Caught in the Middle

Chapter 23

Somehow, I was able to talk my way with leaving early from the Thorton's Bookstore earlier than usual.  I still couldn't get in contact with Dane but I decided to use my time wisely before seeing him.  I needed to check out my apartment.

The moment I arrived at my building, I sensed something was out of place.  The block in which I lived on seemed less lively.  The brownstone of a building I lived in appeared foreign.  Perhaps, I have gotten used to staying with Dane at his place.  I shook my head at such a notion.  I was used to being independent.  I lived alone since my parents' passing and I would continue to depend on myself, or so I kept on telling myself.

But the truth in the matter was I got used to being with Dane.  It was nice being wanted, to have someone to lean on.  Dane, even, made me feel dare I say it, special.

I shook my head, causing long locks of hair to become tangled.  I could only imagine my appearance from a long day.

I unlocked the front door of the brownstone and made my way upstairs when I stopped.  The feeling of something wrong hit me a lot stronger because I now knew the source.  My apartment door was partially open.  Yellow tape from the New York Police flashed words: Police Line-Do Not Cross.  Someone had been in my apartment in my absence.  The first person I thought about was Irene but she wouldn't invade my space if we were in a fight.  Then, there was the landlady.  She had an extra key but if the police were involved or I was going to get evicted, this was not how things were done.

Only one other person came to mind and I shook my head at the possibility.  Nathan wouldn't go as far to ransack a person's apartment.  But he also did hit me with book and he stated he was personally getting back at Dane because of Elisa.  Nathan was going to use me to get back at him.

"What did I really get myself into?" I asked myself.

Cautiously, I made my way to the apartment door.  I pulled away the yellow tape blocking me to the door when I heard a feminine voice.

"Hey, you can't go in there!"

I craned my neck and I saw the landlady standing on top stairwell.  She did a double take before she rushed to me and hugged me.  "Oh my!  I haven't seen you in days!"  She let me go but still stayed within close range as she studied me.  "Where have you been?  The police have been trying to contact you for days."

"Why?"

The landlady who doused herself with too much perfume, dressed herself in flowery skirts and colorful scarfs over her head blinked at me.  "Someone went through your apartment when you weren't here.  The police wanted to know if you knew anyone who would do such a horrible thing."

It was my turn to blink at her.  "Did you tell them anything?"

The woman furiously shook her head.  Her chandelier earrings swung with her jerky movements.  "Why would I tell them anything?  I don't know who you see or what you do.  They did ask me if you have a boyfriend."

"And...."

"Well, I told them the truth.  You know you can't lie to the police.  They can put you in jail for that," the woman ranted as what she said was the obvious.

I placed my hands on her shoulders to center her.  She did have a knack to go off topic if I let her talk too much.  "What did you tell them?" I reiterated my previous question.

She paused and looked at me like I was dumb.  "I told them truth."

"Which is?"

"That you don't have a boyfriend." 

I exhaled a long breath.

She squinted at me before smacking her forehead with a hand.  "Oh no!  I did lie to the police.  You are seeing someone, aren't you?"