Split Screen Scream - Debra Parmley Read online

  They finished their coffee, and when he stood, she followed, looking up at him.

  “I have to get back,” he said. “It’s been nice getting to know you, Christie. Thanks for the coffee.”

  “It was the least I could do when you—”

  He placed a finger on her lips to silence her from thanking him again, as she was ready to do, and she smiled beneath it. His finger, warm and gentle on her lips made her mind move from what she was about to say to the new sensations he was creating within her.

  He let his finger drop again. “I’m glad we met, and I’m glad you’re safe at home. You get some rest and be sure to lock the door behind me.”

  “Yes,” she said. She was tempted to say, “Yes, sir,” as his last words had a ring of command to them, in a concerned “I’m just looking out for you” kind of way. Kind of like her grandfather used to do. Maybe it was because both men had served in the military and had learned the art of command. Whatever it was, it made her feel very cared for. She didn’t mind complying with that kind of command.

  Reed walked to the door. When he reached it he said, “When do you have to go back to work?”

  “Monday,” she said.

  “You don’t have to go anywhere today?” This being Sunday, he hoped that was the case.

  She shook her head, “No.”

  “Good. Get some rest now.”

  “I will. Good night. Or good morning.” She looked confused. The sun was up, and it was definitely morning. “Or good day.”

  “Good everything” he said with a grin. “See you later, Christie Anderson.

  She grinned back. “See you later, Reed Tindal.”

  He turned and started for his car, but his ears were still tuned in, listening for her to close the door and lock it. Satisfied once he heard the sounds he was waiting for, he hurried on to his car. He needed a shower, a shave, and a nap for himself. She wasn’t the only one who needed rest.

  After she closed the door, she watched through her front window as he drove away. She wished he could’ve stayed. But she didn’t know him well enough to ask and didn’t want him thinking she wanted to go to bed with him the first day they’d met. Though sleeping with his arms around her sounded really nice, it wasn’t his job to take care of her.

  That didn’t stop her from longing to be in his arms as she slept. His brief touches had made her want more.

  She glanced at the front door. She did feel better with it locked. Deciding to check the back door locks she headed into the kitchen and then moved throughout the house, checking all of the window locks. Now that she’d reassured herself that she was thoroughly locked in, maybe she’d start to relax. A hot shower, followed by sweatpants and a sweatshirt sounded really good.

  After that, she really did need to call Tanya. By then, it would be late enough on a Sunday that Tanya would be up.

  Showered and dressed, Christie poured the last bowl of cereal in the house and the last of the milk, then sat on the couch and looked at the dark screen of the TV. Contemplating turning it on, she decided against it.

  Every local channel would be talking about the shooting, and she’d been there, lived through it, and didn’t need to listen to the newscasters talking about it over and over again. The police had kept the reporters and their cameras far back from the theater and parking lot, but she’d seen the news vans, camera lights, and reporters hovering as if they just waited to pounce. She needed her life to get back to normal now and to think of things other than the shooter.

  Taking a bite of raisin crunch cereal, a remnant of her childhood, she closed her eyes and forced her thoughts away from the theater, back to when she was ten, and she and Tanya were having a sleepover. Good memories got her through the cereal, and then she picked up her phone to call her best friend. She’d have to tell the story again, but she was ready now.

  Tanya has always been there for her and this time she would be there again.

  Dialing her best friend, she waited for her to answer.

  “Christie! Are you all right?”

  Tanya’s stress could be felt through the phone line and heard in her voice. “Yeah, I’m okay. It just scared me real bad.”

  “I bet! What happened? Where are you now?”

  “I’m back home.”

  “Do you want me to come over? I can leave right now.”

  “No, I’m going to try to sleep after I get off the phone, but thank you.”

  “Okay, if I’m not coming over, I want you to tell me what happened. Tell me everything. My God, I was so worried. I saw it on the news, and they said there’d been a live shooter and two people were at the hospital, but I called, and no one would answer the phone. I drove over to the theater, but they wouldn’t let anyone near it. Finally, got through to the hospital but they said you weren’t there.”

  “I’m so sorry you went through all that stress and worry. They took our cellphones when we went into the theater and didn’t give them back ‘til the police let us go. Then I had to get gas on the way home, and it was late, and I was not in a good area.”

  “The whole night sounds horrible. I know you’re glad to be home. What about the live shooter? Tell me what happened.”

  Christie knew she’d been dancing around it, talking about everything but that. “We were all watching the movie, everything was normal except for the cellphone thing, and then this man stood up and just started shooting.”

  “Oh my God. What did you do?”

  “Well, I was already on the ground, crouching behind my seat, because I’d sat next to the Navy SEAL who saved everyone. And he pushed me down before the first shots were fired and said to stay down. So I did.”

  “Wow. That’s incredible! He saved your life.”

  “Yes, and the lives of everyone in that theater.”

  “He sounds amazing.”

  “Oh, he is.” She curled up on the couch pillow and hugged it to herself, thinking how brave he’d been. Even more of a hero than Cole Kennick in that movie. “He called the police and then he gave his phone to me and had me talk to them while he checked on the wounded.”

