Restored (Colorado Crimes Book 1)

Chapter 7

Matt held the door for Jenna and her overly large stuffed bear. He laughed to himself how she was so excited about the bear. He watched Jenna carefully set the bear on the corner of her couch. "There you go Ted."

"Ted?"

She straightened and looked at him. "Ted is the bear's name."

"Isn't that a bit boring? What about Beary Potter or something?"

Jenna flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "His name is Ted."

Matt held his hands in surrender, "Okay, Ted it is." The doorbell rang and Matt went to answer it, choosing to ignore the fact that it made Jenna jump. A tall delivery woman held a box of pizza.

"Delivery for Jenna Gilmore? It'll be eight dollars."

Matt fished a ten out of his pocket. "Keep the change."

The woman smiled and took the money in trade for the pizza. "Have a nice evening."

"You too." Matt closed the door and brought the pizza to the kitchen where Jenna was. "Pizza's here. Want to eat in the living room?"

"Sure. Want anything to drink?"

"Water is fine." Matt went to the living room and put the pizza on the table. He needed a way to start this conversation. Jump right in or slowly go into it? It was getting dark outside already and he couldn't be here all night.

He took his place on a chair across from the couch and Jenna came in and sat on the couch. They ate their pizza in a comfortable silence, but when Jenna finished her second piece she put her plate on the table and looked at him. "I'm ready."

Matt had just finished his pizza, so he grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands on it. "Okay. You said you are scared of the dark, being alone at night, screams, nightmares, and loud noises, correct?"

Jenna nodded. "Yeah."

"Why don't you tell me what makes them scary?"

He watched her take a deep breath. "Not knowing what is going on around me in the dark and not being able to see my surroundings is scary. Not knowing if someone is there. When I'm alone it's worse because any noise or sudden thing makes me worry that someone is there. My nightmares bring me right back into the memories and I hate the memories. Loud noises are unexpected and make me jump. Just like..."

Matt wanted to go over to the couch, wrap her in his arms and cradle her. He gripped the edge of the chair to keep him from doing it. "Just like what?"

"When the gunshots or screams came unexpectedly." She whispered.

Matt hadn't heard this part of the story. He also realized she had skipped telling him why screams scared her. "What do you mean screams and gunshots?"

"When Blake and I were in the room where we were held captive, every hour there were these screams that would play for five minutes. Earsplitting screams, loud, womanlike. Then, randomly there would be loud gunshots that scared me half to death."

"That's why you don't like screams or loud noises."

She gave a small nod.

"Does being alone in this house scare you?"

"No, because Snickers is here and I am familiar with the place.

Matt juggled his next question. "In the room, when you were held captive, did any man...hurt you?"

"Blake stepped on my toes once but that was all. We never left the room."

"And no one came in?"

"The governor did."