CHAPT 13 : Security?

Lynda sighed as she glanced at the small shopping list in her hand. It was nothing much—just some essentials she had run out of. After a long day at work, the grocery store was her last stop before heading home. The aisles were quiet, the faint hum of background music filling the space as she moved between shelves, picking up a carton of milk, some bread, and a few other necessities.

As she turned the corner toward the produce section, a familiar figure caught her attention. Isaac.

He was standing near the snack aisle, casually inspecting a bag of chips while talking to another man Lynda didn’t recognize. The stranger was slightly taller than Isaac, with sharp features and an air of nonchalance. He had a relaxed posture, but there was something unreadable in his expression.

Lynda hesitated for a second before Isaac noticed her. His lips curled into a slight smirk as he lifted a hand in greeting. “Well, look who it is.”

She walked over, offering a polite nod. “Didn’t expect to run into you here.”

Isaac chuckled. “Small town. You can’t really avoid people, even if you try.” He then gestured to the man beside him. “This is Lucas.”

Lucas gave her a brief once-over before nodding. “Hey.”

Lynda returned the greeting with a polite smile, though she couldn’t shake the odd feeling in her gut. There was something about Lucas that put her on edge—not in a threatening way, but in a way that made her instincts sharpen.

“What brings you here?” she asked, shifting her attention back to Isaac.

He shrugged. “Just grabbing a few things. And talking about something that might interest you.”

Lynda arched a brow. “Oh?”

Isaac exchanged a glance with Lucas before looking back at her. “I was thinking—maybe you should get some security for your place.”

She blinked. “Security?”

“You know, like a hidden camera or an emergency alarm. Just in case,” he said casually, but there was an undertone to his words that made Lynda pause.

She folded her arms. “Why would I need that?”

Isaac exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Call it a precaution. You live alone, and given the… history of that house, I just think it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra layer of protection.”

Lucas, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “You should listen to him.”

Lynda glanced at him. His tone was neutral, but there was an edge of certainty behind it. She didn’t like the way they were talking—as if they knew something she didn’t.

“I appreciate the concern,” she said carefully, “but I think I’ll be fine.”

Isaac studied her for a moment, then sighed. “At least think about it.”

Lynda nodded, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Alright. I’ll think about it.”

Isaac seemed like he wanted to say more, but instead, he simply nodded. “Good.”

Lucas gave her a last, unreadable look before turning back to the shelves. “See you around, Lynda.”

She watched as they walked off, a strange unease settling in her chest. Something wasn’t right. The way they spoke, the way Isaac insisted on security—it felt like they knew something she didn’t.

As she turned back to her own shopping, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as safe as she thought.

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Later that evening, as Lynda placed her grocery bags on the kitchen counter, a knock at the door startled her. She hesitated for a second before walking over and peering through the peephole.

Isaac.

She exhaled, unlocking the door. “What are you doing here?”

He held up a small bag. “Making sure you actually consider what I said.”

Lynda stepped aside, letting him in. He placed the bag on the table and started pulling out the items—an emergency alarm, a small but effective hidden camera, and a motion sensor for her front door.

“I got these for you,” he said simply. “You don’t have to use them, but I think you should.”

Lynda stared at the items before looking back at him. “You really think this is necessary?”

Isaac met her gaze, his expression serious. “Yeah. I do.”

There was something in his tone that made her stomach tighten. A quiet urgency, a silent warning.

She let out a slow breath. “Alright. Show me how they work.”

A small smirk ghosted across his lips as he picked up the hidden camera. “Gladly.”

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