  “Wait. You said they took all your phones.”

  “Well, he must’ve not told them he had one because he had it on him.”

  “And he had a gun! You’re not supposed to have guns in theaters. There are signs up.”

  “I know. He had both.”

  “Oh, he’s a rule breaker then. A bad boy.”

  “I don’t know about that. He got along with the police just fine. The didn’t even arrest him for having a gun.”

  “Huh.”

  “And when he put a tourniquet on the one man, I watched him and listened and put one on the other man.”

  “Wow, really? That means you’re a hero, too.”

  “Oh,” Christie felt her cheeks heat at her friend’s words. She hadn’t felt particularly heroic. “I don’t know about that. I was just doing what he told me to do. Doing what needed to be done.”

  “Yeah I’ll bet that’s the kind of thing he says.”

  Oh. Tanya is so right. “Well, yeah. It is.”

  “See?”

  But that didn’t make her a hero. She wouldn’t have even known what to do if Reed hadn’t told her.

  Maybe that needs to change. A man could have bled out right next to her if Reed hadn’t been there with the right tools and the right instruction. Do they have classes for that like they did for CPR? Another class she really ought to take. She didn’t want to be in a position of standing by helplessly when there was something she could do to save a life.

  Chapter 5

  After she ended the call with Tanya, Christie wandered into the kitchen and opened cabinet doors. She’d planned to stay in, but she really did need to run to the grocery store. That had been on her original “To Do” list for today. Her stomach growled as she stared at the limited contents of her cabinets.

  For the past few weeks, she’d paid for the new dress, the new shoes, and the new purse—basically a
n entirely new outfit from head to toe. So, she hadn’t exactly been buying extras to stock her kitchen. In fact, she’d been eating what she’d already had stored.

  Her cabinets now held a variety of spices and sauces, some pasta with nothing to put on it, a box of brown rice, pancake syrup, peanut butter but no bread or crackers, and a yellow cake mix.

  She’d had nothing to offer Reed the other night when he’d escorted her home, except coffee. And it didn’t appear she had anything for lunch or for dinner for herself today. Last night she hadn’t been hungry, but she was paying for that now, because the small bowl of cereal she’d just eaten for breakfast wasn’t enough. Despite what she’d told Reed about staying in today, she had to go out to buy food.

  Taking out a small notepad, she started jotting down a quick grocery list, thinking of foods her ex-boyfriend used to like. Salsa and chips, frozen pizza, and mixed nuts. All were good to have on hand to offer a hungry man. The next time a man came by to visit, she needed to have something on hand to offer him besides coffee. It had been a year since she’d broke up with Mitch, the last man to sit at her kitchen table until Reed.

  She paused, wondering if she was ready to start dating again. The answer to that question didn’t really take much thought. If he was as nice as Reed, she most certainly was.

  She wondered if Reed drank alcohol, and if so, what he drank. Her ex drank every night and many nights he drank a lot. That was one major reason Mitch was an ex. Though he’d been gone a year, she still didn’t stock alcohol. It hadn’t been possible to keep drinks in the house when she was with Mitch. He’d finished off everything she’d brought home. Over the last few months, she’d bring a bottle of wine home to enjoy, but that was it. Mitch had changed her. Made her wary of enabling someone prone to addictive behaviors.

  But Mitch was long gone. Maybe it was time to let go of her fear. She wanted to be prepared the next time she had male company. It wouldn’t hurt to have a single bottle of wine, if the occasion arose.

  Finishing her list, she changed into jeans and a T-shirt, slipped her feet into her most comfy tennis shoes, and ran a brush through her hair. Glancing in the mirror, she tried to ignore the dark circles. She needed sleep, but she also needed food, and choosing one meant forgoing the other.

  Not until she was behind the wheel of her car, easing into the parking space at the grocery store did her nervousness return. She sat in the car, watching people come and go, trying to get her nerve up again. Everything looked calm.

  She opened her door and got out. After, scanning the parking lot again, she headed toward the doors. She found herself glancing at faces, trying to read expressions and intent. She’d never been so aware of her surroundings in her life. In fact, she was hyperaware.

  Inside the store, she gathered the things she needed then hurried to check out.

  By the time she got home with her purchases and carried them into her house, she was exhausted. Lunch was egg salad on a croissant that she’d picked up at the deli. She opened the plastic box and ate it without really tasting it, while at the same time putting everything away. Then she curled up on the couch beneath the afghan Tanya had made for her. Exhaustion took over, and she fell asleep.

  Her cellphone rang, waking her. She reached for it and squinted to read. The house was pitch dark, so it was obviously nighttime, and the only light came from her phone.

  Tanya’s name appeared on the screen.

  She answered. “Hello?”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Okay, I guess. Went to get groceries, ate lunch, and then fell asleep on the couch.”

  “Oh, did I wake you?” Tanya said, her tone filled with regret.

  Christie ran a hand over her face and sat up. “Yes,” she said, and then cringed because she’d sounded a little sharp.

  “It’s eight o’clock. I wanted to call before you went to sleep and make sure you’re doing okay. Sorry about waking you.”

