Mrs. Miller

Chapter 1: A New Neighbor

"Tom? Is that you?"

Elizabeth Lance shouted from the laundry room as her son Tom entered the house.

Tom poked his head into the laundry room. "Yeah, Mom, I just finished mowing, and I'm going to shower."

"OK, sweetie," she said. "Oh! We have a new neighbor. Somebody bought the old Dawkins house next door: a Mrs. Miller. I met her this morning. You should go over and say hello."

"Mrs. Miller, huh," he said. "OK, I'll swing by after my shower."

The Dawkins house was small, with just two bedrooms, but had been well maintained. Tom glanced at the lawn before ringing the doorbell.

A young woman with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail appeared at the door, looking exhausted. "Yes?" She said.

"Hi, I'm Tom Lance. I live next door. Is Mrs. Miller here?"

"That would be me," she said.

Tom looked confused. "You're Mrs. Miller?"

She laughed and said, "The one-and-only. Were you expecting somebody else?"

Tom hung his head. "Sorry. I guess I was expecting someone older, a second-grade teacher nearing retirement, and I have no idea why I thought that."

"Well," she said, "sorry to disappoint. Come on in. The place is a mess. Apparently, the movers dropped all the boxes off but were allergic to stairs. I've got quite a mess."

He stepped inside and said, "I see your point. I can help if you like."

"That's generous," she said, "but it's too much to do for free. How about twenty dollars an hour?"

"Where do I start?" He said.

After three hours and countless trips up and down the stairs, most boxes were staged in the correct rooms. Tom appeared wilted on his last trip down.

"You are a hard worker!" She said. "I thought I'd be doing this for days. Thank you! I'll just grab my purse."

"No need," he said. "Look, we're neighbors, and I was happy to help you get settled. I'm not going to take your money."

She stood with her hands on her hips. "Are you sure?"

"Mrs. Miller, I am very sure. I was happy to help," he said.

She shook her head. "OK. Two things: Number one, call me Jenny, and number two, I'm making you dinner tonight, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

Tom smiled and wiped his brow. "Dinner sounds wonderful, but I need a shower. When should I come back?"

Jenny said, "How about six? We'll have a drink and then eat. But be warned. It will be a pretty simple meal. I've not had time to do a big grocery run yet."

"No worries," he said. "I'll be back in a bit."

Tom walked across the yard and entered the side door to his house. His Mom was in the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom," he said.

"Where have you been?" She said. "And why are you so sweaty again?"

"Mrs. Miller needed some help moving boxes, so I pitched in. She's going to make me dinner as a thank you," he said.

"But I'm making meatloaf!" His Mom replied.

Tom kissed his mother on the head and said, "Just put mine in the fridge. You know I'll eat it. Nobody can resist your meatloaf." He kissed her again and said, "I'm going to shower."

He returned to Jessy's house a little after six o'clock and rang the bell. She had showered and changed and now wore jeans and a T-shirt.

"Come in," she said. "Have a seat at the table in the kitchen. I'll be right there."

He seated himself and then looked around.

"You've got a lot done," he said.

She returned to the kitchen and said, "I would give you a lot of credit for that. Beer?"

"Sure," he said.

She grabbed two bottles from the fridge and sat at the table. Once they were open, she held her bottle up, and Tom clinked it to his own. "To neighbors," he said.

"I," he said, then hesitated, "don't know how to ask this. Where is Mr. Miller?"

Jessy stared at her bottle before answering. "My husband died three years ago."

"I'm so sorry for your loss. And I'm sorry for prying," he said, looking down.

They were quiet for a time when Jenny said, "You didn't ask how he died."

He looked at her and shook his head. "It's not my place. You don't owe me that."

She nodded. "You are a very polite young man, and I wish everybody was like you." She took a deep breath and said, "Gray was driving back after visiting his folks when a drunk driver got on the interstate going the wrong way."

"I'm sorry," he said.

She stood and moved to the stove. "So was I," she said. "We'd only been married a year, and I didn't expect to be a widow at twenty-seven." She picked up a spatula. "Hamburgers?"

"That sounds great," he said.

"What about you?" She said as she began cooking. "What's your story?"

"I'm going into my senior year and plan on finishing my Electrical Engineering degree next Spring," he said.

"Oh! Young college stud," she said.

"A little older than my classmates, though," he said. "I took a gap year after high school."

"Travel the country? Toured Europe?" She asked as the hamburger began to sizzle.

