouldn’t do that. But if someone got into your home, you need protection. I have someone on the way. You won’t see them, but they’ll be there. Okay?”

All of a sudden, I feel so tired. Is it too much to ask for a life of peace and calm? Will I be able to provide that for my baby? “Okay.”

“You know what? Why don’t you come here? I’ll arrange?—”

“No. I just want to have a quiet night… a quiet life.”

She doesn’t say anything for a moment. “I’m sorry all this happened to you, Kate. We all are.”

“I know.” They’ve said it a million times. It’s not that I don’t believe they’re sorry. I know they mean it. But it doesn’t change the fact that my life will never be the same. Maybe it’s time to give up on the idea that I can have a normal life.

I rub my hand over my belly, fear gripping me that my child will have to grow up always looking over his or her shoulder. If I’m in danger because of Liam, won’t my baby be as well? The thought of that terrifies me. I realize that it won’t be long before Lucy and Elena realize I’m pregnant, so it’s time to come up with a good cover story because no one can know that Liam is the father of my baby.