DILFS

CHAPTER TEN: Empty Nest

"Yes. Do you know who would do something like this?" The firefighter asked.

I just found that graffiti on my old wall at the apartment. But Alice's ex, Perry, couldn't have... Right?

"Forest, I see you found our suspect." The fire chief booms into the gazebo, interrupting our conversation.

"Suspect?" I asked to the fire chief.

"In most cases of arson, it's the homeowner who started the fire. So what was it? For the insurance money? Was your reckless daughter smoking?" The fire chief said to me as the chief stares down at me, Landon, Mason, and Eli enter the gazebo.

"Ann? What's going on?" Mason asked to me.

"The police are here." Landon said.

"And they're asking for you." Eli added to Landon's sentence.

"I called them in. I'm not letting this woman get away with arson!" The fire chief said in a mad tone.

"Why don't you back off." I said to fire chief to give me some space.

"Back off? I don't think you know who you're dealing with." The fire chief said in a stern tone.

"We're here for Ann Stevens on the charge of arson." The police woman said with her troops.

The book Landon gave me had a chapter on conflict resolution in high-pressure situations.

I think back to it and give the cop the best I've got. "Office, my daughter was trapped in the home while it was burning. Would I put my daughter at risk?" I asked to the police woman with logic.

"I guess that seems unlikely..." The cop said as she thinks of it.

The cop and the fire chief make eye contact. The chief sneers at me. "Just watch out. We've got our ear to the ground." The police woman said to me in a warning tone.

****

Later that night, me and the boys enjoy the house at a rowdy party. But my night is interrupted when my phone goes off.

["Did you get my note?"] The voice is low and raspy clearly altered. ["It was for Alice. I was hoping that you could pass it on."]

As I glance at the kids, I dash to my bedroom so no one can hear me.

"Perry." I mumbled the name that made our lives miserable.

"Ann, what's going on?" I heard Eli asked to me as I look at him. He is with Landon and Mason.

["Don't you dare hang up!"] I hear him said through the phone.

I try to ignore the guys and focus on my conversation. "Perry?" I said through the phone.

"Put the call on speakerphone." Eli said to me in a whisper as I put the phone on speaker.

["Ann, here's how things are going to go down. I'm going to chip away at that date suburban bullshit you and Alice are pretending to like so much. And eventually, I'll ruin your life. Just like you ruined mine."] 

"That's it. Hand the phone over. I'm talking to him." Eli said in a mad tone.

"He's not going to toy with you with three men at your side." Landon said to me.

"Unless you want to defend yourself?" Mason asked to me, giving me an option.

I smiled and talk Perry through the phone. "I have a couple of friends who'd like to speak with you." I said through the phone. I nod my head, giving the guys permission to speak.