"Hardly," he said, tipping his bottle. "I worked construction for a year to save some money. It was my Dad's idea, and I got a lot of great experience and put some money away."

"So, what does that make you twenty-two?" She asked.

"Twenty-three," he said, smiling.

"Well, old man," she said, "I'm glad you were still in good enough shape to run up and down those stairs!"

He chuckled. "I'll be sore in the morning."

They both laughed and took a drink.

When Tom returned home, his parents were sitting in the living room.

"Well, what can you tell us about our new neighbor?" His mom asked.

"Liz, don't badger the poor boy," said his father.

Tom took a seat and said, "She's nice. She's also a widow. Her husband died three years ago, and I think she's trying to restart her life."

"Oh, the poor dear!" Liz said. "How did he die?"

"Car accident," Tom said, "but don't bring it up. Let the poor woman grieve in peace."

"She's taken a shine to him, John," Liz told her husband.

"Mom, don't be ridiculous," Tom said, rolling his eyes.

"She invited him to dinner," Liz continued.

"Because I helped her move boxes for three hours, Mom. Don't start crazy rumors," Tom said.

John said, "You were a good neighbor helping her finish moving. I'm sure she appreciated it."

Tom stood and said, "I've had a day. I'm going up to surf the web and then go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He kissed his mom on the cheek and said, "Goodnight, Dad," to his father.

Chapter 2: Lawns and Home Repair

The Summer solstice was still a few weeks away, but the grass, flowers, and weeds were thriving. Tom walked behind his house and noticed the grass needed cutting again, and Jenny's grass looked more like a jungle. Saturday mornings were the usual day for mowing, so he walked to Jenny's front door and rang the bell.

"Good morning," she said.

"I'm going to mow our lawn," he said, "and it would only take a few extra minutes to mow yours, too. Would that be OK?"

"Yes!" She said. "I've been too busy to get a lawnmower. You're a lifesaver. Can I pay you?"

He chucked. "What do you think?"

Tom thought for a moment, then peeked inside the house. "Have you swapped out all the light bulbs yet?"

"What? No," she said.

He pointed to the porch light. "Incandescent bulb. I'm betting all the bulbs leftover from the last owner are like this. You'll save a ton of money if you swap them out for LED bulbs."

"Really?" She said. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm going to mow the lawns, and then we should head over to Home Depot and get LED bulbs to replace all the old incandescent ones. Let me help you with this project, and I'll let you buy me lunch."

She smiled. "Well, I can't pass up an offer like that! What do you need from me?"

He took a deep breath. "While I'm mowing, you need to do an inventory of all the bulbs you've got and where they are, maybe even their wattage. Then we'll know how many of each kind to buy. Check the basement and fixtures in the bathrooms, kitchen, and hallways. If you've got table lamps, count those, too. Don't go nuts. We'll never find everything in one trip, but get us started. I should be done in about an hour."

"OK," she said. "I'll be ready to go in an hour."

It was nearly as easy to mow two lawns as one. Jenny's lot was small, and the grass in the back was just an extension of Tom's own backyard. When he was done, both properties looked much better.

She met him in the driveway by her car. "Ready?" She said.

Her list was complete, and he complimented her on her organizational skills. The bill for the Home Depot run was hefty, but Tom assured her that she'll save enough on electricity to win back the investment in a year or so.

They found a cafe with table service and ordered their lunch.

"I get the impression you're pretty handy around the house," she said. "I've got some other projects in mind. Think you could help?"

"Absolutely," he said. "And, if I'm stuck, Dad's a wizard with home repairs. I'm sure we can do whatever you need between the two of us."

She smiled. "It's nice to have a man around the house again." She chuckled when she saw him blanch. "Uh oh!" She said. "Looks like we've got commitment issues!"

Tom relaxed and then snickered. "OK. You got me. I don't have commitment issues. You are such a tease!"

"I don't know," she said. "Home repair projects, mowing the lawn, helping with household chores, you're starting to look like husband material."

Their sandwiches arrived, and they ate while Jenny described some of the projects. There were loose boards on the basement stairs, a yard light that didn't work, and some loose molding.

When they arrived back at Jenny's house, they spent an hour swapping light bulbs, many of which were out of Jenny's reach but well within Tom's. The big box of old bulbs was stashed in the basement awaiting trash day.

"Let there be light," she said as they clinked their beers together.

"And we saw the light, and it was fantastic," he replied, laughing.

