Chapter 15 - Tuesday - The Locksmith
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Tuesday afternoon, Garrett left for an “emergency family meeting” at his mother’s house. I knew exactly what that meant: they were finalizing the logistics of my birthday ambush.
The moment his taillights disappeared down the street, I made the call.
A van reading Apex Security Solutions pulled up to my building thirty minutes later. A burly man with a toolbelt walked into my apartment and immediately got to work.
I didn't just ask for a lock change; I asked for an upgrade. The standard deadbolts were ripped out and replaced with heavy-duty, commercial-grade smart locks. They required a biometric thumbprint and a dynamic, rotating passcode that updated on my phone every sixty seconds.
“Nobody is getting through these doors without a battering ram or your thumb, ma'am,” the locksmith grunted, sweeping up the wood shavings.
“Perfect. That’s exactly what I need.”
While he worked, I walked down to the building’s management office. I handed the concierge, a sweet older man named Henry, a crisp hundred-dollar bill.
“Henry, my husband and I are separating this week,” I said quietly. “As of Friday morning, he is no longer permitted up to my floor. And if his mother, Lorraine, or his sister, Tabitha, attempt to enter the lobby on Friday, I need you to deny them entry. Threaten trespassing if you have to.”
May you like
Henry pocketed the bill, his eyes widening slightly before he nodded in solidarity. “Consider it done, Mrs. Davis. They won't make it past the front desk.”
I walked back up to my fortress. The physical boundaries were set. Now, I just needed to prepare the emotional explosives.
