Page 85 of The Intruder

I yank open the door, and my shoulders sag at the sight of Rudy’s lanky frame. It’s not the police after all—it’s just my landlord. He’s standing in the doorway, wearing a rain jacket, his worn baseball cap pulled down low enough that I can barely see his eyes.

What is he doing here?

“Hi, Casey,” Rudy says in his raspy voice. “Can I come in?”

I take a step back, my entire body on high alert. I’m not sure how I feel about surprise visitors, especially when I just left a dead body for the police to find. And my last interaction with Rudy was tense, to say the least. He might be looking for some payback.

Then again, he’s my landlord, and I’ve got a roof that needs fixing. So I step aside to let him in.

As Rudy enters the cabin, I observe the limp he’s got on the left. He mentioned having a bad knee once. If he tries anything again, I’ll go straight for that left knee. Cut him down before it even starts.

“So,” he says, “how did you hold up in that storm?”

“That’s what you came here to ask?”

His gaze rests on the phone sitting on the end table in my living room. “I had to come over. Your phone is still out.”

That is true. I still have no way to contact the outside world, and Rudy knows it. I can’t help but squirm.

“Looks like the roof held up,” he notes.

“No thanks to you.”

He scratches at his ear, a hangdog expression on his face. “Casey, I’m sorry. I was just flirting like I used to when I was young, and I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I deserved what you did to me.”

That’s the last thing I expected him to say. I wonder if he came to it on his own or if someone else set him straight. “I accept your apology.”

“Honest to God,” he says, “I was worried sick about you all night long. I should have insisted you stay at a hotel from the start.”

I study his features. He seems like he means it—he really was worried. I allow my body to relax, although it’s hard. I’m going to be tense for a long time to come.

“Well, I made it through,” I say. “You were right—the roof held up.”

Rudy’s face breaks into a yellow-toothed grin. Not one of his teeth is in proper alignment, yet it’s an oddly endearing smile when he’s not checking me out. “I’ll come fix it tomorrow. Don’t want you to get endangered by any other storms. And I’ll call someone to take care of that tree too.”

“Actually, Lee said he wants to fix the roof.” Although I wonder if he’ll have time now that he’ll be assuming sole responsibility for his niece.

He throws back his head and laughs. “Boy, he’s sure sweet on you. Why didn’t you just live together in the first place? I know you want your own space and all, but it would have saved you some money.”

I shake my head. “Lee and I are not a couple. I barely know him. He was just being nice.”

“What are you talking about, Casey?” Rudy’s laughter has been punctuated with a rattling cough. I’m so glad I never started smoking. “He knew all about you when he moved in.”

What?

“What do you mean?” I say slowly.

“He was asking me questions about you. By name. I remember he said, ‘The woman in the other cabin, Elizabeth Casey.’”

My stomach sinks. That’s not what I wanted to hear. How did Lee know about me before he moved in? And why did he refer to me as Elizabeth Casey when that’s no longer my legal name? I always suspected something wasn’t quite kosher about his interest in me, but he’s won so many points with me today, I convinced myself I was being silly.

“What did he ask?” I croak.

“Can’t say I remember most of it,” Rudy replies. “But I do remember one thing. He asked me if you were here all alone.”

Oh my God.

“So anyway,” he continues, “if Lee is going to be fixing your roof, then—”