Jenny's house had taken shape and appeared more like a home than a sea of boxes. Changes were also evident in the relationship between Tom and Jenny. They had begun spending more time together, and Tom ate dinner at Jenny's at least two nights a week. By mid-Summer, they were best of friends.

Chapter 3: A Cry in the Night

Tom settled into bed and turned the light out. His bedroom door was closed not for privacy but because he disliked the temperature his parents set on the house's air conditioning. Instead of freezing in July, Tom opened his windows, closed the registers to the central air, and kept his bedroom door closed, enjoying the warm summer breezes. He read his eReader in the darkness while listening to the sound of nature through the window's screen.

Just as he was dropping off to sleep, Tom heard a scream. He jumped out of bed and moved to the window in time to hear another scream coming from Jenny's house. He grabbed his jeans and a T-shirt that had been tossed over a chair and flew down the stairs and out the door. The screaming was definitely coming from Jenny's house.

He ran barefoot to her front door but found it locked. Then he sprinted around the back to find the door to the walk-in basement kicked in and hanging off its hinges. It took a few seconds to climb the stairs to the main floor.

"Jenny!" Tom shouted.

He heard more screaming.

"Jenny! I'm here! I'm coming!" He shouted as he began climbing the stairs to the second floor and her bedroom.

The house was dark. No lights were on in the halls or the rooms, even lights that should have been on were dark. Someone must have killed the power.

"Jenny!" He shouted as he reached the top of the stairs.

A dark figure moved to meet him, throwing a punch that landed on Tom's shoulder. The two men wrestled, throwing punches in the dark until a foot slipped, and the two of them, still wrestling, still flailing, careened down the stairs together, landing, rolling, falling, bouncing, until there was a sickening crunch and the two figures stopped moving.

Tom caught his breath and extracted his arm from under his assailant. The man lay motionless near the bottom of the stairs, his head toward the bottom and tilted at an odd angle. When he collected his wits, Tom climbed the stairs again.

"Jenny! I'm coming!"

A second man met Tom at the top of the stairs, but one glance at the body lying at the bottom and he pushed Tom aside, descended the stairs, and flew out the front door. Squealing tires were heard moments later.

Tom entered Jenny's room. "Jenny, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Jenny backed away toward the corner of the room.

"Jenny, it's me, Tom. I'm here. Nobody's going to hurt you. I'm here now," he said.

It took a moment for her to understand, but then she rushed to him, threw her arms around him, and held him tightly, crying. Tom held her close but kept one eye on the door.

"Jenny," he said, "where's your phone?"

"What?"

"Where's your phone?"

"It's on the dresser," she said, stuttering.

Tom dialed 911.

"911. What's your emergency?"

"I need police and emergency medical at 13921 South Sweetbriar. There's been a home invasion. A woman has been assaulted, and there is a man injured on the stairs. I'm going to open the front door. I also need to figure out why the power is out. Mrs. Jennifer Miller is the owner of the house, and she's injured, but I can't give you more details until I get the lights on."

"Stay on the line," the dispatcher said before making radio calls.

Jenny was holding on to Tom while he made the call. He switched the phone to speaker so they could both hear the dispatcher.

"Police and EMS are on their way. Stay where you are," said the dispatcher.

"I'm leaving the phone with Mrs. Miller. I'm Tom Lance, a neighbor, and I'm going to try to get the lights on. Stay on the line with Mrs. Miller," he said.

"No!" Jenny cried. "Don't leave me!"

"I'm not leaving you. I'm going to get the power back on. Don't leave this room. Don't hang up on the 911 operator. I'll be back in 90 seconds," he said. Then he held her by the shoulders and said, "Trust me."

She nodded and stood by the dresser and the phone.

Tom rushed down the stairs, careful not to disturb the body, and found the breaker panel in the basement. The main circuit breakers had been switched off. He reset the breakers and tried a light in the basement. Satisfied, he returned to the first floor and turned on some lights.

It was clear that the man on the stairs was dead. Tom walked up the stairs and returned to Jenny's room to find her slumped on the floor. He switched on a light to find her bleeding from a cut on her head. Before he could say anything, flashing lights appeared in the window, and a policeman entered the house.

"Up here," Tom shouted.

The policeman climbed the stairs while the EMTs examined the body.

"I'm Officer Johnson. Can you tell me what happened here?"

Jenny looked dazed. The officer turned to Tom. "Who are you?"

