CHAPTER 16.

  “I think it's important that I let AnniBerry know I might be going on a long trip, so I think it's best we embark on the journey tomorrow,” Marchen said to Carl as he drove. His mind never stopped thinking about AnniBerry and everything she might be doing at home. He wondered if she had eaten at all or if she had done anything meaningful besides searching for Merrilyn and her family. A faint smile appeared on his lips, but the thought of someone wanting to kill her quickly wiped it away. He frowned. He didn't know when it had started, but he knew there was no way he would let anyone hurt her. He couldn't believe that he had once told Linx he would eliminate her.

 “Carl,” Marchen called, “call Linx.”

  “On it,” Carl replied, picking up his phone.

 A few moments later, he ended the call without saying a word, and Marchen immediately understood. Linx was still unreachable. He inhaled sharply.

 .....

  AnniBerry woke up from her nap. She was feeling a little under the weather and had needed the rest. Her thoughts drifted back to Merrilyn. The idea of being hunted because of something Merrilyn had done still made no sense to her. She wished she could meet the people looking for her so she could talk to them and perhaps make amends for whatever had been damaged. She decided to get herself a glass of water before finally setting out, hoping to leave before Marchen returned.As she stepped into the kitchen, she looked around.

 “Doesn't he eat?” she wondered.

  She poured herself a glass of water when she suddenly heard the front door handle creak, as though someone was trying to open the locked door.

 “Is he back already?” she asked herself in shock.

 She set the glass down and hurried into the sitting room. Looking through the window, she realized Marchen's car wasn't parked outside. She frowned.

 “I could have sworn someone was trying to open the door.”

  She quickly shut all the windows, remembering that she might not have imagined it, especially after the attack at her own home. She went into her bedroom to pick up her phone, but the moment she stepped inside, she froze. Her bedroom window was wide open.

 “Wait...” she whispered, startled. “I never opened this window.”

  She looked around and noticed sand beneath the window, as though someone had climbed in wearing shoes.

  Without thinking, AnniBerry dashed out of the room in fear. She rushed to the front door, flung it open, and found Marchen and Carl standing there, just about to knock.

  “Marchen!” she called in fear, her eyes wide with terror and her breathing heavy.

  Marchen looked at her worriedly. “What is it?” he asked hurriedly.

  “Marchen...” AnniBerry called again, her voice trembling. “There is someone in the house.”

 Marchen glanced into the house before turning to Carl. Without saying a word, Carl opened his jacket, slipped his hand inside the right side, and headed toward the entrance.

  “My room! My room!” AnniBerry shouted.

  Carl looked back at Marchen.

“The door on the left,” Marchen instructed.

  Carl nodded and quickly disappeared down the hallway.

 “Calm down,” Marchen said, gently patting AnniBerry on the shoulder. “Did you actually see someone, or did you just sense that someone was there?”

  “Yes,” she replied, her voice still shaking. “I went to get a glass of water, and while I was in the kitchen, I thought I heard the door handle creak. I checked, thinking it was you, but no one was there. I decided to get my phone, and when I entered my room, I saw the window wide open. There was sand on the floor beneath it, like someone had climbed in through the window.”

  Still visibly terrified, she clung to Marchen as he walked toward her room.

  “Carl,” Marchen called, “did you find anything?”

  “Nothing. It's all clear,” Carl replied.

  Marchen stepped into AnniBerry's room. The window was now closed, and the sand she had described was gone. There was no sign that anyone had broken in. He looked at Carl. Carl gave a slight nod and rushed outside.

  "AnniBerry... AnniBerry, look at me," Marchen said to the terrified woman. "Are you sure you heard and saw something?" he asked calmly.

  AnniBerry turned to look into Marchen's eyes, fear still evident in her own. "I cannot make that up," she began, her voice trembling. "I never open the window. The air conditioning has always been enough. It never even occurred to me to open it. But it was open, Marchen, and I saw sand on the floor that looked like it came from someone's shoes. Please believe me, Marchen," AnniBerry cried fearfully. Marchen held both of her hands. "I believe you, Anni, but you also need to get more rest," he said, trying to comfort her. The door suddenly opened. Marchen looked back to see Linx walk in with Carl. He turned to AnniBerry.

 "Can you please go to your room?" he asked calmly.

  AnniBerry shook her head vigorously, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No... no, I can't go. Someone is in there," she said fearfully.

  "Listen, AnniBerry, you have to pull yourself together. I'm home now, and no one dares come into my house, especially when I'm here. Now go," he said firmly. AnniBerry slowly got to her feet and walked toward her room, glancing back at Marchen one last time before opening the door and stepping inside.

  Marchen walked over to Linx and Carl, his face hard with annoyance.

  "Where the hell have you been, Linx? I've been fucking calling you all day," Marchen snapped.

  "So sorry, Mar. Veronica called. She had a job for me," Linx replied.

  Marchen sat down on the sofa, and both men joined him. His eyes were red with anger. "I believe her," Marchen said. "Veronica was here this morning. She said the boss sent her to check on me. She asked what was locked inside the room AnniBerry was in, and I told her I was just keeping my supplies safely in there."

  "And you think she sent someone to spy on you?" Linx asked.

 "I believe so," Marchen replied.

  Carl looked at Marchen with a stern expression. Marchen looked right back at him.

 "Say it," Marchen ordered, his voice hard.

  "Don't you think she might be safer with Father?" Carl suggested.

 The moment Linx heard that, his expression changed. He looked confused.

 "Does Father know about her?" Linx asked.

 Marchen rubbed his forehead and massaged his temples.

 "Yeah..." Marchen replied, as though he was reluctant to answer Linx. "I had to tell Father. He's the only one I can trust."

  Linx's eyes widened. He turned to look at both men.

  "Are you being serious right now, Mar?" Linx asked in surprise. "You're trusting Father? Wasn't Father among the people who tried..." Linx lowered his voice, "...who tried to kill Mr. Palms? And you're saying you trust him?"

 Marchen turned his head toward AnniBerry's room before looking back at Linx.

 "He regrets it," Marchen said in a low tone. "And I know he's willing to make things right."

  Linx stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't believe what Marchen had just said.

  "He regrets it?" Linx repeated. "But he still gets paid hundreds of dollars every month," Linx said. Marchen looked toward AnniBerry's room again before turning to the two men.

 "We cannot have this conversation here," he said, keeping his voice low. "Let's talk about this elsewhere."

Carl stood up. "I'll let you know," he said.

 Marchen gave a slight nod, and Carl walked out of the house.

 Marchen and Linx looked at each other in silence. Linx got up, ready to leave.

 "Wait," Marchen stopped him.

"Linx," Marchen began, "Carl found Mars, and I need to make sure AnniBerry is safe before I go in search of him."

 Linx scoffed. "Mar, you've been working for those people longer than I have. Find a better way to protect your girl."

With that, Linx walked out of Marchen's house.

 Marchen stood there, speechless.

 "What does he mean, my girl?" he wondered. He scoffed at the thought.

Marchen stepped outside and walked around the house, hoping to find a clue. He wondered who had dared to come to his house and what the person wanted. He frowned in anger.

 "I'll kill anyone who dares come close," he muttered.

 He went back into the house and headed toward AnniBerry's room. Gently, he opened the door and found her fast asleep on the floor. He wondered why she wasn't on the bed. A faint smile crossed his face as he moved to lift her onto it, but then he noticed that she was sweating profusely.

 He glanced at the air conditioner. It was working perfectly.

 He bent down to pick her up when she suddenly let out a loud scream.

 "Dadddddddd! Mummmmmm!"