By the time Erik reached Christine's apartment again, the police had just arrived and were entering the building. He gave them a minute before getting out and rushing inside, up to Christine's apartment. When he arrived at her door, it was shut, so he knocked twice, desperately reigning in his desire to fling the door open and rush to her. An officer opened the door, did a double take at Erik's mask, but quickly masked his surprise and went back into work mode.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm Erik Destler, I'm here to see Christine."
The officer turned towards the living room and called out to his beloved.
"Ms. Daae, do you know an Erik Destler?"
"Yes, he's my…my boyfriend. Let him in, please." her voice returned softly from the distance.
He felt faint at her proclamation. She called him her boyfriend. Boyfriend. It sounded so comical, for he was hardly a boy, yet…the implication of that term meant everything to him. That Christine saw him in that close, intimate way now made him want to run down the busy street outside, screaming with joy.
The officer stepped aside, and Erik passed into the apartment. He saw Christine standing near the sofa, next to another officer who was recording her statement.
Erik quickly swept her up in a tight embrace and cooed gently into her ear.
"I'm here, love. You're ok."
Christine pulled away and turned back to the officer.
"Sorry, where was I?"
"You had finished checking your bedroom…" he recalled.
"Right, so I came back in here and looked around again. Nothing looked moved or stolen, so I thought I was just going crazy. But when I went to leave, I saw my stepladder sitting out against the counter. I don't use it much; it's always put away next to the fridge, in that gap between the wall. Someone got it out after I left."
The officer finished writing her statement and looked around the room, while his partner was doing a more thorough search.
"Does your apartment, or building have security cameras we could check?"
"I don't in here, and I don't think the building does either. It's rather old, and the owners have never told me of having cameras installed."
Erik knew there were no cameras; it was something he checked out before ever installing his own in Christine's place.
"Well, we can check for finger prints and ask your neighbors if they witnessed anyone coming in or going who don't live here, but that's a long shot. I'm sure most of the residents have visitors daily. Without actual evidence, I'm afraid there's not a lot we can do."
"I see, I understand." said Christine in disappointment.
"We recommend purchasing some security cameras for your own apartment, assuming it's okay with your landlord, so in the future you would have it to go off of." said the officer.
His partner came to stand behind Erik.
"I've got the prints taken from all the doors and stepladder."
"You took them?" asked Erik, "Your criminal investigation team is supposed to take care of that."
"I'm part of that team, sir. I came with Officer Redig for that purpose."
Erik nodded, knowing there would be no prints; both he and Samuel wore gloves.
"If you don't feel safe staying here while we check for prints, is there somewhere you can go?" Officer Redig asked Christine.
Christine looked down, "Well…Meg from work might let me crash for a night."
"What about your boyfriend here?" suggested the other officer.
Erik's brain was in overdrive; he nearly felt faint from all the emotions he was going through. Fear at being caught, happiness being near Christine, and now…excitement. The thought of having her in his home for even just a couple days was causing pure want and desire to course through him.
"Darling, don't bother Meg. Please, stay with me if you're feeling unsafe here."
Christine bit her lip.
"I don't want to impose."
"My home is your home." he said firmly, "And it's so big and empty, you would hardly be imposing. You never could."
She smiled, "If you're sure. I'm supposed to be quarantining after work every day; I don't want to expose you to Covid unintentionally."
"My love, I'm not worried at all. I would be honored to have you stay with me."
"And Nadir won't mind either? Everyone has different views on this virus. If he's worried about catching it, I don't want to…"
Erik briefly forgot about him.
"Of course not. As long as you're safe and comfortable, he'll be fine."
She nodded, "Ok. I'll be staying with Erik."
Officer Redig nodded, "We'll contact you with the results of the print dusting. You could also have the landlord install new locks, since it looks like yours was easily picked. A lot of newer residential buildings are going to a scan system."
"Kind of like a hotel?" asked Christine.
"Yes. Much harder to break into."
"I'll suggest it. Thank you for coming." said Christine, shaking both of their hands.
After she showed them out, she returned to the living room, rubbing the redness from her eyes. Erik embraced her once again.
"My darling, I'm so sorry. You look so tired."
"I think my heart rate is slowly returning to normal." she said.
"But you're still afraid, and I don't like that. Let me help you pack a bag; we'll go home…I mean, to my place right now and you can sleep."
He was relieved that Christine didn't comment on his little blunder, referring to his home as theirs. In his mind, it was her home; everything he had was now 'theirs', but he didn't think Christine saw it that way yet.
"Ok. I talked to the hospital and told them I'm taking the day off."
"Good." he said, following her to the bedroom. She pulled out a large duffel bag from her closet and tossed in two sets of clothes plus extra scrubs.
"Erik, could you please get my shampoo, soap, and razor from the bathroom?
"Of course, love."
When Erik stepped inside her bathroom, he could tell she'd showered that morning before work; the dampness and scent of her soap were still in the air. He took the deepest breath that he could before reaching into the shower to grab her toiletries. He also grabbed her toothbrush on his way out.
He handed them over to Christine who tossed them into the bag with her clothes. She then added her phone charger, a book, her hair brush, makeup, and lotion.
"Ok, I guess that's it." she said, zipping up the bag.
Erik reached for it and pulled the strap over his shoulder.
"I can carry it…" she began to protest.
"So can I, darling. Let me."
He took her hand and they walked back into the living room.
"Anything out here?"
"No…not that I can't do without for a couple days."
As they approached the door, she grabbed her work ID, which she'd dropped earlier.
"All because of you…" she mumbled at the badge, before stuffing it in her purse, "To think if I hadn't of helped Mrs. Devon…I could've come home sooner when the burglar was still here. I could've walked in on them…. Or if I hadn't of forgotten it in the first place…I could've come home tonight to find the door had been open all day…and my things could've been gone."
Erik kissed their joined hands.
"No sense in dwelling on the possibilities, angel. Focus on the reality. You're safe, nothing was taken, and until you feel safe again, my home is yours."
"Thank you, Erik, that's so kind of you."
She locked her door once again and the pair headed down to Erik's car. After loading her back in the backseat, Erik got into the driver's seat while Christine was applying her seat belt.
"You know, Erik, I'm thinking that officer was right."
"How so, my dear?" he asked, starting the car and backing out.
"It would be a good idea to have some kind of security where I could have proof of something like this."
His mind wandered down the path he was sure that hers was heading.
"Really?"
"Yes, and since you own your own cameras, that prompts me to ask you something."
He felt beads of sweat begin to form up in his hairline.
"Go ahead, love."
"How much do your cameras cost, and could you install one?"