Chapter 7

Silence folded over the house once he left. What should I do? I put my phone down. I heard John moving around, so he was probably okay. No reason to go downstairs and check on him. I didn’t want him to think I was butting into his business.

Now I was wide awake, and hungry. Looking through my kitchen cabinets, all the snack food I could find was a bag of raw popcorn. I popped some of it in a saucepan on the old-fashioned gas stove and was sitting down to eat it and drink a beer when I heard a knock on my door. Afraid it might be the brute returning to recruit me to help him, I peeked through the security hole.

Standing outside, with snow falling around him, was John.

“Hey.” I might be awake, but I wasn’t eloquent at this time of night. The smell of popcorn billowed around me. “C’mon in.”

“Sorry if we woke you.” John didn’t move.

I waved a hand to dismiss his apology. “It’s cold out there. C’mon in and join me for some popcorn and beer.”