"My name is Tom Lance. I live next door with my parents. I sleep with my window open at night, so I was able to hear Jenny screaming. I entered the house through the basement. That door had been knocked off its hinges. I went up the stairs yelling to Jenny the whole way I was coming, and when I reached the second floor, a man attacked me in the dark. We fell down the stairs together, and he must have been injured."

"He's dead," said the cop.

Tom nodded. "I was tangled up with him. My arm was trapped beneath him. Once I got free, I climbed the stairs again, and a second man met me at the top. He didn't fight me, though, he ran down the stairs and out the door. He drove off seconds later."

"Can you describe the second man?"

"No, they shut off the power at the breaker box. The whole house was dark," said Tom.

The officer harrumphed. "Wait outside. I'm going to talk to this other witness."

"Victim," Tom said, correcting the officer.

"Wait outside," the officer repeated.

"No!"

Jenny was panicked at the thought of Tom leaving her.

Tom reached for her. "I'm not leaving. I'm going downstairs to talk to the EMT. I won't leave you. It's going to be OK."

Jenny nodded through her tears.

When Tom made his way to the first floor, past the body and the EMTs, he saw his parents waiting outside.

"Tom!" Said his father. "What the hell is going on? The police say this is a crime scene!"

"It is, Dad," Tom said. "Somebody broke in and attacked Jenny."

"Is that man dead?"

"Yeah, Dad, I think he probably is. I'll fill you in later, OK. Just go home. I'll call you in a bit," said Tom.

Tom heard the EMTs estimate a time of death and call the county coroner. Finally, Officer Johnson came down the stairs and said, "The EMTs are with her now. She's shaken up, but I don't think she's seriously hurt. She's asking for you."

"Thank you," said Tom, and he climbed the stairs.

It took an hour for the body to be removed. Tom spent that hour holding Jenny while she shook and sobbed. Finally, Officer Johnson said, "We've finished. We'll be in contact with you later today if we have more questions."

"Thank you," was all Tom could muster.

When he heard the door close, he picked up Jenny's phone and called his parents. His father picked up.

"Dad, the police are done. I need to get some things from the house, and we should do something with the basement door to seal it," Tom said.

"Don't leave!" Cried Jenny.

"Hang on, Dad," said Tom.

"I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to have my Dad come over and sit with you while I get some clothes and other stuff, OK?" Tom was holding her by the shoulders as he spoke.

He picked up the phone again. "Dad, can you come over and sit with Jenny for a few minutes so I can grab some stuff from the house?"

"Of course. You want my.45?"

Jenny heard the offer and shouted, "No guns! No guns in my house! No!"

"OK, OK, got it. No guns," said Tom.

"I'll be right over, son," said John.

"Thanks, Dad."

When John Lance arrived, Jenny was still shaking. It took a moment for her to accept John as protector while Tom returned to the house, but she eventually acquiesced. Tom went to his room and collected a change of clothes, shoes, phone, and his beloved 32-inch Louisville Slugger baseball bat. It may not be as effective as his father's.45, but it would do in a pinch.

When he returned to Jenny's room, he found his father and Jenny sitting in silence. His father looked at him, and Tom may have detected a tear in his eyes.

"Thanks, Dad, I got it from here," said Tom.

John rose, and as he passed his son, he spotted the baseball bat. "Good choice," he said and walked home.

Tom took a step toward Jenny, and she sprung from the bed and hugged him. "I was so scared!"

He held her close, kissed the top of her head, and patted her back. "I know. It was really scary. But it's over. OK? You need sleep. You're exhausted. I will sit in this chair and watch out so nothing else happens, OK? I'll be here the whole night. I'm not moving. So climb into bed and try to rest. Can you do that?"

"Yes," she said quietly. She moved the covers and climbed into bed. When Tom moved to turn off the light, she shouted, "No! Please leave the light on!"

"OK," Tom said. "Good idea. The light stays on. And I stay right here."

She nodded, closed her eyes, cried for a bit, and finally fell asleep.

Chapter 4: Motive

When daybreak came, Tom finally switched off the light. Jenny woke a few minutes later, and she looked at him and smiled.

"Good morning," he said.

She smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. "You had me worried."

She moved to the far side of the queen-sized bed. "I'm so tired," she said. "You must be exhausted. Did you stay up all night for me?"

Tom shrugged. "Yeah, I was right here the whole night."

"Well," she said, "the sun is out now, so I'm less panicked. You need sleep, too. Come to bed with me. Sleep with me. I want you here."