Page 30 of Rogue Wave

“I stuck a random landscape business card in the seam of the door,” she explained quietly. “When someone opens the storm door, it falls out onto the doormat, where it’s currently sitting.”

She pointed at the bright-blue card noticeably resting atop the welcome mat.

“And before you ask, I shoved it in there really tight and curled it. There’s no way the wind could have done that. Only if someone opened the door.”

It was clever, really. The person who would open it would just assume a business had stuck it in there, and the homeowner wouldn’t know the difference if it was on the ground or not.

Subtle and smart.

“I need you to go stand on my porch while I check your house, okay?” I told her.

I didn’t think anyone was in there now because I had been sitting on my own front porch for an hour before Shadow and I took our short walk, and I hadn’t seen or heard anything out of the ordinary, but you never knew.

“No, but I’ll go stand by my car.”

God, this woman was infuriatingly stubborn.

“Hazel,” I said, giving my best scary sheriff voice to get her to comply.

“Hank,” she shot right back at me, full of sarcasm.

I stared her down, letting her know that no was not an option.

She huffed in response and flung her hands out. “Fine.”

I listened as she stomped off to my house. Giving Shadow the command to be on alert, we both slowly crept toward the door.

I untucked my T-shirt and pulled it from the bottom, using the fabric to open the very edge of the door handle. I didn’t want to risk smudging any fingerprints if I needed to gather them later. I held the door open with my knee and moved my eyes to the door lock. There were scratch marks all over it—the sign of an amateur trying to pick the lock.

I slowly eased the storm door closed and turned to retreat. I moved swiftly, calling Shadow back with me to join Hazel on my porch.

“Can you call Dougie and tell him to come out here, please? I’m going to call this in.”

I reached for my phone in my back pocket and quickly dialed dispatch.

While I called in the request for a deputy, I heard Hazel quietly on her phone as well. I ended my call and looked over at her.

“You okay?” I asked, noting there was no fear in her face, just frustration and a bit of exhaustion.

“I will be,” she replied, and I absolutely believed her. “Dougie said he’d be right over.”

I nodded. “I’m gonna have Dougie sit here with you inside while I go inspect your place with the deputy who’s getting here in a few minutes. Okay?”

“I’d rather sit on your porch so I can see and hear what’s going on.”

I was about to argue with her, but she held up her hand.

“Hank, I’m not going to interfere or intervene in any way, but I just want to be out here so I can watch and know what’s going on.”

I understood that and would feel the same way as a civilian. I wasn’t happy about it, but I also knew Dougie would do his job to watch over her and keep her safe.

“Alright, but you do not leave this porch unless Dougie tells you to.”

“Yes, Dad.” The snark in her voice was crystal clear, but she sat down, so at least she was complying.

My two deputies and I searched the inside and outside of her house, finding nothing amiss except the front door. It appeared whoever tried to break into the front door was unsuccessful and then left.

Good news that they were unsuccessful. Bad news because it was very possible they would come back and try again.