The rain outside was coming down harder, the sound of it relentless against the windowpanes. The glass trembled under the combined assault of the downpour and the wind’s howling shriek.
I clutched my phone tightly, my hands trembling.
“Cough… so, uh, why is he helping me check on my car?” My voice faltered, growing smaller, until the last syllables snagged in my throat, trapped by an unnameable dread. I already knew the answer, but denial lingered, stubborn as a shadow at dusk.
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” the voice on the phone was steady, like an anchor thrown into a stormy sea. “How about I come over and accompany you to check? Would that help?”
In that moment, his calm assurance was like a lifeline, something solid to cling to in the rising flood of unease.
“Yes, please come! I’m in Building 3, Unit 304. I’ll wait for you!”
I ended the call and moved to the foyer, sitting on the edge of the shoe bench.
The silence in the apartment stretched unbearably, every faint noise from beyond the door twisting my nerves tighter. My mind raced with self-reproach. Why had I chosen to buy in this new complex, with its dismal occupancy rate? If more people lived here, maybe it wouldn’t feel so desolate.
The minutes dragged. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. If Wayne was no longer working security, why had he offered to check my car? Was he just pretending to be a guard?
A chilling realization hit me like cold water. If the man and woman from earlier really meant me harm, was Wayne somehow involved with them? I stared out into the night, every shadow suddenly a potential threat.
My phone rang, shattering the silence.
It was Wayne.
My chest tightened as I stared at the screen. He didn’t know I had discovered his resignation. What could he possibly want now?
After a long pause, I answered.
