My heart almost stopped fifteen minutes later when I heard someone knock on the door. I raced over to answer it and swung the door open. Keller looked at me like I had gone mad; the officer with him stepped forward.
“Is everything ok?” he asked.
“Yes why wouldn’t it be?”
Keller moved up so he was level with his partner. “We got a 999 call from your house, saying there was an intruder.”
“From here?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t call for anyone, there’s no one here, just me and Robin.”
“Are you sure? It was your number according to the control room, they traced your address from your number, said there was a woman crying down the phone, you look like you have been crying.”
“Some stupid movie on TV that’s all.” I lied.
“You know if you can’t say you can still give me some sort of signal.” He said leaning in and whispering to me.”
“Everything’s fine I promise. You can come in and check if you like.”
I opened the door for them both; Keller’s partner walked in first and glanced around. It was as I had said no one was there. Luckily the house was small so there wasn’t much for them to search.
“Well if you’re sure everything is ok then we’ll go and leave you in piece. Night Vanessa.”
“Night Kel.”
I locked the door behind them and watched them drive away from the window. I hadn’t called anyone I wasn’t that mad. Was I?
I went to bed after that, there was nothing for me to stay up for. Mark was gone, Keller was working and Robin was tucked up in bed. Even Bexley was in his basket snoring away blissfully.
“Mummy!” Robin sharp voice rang through my sleep and dragged me out of my dream. She was stood over my bed crying and calling my name.
I sat bolt up right wide awake in seconds. “What is it?”
“Someone was in my room.” She cried. “They pulled in covers off me and tickled my nose.”
“Are you sure? It could have been a dream.”
“No mummy it wasn’t a dream.” She said trusting her hands out in irritation that I didn’t believe her. “They opened my curtains and turned off my side lamp.”
Damn.
I threw myself out of bed and slammed my bedroom door shut. I wasn’t normally a wimp, but given the recent events in my life I wasn’t taking any chances, not with Robin in the house. I pulled the chair out from under my table and wedged it under the door like they did in the movies. I had no idea if that worked but it made me feel better.
Why didn’t Bexley wake us? People didn’t get in the house without him making a raucous, especially if he didn’t know them. Surly he should have been creating a right racket, but I wasn’t opening the door to go and check. I was scared enough as it was.
Robin was sat shaking in my bed watching me. She had turned the light on next to my bed, pure fear streaked her face. I sat down beside her and pulled her quivering body to me.
Luckily I kept a phone by my bed. I dialled Keller’s number. He answered before the first ring finished.
“Please come Keller, there is someone in the house.” I cried almost screaming down the phone.
“Vanessa?”
“Yes. There’s someone here. Please come.”
“Are you sure? I mean that’s what you said a few hours ago.”
“Kel that wasn’t me, but who ever it was, was in Robin’s room.”
“They were in the house?” he asked and his voice seemed to have risen a notch. “Where are you?”
“Locked in my bedroom. Please hurry.”
“Ok stay there I’m coming over, stay on the phone.”
I could hear his footsteps smashing down onto the ground, he was obviously running. Slight relief came over me when I heard the engine of his car scream into life.
“You still there Nessa?” he said between breaths.
“Yeah I’m still here. Where are you?”
“About 15 minutes away.”
I moved the phone away from my ear as the siren on his car came on. It was so loud. My heart was beating so hard in my chest I had to breathe in deeply to try and control it; I could hear my pulse in my own ears like a thumping echo. Robin stayed next to me, her little arms around my waist clinging to me as if she was afraid if she let go something would happen.
Fifteen minutes had never been so long in my life. I watched the digital clock on my side table and it seemed to take an hour for each minute to click over. My legs tapped up and down as if the agitation from them would some how make Keller get here faster.
We heard Keller pull up outside, well I assumed it was Keller I wasn’t expecting anyone else. I tried to move, but Robin was holding onto me so tight it was nearly impossible.
“You have to let me up baby.”
“I don’t want you to go out there.”
“I’m not I’m going to the window.”
She let her grip loosen. I held my hand out so that she could be still touching me and I could get to the window. I opened the side of the blind slightly just so that I could peer out without being seen. I didn’t to come face to face with who ever we were hiding from.
“Its Keller baby let me open the window.”
She did as she was told and moved out of my way so that I could lift the window and call to him.
“Are you both alright?”
“Yes were fine, I have the door blocked.”
“Good, but I need to get in; I can’t fit through this window.”
“One sec, I have my keys.” I said “Robin, you hold Keller’s hand, I’m just gonna get my keys off my side table ok?”
She didn’t respond, but she let her little fingers fall from mine and into Keller’s. I heard him say something about her being brave as I ran for my keys. They weren’t there. I was sure I had put them with my mobile, that’s was what I normally did. I searched down by the table, but they weren’t there either.
Crouching down I lowered my head so that I could look under my bed. I screamed and nearly fell back.
