Simon was shouting from downstairs, so at least he wasn't close. When were the cops going to arrive?! Every second counted here.
"Is that the intruder?" asked Arnold. He could obviously hear the shouting from the phone.
"It is, yes."
"Who is Alicia? Is he looking for someone specific who lives in the house with you?"
I was in too much of a state right now to explain the whole story to this guy, so I just cut it real short.
"I'm Alicia. I changed my name to get away from him," I whispered into the phone.
"You know the intruder then?"
"Yes. He's a stalker I currently have a restraining order against. He has made repeated threats against me."
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" shouted Simon in a mocking tone. "I'm starting to get angry now, Alicia, and you know how I get when I'm angry. You know how... unhappy I can be when I'm angry."
Just then, the howling of police sirens pierced the air. Finally, they had arrived.
"You stupid little whore!" he roared. "Calling the cops, huh? Well, now I'm really unhappy, and you're going to pay dearly for this when I do find you!"
I heard heavy footsteps moving quickly down the stairs – it seemed he was fleeing.
"I think he's leaving," I said to Arnold.
"Just stay in the bathroom until the officers come into the house, alright?"
"Alright," I agreed.
After a few minutes, I heard the officers enter the house.
"This is the police!" one of them shouted. "We're coming in!"
I heard them moving around downstairs, and after a while, they came upstairs and into my room.
"Is there anyone in here?" shouted one of them. "Come out with your hands behind your head!"
"I'm in the bathroom!"
"Come out slowly, hands behind your head..."
Chapter Twenty-Four
Everett
The words Liza said to me cut through me, like a blade slicing straight into my heart. But at the same time, it made me realize something. Her words didn't cut because I still loved her, they cut because I felt sorry for her. She was confessing feelings for me that I could never reciprocate. I had expected to feel something for her still because I had loved her more than any woman...until now.
Now, I knew that whatever Liza said from that moment on, my heart already belonged to Vivienne. I could not and would not betray her trust. Being there with Liza made me see that I cared for Vivienne more deeply than I ever had or could for Liza.
"I... I'm sorry that you made that mistake," I said, being careful about how I framed my words. "But that's old history now. Water under the bridge, you know. Those days are gone, and it won't do either of us too good to dwell on 'em."
She nodded, smiling sadly.
"I know. It doesn't change the fact that you're the best guy I ever dated, though."
"Well, thank you, I guess."
"You don't have to say anything back to me. I know what I did to you was terrible. It was my fault that you and I didn't work out, and over the years I've come to terms with that, and I've accepted responsibility for what I did. I messed you around, Everett, I really did, and with my selfishness, I ruined what could have been something amazing. Which could have... could have been the best thing in my life."