sit up, but she hurt all over,
so she lay back down.
'Brad,
please. After what you and I went through last night, I think we're on a
first-name basis.'
'Who
was he? What did he want?'
'Oh,'
Brad said, looking at the floor.
Instantly,
Eden knew that whoever the man was he hadn't been a thief. She took a deep breath.
'Okay, I'm ready. How big of a fool did I make of myself last night?'
'What
do you remember?'
She
turned her head away. Eden remembered the other attack, but that time she
hadn't woken up in a hospital. Her parents had allowed her to miss school until
her bruises healed, but nothing more. She looked back at Brad. All she seemed
able to remember was hitting, biting, scratching, clawing. Who had she hurt? 'I
don't remember much about last night. I — '
She cut
off because a police officer entered the room, smiling at her. He was young and
strong-looking, and he seemed to be highly amused about something. 'Is there
really only one of you?'
'I beg
your pardon?' Eden said.
'We
were taking bets that there were at least three of you to do what you did to McBride.
Brad, are you sure you want to tangle with this wildcat?'
'Come
on, Clint,' Brad said, chastising the young man but also enjoying his
connection to Eden. 'She's been through enough, so don't tease her. I'm not
sure she remembers what happened last night.'
'I can
believe that,' Clint said. 'But I still need to ask her some questions. What
time did you get home?'
'I
don't know the exact time,' Eden said. She felt as though she'd been thrown by
a horse and trampled on. Every muscle hurt, and every molecule of her body was
tired. 'Could you please tell me what happened?'
Clint
started to ask another question, but Brad stopped him. 'I don't think there're
going to be any charges.'
'Charges?
Are there charges against me?' Eden asked.
Brad
put his hand over hers. 'No, Eden, no one is going to charge you with
anything. Young Clint here was wondering if you were going to press charges
against McBride for trespassing and entering.'
'I
guess McBride is the man I . . . ?'
'Nearly
killed with your bare hands?' Clint said, chuckling. 'Yeah, he's the one.
Retired police. He said he'd fought two karate experts who didn't fight as hard
as you did. Of course, between you and me, I don't think he fought back any.
That's why he got so beat up. They had to give him a tetanus shot for the
bites. You should see the one — '
'Clint!'
Brad said sharply, 'would you mind your manners, please?'
'Yes,
sir,' Clint said, obviously speaking to a man he'd known all his life.
'Why
don't you go get some coffee? I'd like to talk to Ms. Palmer now.'
When
they were alone, Brad sat down by the bed and took Eden's hand in his.
'What
did I do to that man and who is he?'
'He's
your next-door neighbor. I started to tell you about him yesterday, but we got
sidetracked. He rented what used to be the washhouse.'
'So why
was he in my house?'
'Looking
for the fuse box. I'd told him you'd be taking possession of the house soon, so
he was on the lookoul for you. There're a couple of outdoor lights on timers at
your house and last night they'd come on. But just before you arrived, McBride
was using his table saw and blew out all the breakers in his place. When he
looked at your house and saw that it was dark, he knew that you must be on the
same circuit, so he went over there to find the breaker box. He said the
kitchen door was open, so he called out, but when no one answered, he used the
little light on his keychain to try to find the electrical box. He was
searching for a panel by the fireplace in the living room when he saw you. He
said that when he walked toward you . . . well, you sort of went crazy.'
Pausing,
he looked at Eden for confirmation, but all she could do was turn away. She
didn't want him to see her face.
Brad's
voice lightened. 'I think McBride was glad when we showed up. When you phoned me,
I panicked and called both the sheriff and the rescue people. I was afraid
so she lay back down.
'Brad,
please. After what you and I went through last night, I think we're on a
first-name basis.'
'Who
was he? What did he want?'
'Oh,'
Brad said, looking at the floor.
Instantly,
Eden knew that whoever the man was he hadn't been a thief. She took a deep breath.
'Okay, I'm ready. How big of a fool did I make of myself last night?'
'What
do you remember?'
She
turned her head away. Eden remembered the other attack, but that time she
hadn't woken up in a hospital. Her parents had allowed her to miss school until
her bruises healed, but nothing more. She looked back at Brad. All she seemed
able to remember was hitting, biting, scratching, clawing. Who had she hurt? 'I
don't remember much about last night. I — '
She cut
off because a police officer entered the room, smiling at her. He was young and
strong-looking, and he seemed to be highly amused about something. 'Is there
really only one of you?'
'I beg
your pardon?' Eden said.
'We
were taking bets that there were at least three of you to do what you did to McBride.
Brad, are you sure you want to tangle with this wildcat?'
'Come
on, Clint,' Brad said, chastising the young man but also enjoying his
connection to Eden. 'She's been through enough, so don't tease her. I'm not
sure she remembers what happened last night.'
'I can
believe that,' Clint said. 'But I still need to ask her some questions. What
time did you get home?'
'I
don't know the exact time,' Eden said. She felt as though she'd been thrown by
a horse and trampled on. Every muscle hurt, and every molecule of her body was
tired. 'Could you please tell me what happened?'
Clint
started to ask another question, but Brad stopped him. 'I don't think there're
going to be any charges.'
'Charges?
Are there charges against me?' Eden asked.
Brad
put his hand over hers. 'No, Eden, no one is going to charge you with
anything. Young Clint here was wondering if you were going to press charges
against McBride for trespassing and entering.'
'I
guess McBride is the man I . . . ?'
'Nearly
killed with your bare hands?' Clint said, chuckling. 'Yeah, he's the one.
Retired police. He said he'd fought two karate experts who didn't fight as hard
as you did. Of course, between you and me, I don't think he fought back any.
That's why he got so beat up. They had to give him a tetanus shot for the
bites. You should see the one — '
'Clint!'
Brad said sharply, 'would you mind your manners, please?'
'Yes,
sir,' Clint said, obviously speaking to a man he'd known all his life.
'Why
don't you go get some coffee? I'd like to talk to Ms. Palmer now.'
When
they were alone, Brad sat down by the bed and took Eden's hand in his.
'What
did I do to that man and who is he?'
'He's
your next-door neighbor. I started to tell you about him yesterday, but we got
sidetracked. He rented what used to be the washhouse.'
'So why
was he in my house?'
'Looking
for the fuse box. I'd told him you'd be taking possession of the house soon, so
he was on the lookoul for you. There're a couple of outdoor lights on timers at
your house and last night they'd come on. But just before you arrived, McBride
was using his table saw and blew out all the breakers in his place. When he
looked at your house and saw that it was dark, he knew that you must be on the
same circuit, so he went over there to find the breaker box. He said the
kitchen door was open, so he called out, but when no one answered, he used the
little light on his keychain to try to find the electrical box. He was
searching for a panel by the fireplace in the living room when he saw you. He
said that when he walked toward you . . . well, you sort of went crazy.'
Pausing,
he looked at Eden for confirmation, but all she could do was turn away. She
didn't want him to see her face.
Brad's
voice lightened. 'I think McBride was glad when we showed up. When you phoned me,
I panicked and called both the sheriff and the rescue people. I was afraid
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