Chapter 9: A Threat

It was Gail. She was still wearing her shorts and had only added a light jacket. She was shivering. “Gail, you need more clothes!” I moved to her quickly and enveloped her in my arms. I had an old long coat in the barn and reached for it. I put it around her.

I continued to held her close. “What were you thinking? It’s cold. This barn isn’t heated.”

She had tears in her eyes. “I-I got scared. An email from Carl came to me. He was threatening me. He said he was coming after me.”

“He shouldn’t know where you are. However, this isn’t a safe place to invade. I’ll just put the signs back up. They should give him pause if he shows. It will be okay, Gail.” I have her a hug and kissed her forehead.

She shivered into my chest. ‘I’m sorry, Todd. I panicked. I just wanted you beside me. I trust you to watch over me.”

“Okay, Gail. Let’s go back inside and get you warm. I’ll look at the email. Then, there are a few things I will probably decide to do.”

We left the barn and I closed it up. Inside, we went to the radio room and I looked at the email Gail had received from Carl. It was threatening and showed my address that he claimed was given him by Jack, Amy’s guy, who had tried to include Gail in his “harem.”

I said, “Respond to him with this: ‘I am ready. I figure you are armed and will protect my home and those who live in it with the same deadly force that you threaten to use. Do not come here or make threats.’ Sign it with my name with your name as transcriber.” She did.

“Todd, the way he was sounding, that will only infuriate him. I am afraid he will come here.”

“Better we resolve this now than wait for him to surprise you some day. Stay inside. I have something to do and will return in a few minutes.”

I went out to the barn and put some signs in the back of my truck along with a sledge hammer. I hammered the signs beside the drive on both sides. The first two sets were yellow with red letters. The last set was red with yellow letters. I pulled the truck back into the barn and locked the doors. I went inside to my gun safe and removed a twelve gauge pump-action shotgun and a pistol. I loaded both and placed the pistol in a holster at my back. I carried the shotgun.

I went into the radio room and Gail’s eyes widened. “Todd, what are you going to do?”

“I have set warning signs along the drive. I may take my car and video the signs in place with the day, date, and time. Then, we’ll wait. From the tone of the email, I believe he will probably come and may have Jack with him. It won’t matter.”

“But, Todd.”

“I don’t react well to threats. He has threatened my home and a person living in my house and therefore under my protection. That can be dangerous and even fatal to the person making the threats. I will be prepared.”

However, I did call the police and reported a threat received via email. I told the person at the station that my property was posted extensively with signage prepared by my lawyer. I said that I lived on five acres with no close neighbors off a main road on property that was forested. I was told to call in the event of actual trouble. I said that I would but wanted the situation to be known ahead of time since I deemed the threat creditable.

It was almost two hours later when I heard a car turn in my driveway. I went out to the front with my cellphone followed by Gail. She looked and said, “That car is Carl’s parents’ car.”

“Okay.” I handed her my phone. “Call the police at this same number. Identify yourself and tell them that you live on the property and that I had called earlier. A car identified as known to relate to the person making the threats has entered the drive. We are requesting police to come.”

She made the call while I stood on the porch and waited. I leaned the shotgun against a wall just inside. The car stopped about thirty feet away. I brought my pistol up. I had met Carl once about a year and a half ago at a company party. He got out of the car. I noticed that there was someone in the passenger side, too.

I spoke loudly. “Carl, I read your threat. The police are coming and I am armed ready to repel a home invasion by you or anyone. The signs say for you to leave.”

He said, “I want to see Gail. We’re still married. I have a right to see my wife.”

I responded, “Wrong. I’ve seen the papers. You abandoned her and were personally served at your parents’ house. The divorce was finalized months ago. That chapter in your lives is over. You have no business here and are trespassing. Do not even think about coming closer. This is my home and I will defend it.”

That stopped him for a moment. Before he made a move, I could hear the sirens. I said, “That’s the police. I called them over your email to warn them and then when you pulled into my drive to come.” The siren quickly became loud and a police car pulled into the drive and stopped behind Carl’s car.

Two policemen came out of the car. One of them said, “Carl Edmunds, stand away from the car. You, on the porch, put the pistol to one side.” I moved immediately but slowly to place the pistol to one side holding it by the barrel. Carl wasn’t so smart. He ducked into his car and emerged with a pistol! “Mister Edmunds, put the pistol down. You are making a bad situation worse.”

Carl whipped around in response to the words. Both policemen drew their weapons and stood behind the doors of the patrol car. The other one said, “Mister Edmunds, put the gun down, now! Then, raise your hands!”