  “It’s all right, Tanya, really. I needed to get up and put my pajamas on and go to sleep in bed, not this old couch.” Christie rolled her neck and then stretched. “Thanks for checking on me.”

  “You’re welcome. Is there anything you need?”

  “No. I’m all set. I’ve got to get caught up on sleep before I go to work tomorrow morning.”

  “Have you talked to Mrs. Brown? I think you ought to take tomorrow off. You’ve been through something traumatic. I know she’d understand.”

  “No, I haven’t talked to her. I don’t want to take tomorrow off. There’s no reason to. I’m fine.” She made a face, remembering how nervous she’d been shopping.

  “Okay,” Tanya said, sounding doubtful. “Well, call me if you need anything or want to talk.”

  “I’m fine Tanya. Quit fussing.” Eager to change the subject, she asked. “How are your fur babies?”

  “Well, like I texted you, the vet says they ate begonia plants. It was in the stuff they yakked up.”

  “I bet your neighbor’s somehow responsible. She planted begonias last month, didn’t she?”

  “Yeah, but her plants always look great. She wouldn’t allow Miss Priss or Brutus in her yard long enough for them to eat them on their own. She hates both of my dogs. Yells at them to get off her lawn the minute one paw touches her precious grass.”

  “You need a fence.”

  “Yes, I do.” Tanya sighed. “I don’t understand how they ended up eating the plants. They’ve never done anything like that, and for both of them to suddenly start that behavior, it just seems odd.”

  “Maybe she poisoned them. Put it in their food.”

  “How would she do that? She hasn’t been in my house, and she doesn’t have a key.”

  “You think she doesn’t. What if that old lady still has a key from before you bought the house? Then she could sneak in while you were away.”

  Tanya gave a little chuckle. “I think your imagination is running away with you. You need to get more sleep.”

  “Yeah, I do need sleep. But still, think about it. She could so sneak in, if she had a key from before. Did the vet say what begonias do to them? Is it lethal?”

  “It makes them throw up and gives them diarrhea. But it won’t kill them; it just makes them very sick.”

  “I’m glad they’ll be okay now. How are they doing tonight?”

  “Fine, just clingy. I had to put Brutus in the other room, and he’s in there whining with his bunny rabbit.”

  “Poor baby. You know he must still feel bad if he’s whiney and carrying Wabbit.”

  Brutus, Tanya’s German Shepard never whined unless he was sick. Then the big strong guard dog was the biggest baby and wanted his Wabbit. Christie loved to go visit and watch Brutus bark at the mailman, and then turn when the man was gone and bring her Wabbit to play with. He could turn off his fierce dog face really quick, and then his tail wagged like a happy puppy. “Maybe I need a dog,” she murmured.

  “What brought that on? I agree you should get a dog, and we’ve had that conversation before. More times than I can count. Are you feeling lonely?”

  “No, not lonely. I just think having a good guard dog, like Brutus, would be nice.”

  “Well, you’ve got to train dogs. Let them know you’re the alpha. Are you ready to be the alpha?”

  “I don’t know.” Brutus was a big strong dog. Could she handle a dog that size?

  “I’ve pictured you more with a lap dog. You get the cuddling as well as the guarding then.”

  She chewed on her lower lip as she thought about that. “Yeah, but if there’s a prowler, a German Shepard would be better protection.”

  “True. Look, if you’re serious, I can take you to where I found Brutus. You can talk to breeders about their next litter.”

  “Yeah, I might want to do that.”

  “All right. You get some sleep, and we’ll talk about it later this week. I’ll call them to see about a visit.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Tanya.”

  “Night, girlfriend.
I’m real glad you’re still here to talk to. You’ll always be my bestie. I love you.”

  Christie smiled. “Love you, too.” Tanya was her oldest and best friend. It felt good to be loved and appreciated. She didn’t know what she’d do without Tanya either. “I’m glad you called.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I’ll call you after work tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good,” Tanya said.

  “Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  They both hung up, and Christie sat for a moment, thinking how lucky she was to have Tanya in her life. Christie had a job she loved, a home that was finally decorated just the way she’d always wanted, and a great best friend. Now, she just needed a companion, someone to cuddle with. A dog would be perfect.

  Life was good, and it was good to be alive. But it was awfully quiet here. Tanya was right. Sometimes, she was lonely. Maybe I’ll look at dogs this week. Then I’ll have company and be safer.

  Monday morning came like other Monday mornings, yet not. This one came with the happy realization she’d be working with the flowers she loved so much, a thought she had every workday morning. But this time she had a new thought added.

  What if some crazy person comes into the florist shop and starts waving a gun around, or worse, started shooting?

  This was something she’d never thought of before, and the realization it could happen shook her world.

  There was no going back. No way to return to innocence and the days of thinking everyone coming into the store was a nice man or woman. There were crazy bad people in the world and they’d pop up when you least expected it. When you weren’t ready. When you didn’t know what to do.

  If there was a fire, she knew what to do. If someone tried to rob them, she knew what to do. She’d hand over the money. But a crazy person, someone who wants was to kill people? Shoot them in cold blood? That she wasn’t prepared for. How do you prepare for that?