Soft Place to Fall (Navy Book 4)

Chapter 1

Carmen exited the taxi while looking around her for an oncoming threat. The phone calls and letters were getting creepy. They left little doubt that she was being watched and that every one of her movements was being recorded. It was not something that she had ever expected to happen to her, and she wasn't sure what she should do about it.

All she wanted to do after the end of an exhausting day was lock herself in her apartment, curl up on the couch, and watch mindless T.V.. She was oblivious to the looks that she was getting from passerbys on the street as she closed the door to the taxi and walked towards her building. Her job as a model meant that she was always on display, so she had grown numb to people's stares a long time ago. Maybe that was part of the problem? It was hard to notice only one person staring when everyone was.

They had dressed her in a shimmering gold dress that blended with her hair and golden skin tone. It grabbed a person's attention, especially when they took a look at the entire package. She was a stunning woman and she knew it. She had been told that she was beautiful since she was a small girl, and while it proved useful in her career and in general, in certain aspects of her life it had been a curse.

Carmen nodded to the doorman as she passed and he wished her a goodnight. The elevator was waiting and she was able to get in and take it to the fifth floor to her apartment without slowing down. She could have upgraded to a better apartment long ago, she had the money, but she wasn't interested. She wouldn't know what to do with too much room. A one bedroom one bathroom apartment was more than adequate for her minor needs.

She stepped out of the elevator and hesitated because of what greeted her. Laying on the mat outside of her front door were a dozen red roses and a large white envelope. Her eyes darted around her as she looked for something out of the ordinary, but everything seemed as it should be.

She stepped over the flowers, ignoring them, as she entered her apartment and slammed the door behind her. How had someone gotten past the doorman below? She picked up her phone and dialed down to the doorman asking him if anyone had been by to see her during the day. He told her that it had been quiet and that no one had stopped by.

Carmen shuddered as she ended the call. He hadn't made it this far before. He had never been right on her doorstep. Suddenly, her phone rang and it made her jump. She answered it without looking at who was calling and when she heard her mother's voice on the other end she realized her mistake.

"You sound distracted baby, is everything alright?"

"Fine, Adriana."

"Are we still going to lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure." Carmen was pacing as her mind was trying to think of what do.

"Is that crazy person still sending you letters?" Adriana asked in a hushed whisper, almost as if she could be heard.

"It's nothing serious," Carmen denied, knowing it was very serious, but she wasn't going to let her mother know that. The woman craved drama and Carmen did her best to avoid it at all costs.

Carmen talked with her for a few more minutes before hanging up, but she didn't put her phone down immediately. There was one option she had, but she wasn't sure that the situation was serious enough to warrant it. She opened her door and looked down at the flowers, deciding to leave them where they were she reached down and picked up the envelope, closing her door behind her as quickly as she could.

With shaking hands, she walked over to the kitchen counter and opened the envelope. As she looked at the photos she felt sick. They were photos of her; inside her apartment, sleeping, eating, there was even one of her in the bathtub. If they were watching her then, they were watching her now. She did her best to keep her face neutral as she looked at the photos. What had they seen? She replayed her last few weeks in her head, thankfully she had been too tired to do more than bathe, eat, and sleep when she got home because she had been working so hard.

Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself and picked up her phone. Chances were if they were watching they were listening as well. She hated to ask for help. It went against the grain for her. She had been on her own since she was fifteen and she had never needed anyone, but she would be a fool if she tried to handle this situation on her own.

She found Laura Stevens's phone number in her phone, and forcing a smile to her lips because she knew that they were watching her, she opened a new text dialogue. She and Laura weren't the best of friends but they had a mutual respect for one another, hopefully enough that she would help her.

'Laura?'

She waited for a moment.

'Carmen?'

'I need a favor...I'm not sure how to go about this...'

She held her smile in place making it broader. Maybe if they thought she thought it was all a joke they would go away?

'?'

This time Carmen really did laugh at Laura's abruptness. She was always one to keep it short and simple.

'Is your sister's husband, the one we met in California a few years back, still friends with the guy who works for a security firm?'

'Kellan's friend, Josh? The Navy SEAL?'

'Yeah, he's based in San Diego, that's all I can remember.'

'That's him, what's up?'

Carmen took a deep breath. There was no going back. By sending this text she was making it serious.

'I've been getting these letters and I might need his help.'

'Are they threatening?'

'No...not really...but they are a little creepy.'

She was down playing just like she had with her mother. Hell yes they were threatening, they had been in her house, watching her.

'I'll get his information for you, give me a day or two.'

Carmen thanked her then deleted the text. She wasn't sure what made her do it but she didn't want a record of it. Being secretive was something she was very good at, she had learned from the master, her mother.