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Miranda threw her head back and laughed as Zeke told her a joke about something that happened at school. Man was she happy she had chosen law instead of education. She couldn't imagine teaching a bunch of opinionated six-year-olds for five days per week. Standing in court before a stone-faced judge defending a client sounds sad but much better to her.
She paused to open the door before allowing Zeke in. She turned to place her briefcase by the door and then almost bumped into Zeke who had paused.
"Honey what are -"
The paralyzing fear spread through her body. She clenched her fists as she hesitantly took each step further into the house. Her feet trembled as she took in the disastrous state of her home. Furniture was thrown all over and destroyed, pictures shattered, and the wall sprayed with a bone-chilling message, found you.
Zeke took two steps back and bumped into her before reaching for her hand. Without pausing she held his hand tight and dragged him out of the house. For all, she knew the person responsible for this could still be in the house. She grabbed her cell phone and called the police. They assured her to remain calm and advised her not to go back into the house until help arrived. As if she was dumb enough to go back in there anyway.
She pulled Zeke into the car and locked the doors. She could hear the sound of the sirens getting closer as she sat in a state of shock.
There was no denying the danger they were in now. No matter where she ran to, this crazy man would always find them.
Her heart almost flew out of her chest when someone tapped at her window. With a hand over her heart, she turned to see an officer standing by her car. She rolled the window down.
"Ms. Tait?" he asked in a professional tone.
"Yes that's me," she replied nodding
"Ma'am I'm officer Gustov. Can you tell me what happened?"
She explained to the officer she had just gotten home and that this is how she found her house. Based on what he told her the rest of her house wasn't in a better condition than the one room she had seen. Whoever did this had done a full sweep of her house.
"Ma'am, is there anyone who would want to harm you that you can think of?"
"There's this man, a gang leader. I lost a case defending his son in court and he harassed me for a while. When it didn't stop I moved here."
"Seems he's found you then. You must have pissed off the wrong one."
Miranda stared blankly at the officer.
He asked her some more questions while the others went through the house dusting for prints. So far they've come up with nothing. Their attacker had been careful not to touch anything without wearing gloves. Unfortunately for her, the neighbors saw nothing because like her most of them were just getting home from work.
As she looked out she could see persons along the sidewalk curious about what was going on. Officers were with some of them.
"As anything else happened since you moved here?"
"Not really. I mean I have been receiving some threatening text messages and phone calls. The person never says anything though, he only breathes into the phone."
A shiver shook her as the creepiness swept over her. Why was this man actively seeking to hurt her when it was the judge and jury that decided the faith of his son? Why should she live in constant fear because she had done her job?
She didn't blame the court for the sentence because she had no doubt that her client had been guilty. One fewer gang member on the street was always something to celebrate but now she was paying the price for justice.
She looked back at Zeke and saw the silent tears washing his face. Her heart broke at that minute. She felt guilty, he didn't deserve this, he's a good kid. He looked so small and vulnerable sitting in the backseat with his knees tucked under his chin.
"Zeke."
"I want daddy."
The tears pricked her eyes at the sound of her son's quiet sob. As much as she would want to deny it, right now, she needed Joseph too.
With trembling fingers, she dialed his number and waited. He picked up on the second ring and just the sound of his voice had her breaking down in tears. She couldn't get a word out and officer Gustov kindly took her phone and spoke to Joseph on her behalf.
Zeke climbed into the front seat and climbed on her lap. She held him close and stroked his hair while he cried into her chest.
All she's ever wanted was a life of happiness for him. Safe and happy, was that too much to ask for? What did she have to do to get that?
Quit your job.
As quickly as the thought popped up she closed her eyes and pushed it away. There was no way she would let this bastard win. He could disrupt her life but he wouldn't stop her from doing something that she loved.
She pulled Zeke closer to her and rocked him as he cried.
"Can I go in? Possibly get some clothes?" she asked the officer who still stood by her car while his colleagues worked.
He gave her a doubtful look but nodded for her to follow him.
As they walked into the house and up the stairs, she held Zeke's hand. She tried not to look around at anything. It was too hard to see all the damage.
When she got to her room her eyes began to water again, everything was gone. This guy had cut even her damn pillows and left the stuffing scattered around the room. When she pulled her closet open, her heart sank. All the hangers were bare. Clothes lay scattered in pieces on the ground.
"You might not want to take him to his room. It's not much better." an officer informed them as he walked into her room and looked around.
