After Creed told me on the drive home that the right wing extremists would soon be brought to justice, I was overjoyed but didn't realize it would be so short-lived.
The minute we turned into our neighbourhood we saw protestors being rounded up by police, handcuffed and put into prisoner transport vehicles.
They were the same right-wing vigilantes that had infiltrated our neighbourhood weeks before and they were now being arrested in large numbers.
"This is scary," Creed whispered as we slowly navigated the streets before parking in our driveway.
"Are you okay?" I asked, noticing that she was trembling and pale.
"I'll be okay," she said in a hushed tone, as if afraid to speak her fears aloud.
"Are you having flashbacks to the night you came to my door?"
She nodded. "I was terrified that night but I had seen you once or twice when you went out jogging and figured you to be a decent, normal guy."
"Guess, I didn't disappoint you, " I grinned.
She lay her head on my shoulder and whispered, "No, you made me feel safe. I need you to just hold me for a minute."
We sat in my SUV in the gathering dusk as the remnants of the vigilantes were rounded up. We didn't speak, just watched as the police did their job.
I was just about to suggest we go in when there was a soft tap at the window―it was Nora Walker, from the neighbourhood watch group.
I hit the electric window button and it rolled down.
"Just letting you both know our neighbourhood watch group is alive and functioning. We spotted the vigilantes marching this way and we were as surprised as them when the swat teams showed up."
"Sounds like a quick police response, " I smiled.
"That phone number Creed gave me was a direct line to Wren Thomas and all I can say is you must have pull with police―they were here before the vigilantes could muster their protest and they all were charged with nuisance and creating a disturbance."
"I guess our neighbourhood is well served by you and out fellow residents," Creed laughed.
After Nora left, Creed turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eye. "She thinks I have pull with the police―I'm thinking you made a good impression on Wren for her to respond so quickly."
"She's your friend," I parried defensively.
"She arched an eyebrow. "You see how we don't get along. She's more a rival or frenemy. She acts sweet but she'd backstab me and take you from me in a heartbeat. Just saying..."
I nodded. There was no use disputing her side of things, besides if she knew how Creed flirted with me...
Yeah, I didn't want to go there.
We were both tired, so we ordered in Chinese food and drank wine before the fire.
Happy, our retriever pup, was overjoyed to see us and did all his cute tricks to impress, even diving onto Creed's lap.
But now, warm and fed and fussed over, he was fast asleep with us.
It was blissfully peaceful in our den with a spring rain ticking at the window and the three of us curled up on the couch.
So far, the rule of law prevailed. I hoped the extremists wouldn't try to push back harder.
