I threw my weight behind the door, slammed it, but the pounding started again. "Eden. Eden Leighton. I won't hurt you. I sent you flowers. Did you get them?"
Another thud and then... silence. The phone on the hall table rang and I slapped my hands over my ears, unable to stop the panic trembling through my muscles. The house settled and creaked, the sounds steeping me deeper in anxiety. He could be out there... circling the house, looking for a window to force, a... a rock to throw... a... And I was here, curled in the fetal position, with no one to call, no one to care.
No.
No, this was not how my life would end.
I stretched my cramped limbs, swallowed back the pain, and stood up. I'd had enough. I would not die on my knees. There, on the desk, the letter opener. The fireplace tools in the living room. The ugly hunk of marble statue in the corner near the bay window. Jesus, there were weapons all around me, now that I decided to look for them. I tested the marble first. It was too heavy to lift. I brandished the fireplace poker next, heard it slice through the air and thought, I can do this.
The door thudded and I whirled, the poker gripped in my hand.
"Eden Leighton. Police."
I moved to the window, saw a patrol car in my driveway. When I opened the door, the police officer stepped back, put a hand on his gun. "Ma'am. I'm going to ask you to put down the poker."
"ID. They said you'd have ID."
The officer tucked a hand into his jacket, pulled out a black case and flipped it open. His name was Dolan. Robert Dolan. I took a step back, put the poker on the hall table.
"I'm going to come inside now. Is that okay?"
I stared, blankly. "Oh, yeah. Sure." I waved a hand and Officer Dolan stepped inside, closed the door behind him.
And stared. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, waited for him to say something.
"So you, uh, reported a prowler?" There was a tremble in his voice and he smiled.
Great. Another fan. Just what I need. The panic I was battling gained some ground.
"Some guy...he's like, stalking me. I reported it this morning. He sent me flowers and then he was here and I opened the door and-"
"He was at the door?" Officer Dolan flipped open a leather-bound notebook, shifting into professional mode. "Did you get a good look?"
It was dark. It shouldn't have been dark. I whirled, flicked the switch for the outdoor lights. They did not turn on. "Not a good look. No."
"Miss Leighton, I want you to sit down while I take a walk around your house. You have a dog, any animals?"
I shook my head. I'd always wanted a cat or a dog but Maddie wouldn't permit it. She said it wouldn't be fair to the animal to be left alone for so many hours every day.
"Stay right here. I'll come back to the front door when I'm done."
He clicked a button on the radio clipped to his uniform and spoke, but I didn't understand the cop-speak. He walked out, shut the door behind him. I saw a light come on from the bay window, watched his long shadow circle the property, swinging the light as he went. The beam was hypnotic, almost beautiful in a way and I had to follow it. From the living room, I went to the dining room. Kitchen. Family room. Back to the foyer, where the remains of my dinner were splattered on the floor. I grabbed some paper towels and bent down to clean the mess. When the police officer knocked again, I was dragging in the trash bin from the kitchen.
