Five minutes later, Colin was standing near the couch, absently rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had cut into them.
“Thanks for coming to my aid,” he said.
“You’re welcome.”
“I still can’t believe he listened to you.”
“I can. He knew it was the right thing to do. And the arresting officer wasn’t upset. After he heard the whole story, I don’t think his heart was in it, either.”
Colin gestured at the door. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll be glad to pay for it.”
“My dad doesn’t care. Honestly, he’s too angry at the thought that Lester has been spying on the family to worry about a door.”
“How about I help close it up for the night?”
When she nodded, he followed her to the garage, returning with the two-by-fours and a hammer and nails. Maria helped hold the boards in place, and when they were finally secure, she stepped toward Colin. Wrapping her arms around him, she held him for a long time before finally pulling back.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to call my boss,” he said. “Let her know where I am and find out whether I’ve been fired. And then, I figure I’ll keep watch outside for the rest of the night. I want to be here if Lester shows up.”
She nodded. “What do you think Margolis meant when he said he was exploring different angles? Lester admitted to almost everything…”
Colin shrugged. “I have no idea. Something about Cassie’s boyfriend Mark, maybe? Since he’s gone off the grid?” Colin filled Maria in on the little that he’d learned earlier.
Behind them, Felix walked into the living room, accompanied by Carmen. Carmen handed a glass of ice water to Colin while Felix inspected the work Colin had done to brace the door.
“I’m sorry about that,” Colin said, slightly abashed. “I told Maria I’d pay for it.”
Felix nodded. “This is good work. Sturdy.” He took a step toward Colin, meeting his gaze, his expression softening. “I wanted to thank you for rushing here when you thought Maria was in trouble. And for calling the police.”
“You’re welcome.”
Carmen slipped back to his side as Felix went on. Behind them, Colin could just make out Serena in the kitchen, clearly listening in. “When we first met, I believe I may have misjudged you,” he said. “Maria told me she felt safe with you. Now, I can understand why.”
At his words, Maria slipped her hand into Colin’s.
“I heard you tell Maria that you’ll want to keep watch tonight. Outside. In case Lester comes back.”
“Yes.”
“I have a problem with that.”
Colin looked at him, saying nothing.
“You should be inside the house, not outside. As our guest.”
He felt Maria squeeze his hand, and despite everything, he couldn’t help smiling.
“Okay.”
Colin paced the living room, alternately peeking through the curtains on the front window and then doing the same through the kitchen windows.
No sign of Lester.
Margolis had been good to his word; a patrol car passed by the house four times, twice while the rest of the family was still awake and twice after everyone else had gone to bed. Maria had stayed awake the longest, sitting with Colin until a little after one. Before turning in, Felix had told Colin that he’d be up at four to take over the watch and allow Colin to get some sleep.
The time to himself felt like a blessing to Colin, allowing him to process everything that had happened that evening. He still had more questions than answers, since nothing made sense. If, for instance, Lester was delusional to the point that he believed that Maria was out to get him, then his fear should have kept him away from Maria, instead of drawing him to her repeatedly.
But hadn’t Lester essentially admitted he’d been stalking Maria all along?
And why had Margolis told Maria that he was exploring “different angles”?
Other questions plagued him, too – why had Lester admitted to sending the flowers and the drink, but not to slashing the tires? Had Lester actually driven, and if so, where did he get the car? If he’d left his car at the park but ran in the opposite direction, where was he going and why couldn’t the police find him? And, again, how had Lester known that Maria would be at the house when Maria herself had forgotten about her mom’s birthday?
The more he learned, the more confused he felt.
“You’re making me nervous,” Maria said. “And I’m sure you’ve worn a groove into the floor.”
Colin looked over and saw her in the hallway, dressed in her pajamas.
“Did I wake you?”
“No. I slept for a little while.”
“What time is it?”
“A little after three,” Maria said. She walked to the couch and patted the cushion beside her. When Colin sat, she leaned her head on his shoulder while he slipped his arm around her. “You should probably try to get some sleep.”
“I only have another hour until your dad is up.”
“I don’t think he’s sleeping. He’s probably tossing and turning like I did.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re here, but my parents are, too. Right before they went to bed, they apologized to me for the way they treated you earlier.”
“There was no reason to apologize. They’ve been very gracious. Especially about me kicking in their door.”
She shrugged. “To be honest, it was pretty impressive. Doors generally keep people out, but this one didn’t even slow you down. They feel better knowing that you’re here.”