Rick was holding Lynn again as her tears gradually slowed and she pulled herself together. His jaw was tight as he thought about what could have happened.
Sher saw the red flashing lights of the patrol car as it pulled into the parking spot in front of Lynn’s condo. She got up and let them in.
Rick greeted the first officer then pointed in the direction of the hallway. “I want that knife in the hallway bagged, and I want to know how the intruder got inside.” A detective also arrived, and Rick relayed what little he knew so far.
Sher knew what came next. The detective would interview her and Lynn. She wasn’t worried about falling apart in front of the detective—it was in the aftermath of these crises that she usually buckled. She told herself to hold it together just a little longer. She prayed that Lynn could do the same.
“Lynn, this is Detective Jones. He needs you to tell him everything from the beginning,” Rick said, sitting next to her.
Lynn cleared her throat then began. “I was sound asleep when a hand came over my mouth, and a voice told me not to scream. He told me to get up. I saw a knife in his hands and thought he was going to kill me. I guess I didn’t get up fast enough because he grabbed me and pulled me out of bed. That’s when I screamed, but he covered my mouth again and told me to shut up.”
Lynn stopped as she shuddered. Sher knew it was hell for Lynn as she repeated the incidents of earlier, but Lynn was strong and so she continued telling more of her horrible experience.
“He then told me to walk. He said he was taking me downtown, and I’d better cooperate with his boss or I wouldn’t live much longer. As he walked me down the hall, he held a knife to my back. I could feel the point of the knife,” Lynn said as her voice cracked. “I don’t remember much after that, until you got here, Rick.”
Detective Jones asked, “Can you describe him?”
“No, I know he was dressed all in black and had a ski mask on. He was a little taller than I am, but not by much,” Lynn answered.
“You did well, sweetheart,” Rick said and kissed her temple.
The first officer approached them. “The intruder pulled the bench from the patio and used it to climb up and break in through the sliding glass doors. There looks like a struggle went on in the master bedroom.” The detective nodded then looked toward Sher, who knew it was now her turn. How she wished Glen was here with her.
“Can I get your name for the record, Miss?” Detective Jones asked.
“My name is Sher Mason. I’m staying here with Lynn for the week so we can finish the preparations for our weddings.” “Is that gun on the coffee table yours?” he asked.
She looked down and saw the gun still lying where she dropped it. “Yes, it is. After everything that has happened lately, to me and the ones I care about, I insisted on getting a gun. My fiancé, Glen Sanders, who is with the Denver Police Department, taught me how to use it. I was hoping I never would need it, but I just feel safer with it on the nightstand at night,” she answered.
“Please tell us your version of what happened here this morning,” the detective said.
“I woke up feeling something wasn’t right. Then I heard a muffled scream and something breaking a few moments later. I got out of bed and grabbed my gun before looking out into the hallway. I saw someone holding a knife to Lynn’s back. I heard him tell her to keep walking or he’d kill her. That’s when I walked up behind him and placed my gun up to his head and told him to drop the knife. He did, and then he ran out the front door—”Sher stopped abruptly and her eyes grew wide. “Wait a minute! He didn’t take the time to unlock the door. I know we locked it after Rick dropped us off from dinner. Did he unlock it before going to Lynn’s bedroom?”
“Check the door for fingerprints,” Rick told an officer who stood off to the side of the room.
“He wore gloves,” Lynn said.
“Yes, he wore gloves, but as he held a knife to Lynn’s back, I noticed he had a tattoo on the back of his left wrist. It looked like a dagger that pointed up his forearm with something entwined around it. I couldn’t make out if it was leaves, or flowers, or something else,” Sher added, the memory of that night starting to return more clearly to her.
“Good observation. Is there anything else you could tell us about the intruder?” Detective Jones encouraged.
She was on a roll. “He didn’t have an accent, and he was very thin. I doubt he weighed more than a hundred fifty pounds. He wasn’t very tall, just a little taller than Lynn and me.”
“Miss Rayne was very lucky you were here and that you woke up in time,” Detective Jones said. “I guess that’s all for now. If either of you think of anything else, please let me know. Officer David knows how to contact me.” After the officers and the detective went out the door, Sher locked up then leaned her back against the door, catching her breath. Rick came up and hugged her tightly.
“Sher, if you weren’t here, I’d hate to think what would’ve happened. I will forever be grateful for you and the strength it took for you to put that gun to the man’s head,” Rick said in her ear as he held her tightly.
“Rick, did you call Glen?” Sher asked.
“No, but I will now, or do you want to call him?”
“No, I think I need to sit with Lynn for a little while. This is supposed to be such a happy time for all of us, and look what happened,” Sher said. “Could you please call him for me and let him know we will be fine?”
Rick touched Sher’s arm, assuring her he would make the call.
Sher sat down next to Lynn, and the two women held hands. They were so close in their friendship that neither one needed to talk—they only needed the comfort of each other’s presence. As they sat together, Sher’s stomach got those familiar pains…and she knew there was more to come.