Last night the
cops knocked on my door.
They were looking for a woman, and her cell phone had shown many traces near my house. I asked who she was, even though I spend most of my time looking in my monitor, working on a story and not out my windows.
She was about thirty. Though I did not recognize the name, I guessed who she was.
A little over a year ago a couple lived in the house next to mine. They looked late twenties, both tall, blonde and slim. They didn't do much of anything, kept to themselves as I do. But one morning, I ran into her on my way to work. It was February and their house was dark. It's hard to remember now, but their power was out. I remembered going to check their main breaker, and it was off. Being an electrician, I switched it on. Nothing happened.
That surprised me. It was cold, maybe in the teens fahrenheit. And if you don't have AC power, you don't have a working furnace. But if I were going to disconnect someone's power at the pole, I'd shit the main breaker off too, as it would take the load off, and make it safer when I pulled the fuse at the pole.
His car was gone by then, possibly repossessed. I got the idea they had a drug problem. But if they had no electricity, they had no heat, and Ohio winters without heat can kill people. I spent some time debating and asking people, but then I called for the police and asked for a wellness check. I felt bad doing it, and they glared at me every time they saw me afterward, but the lights went on. I felt better. Eventually, they moved out. After a few months, new neighbors moved in, nice people who pet my cat and try to take care of their house.
So though I didn't recognize the name, I'm pretty sure I know who they were looking for. I don't think they were coming to arrest her. I fear she's missing.
I hope they find her--- alive and safe. But I know what can happen, and it isn't pretty.