I will never forget the day that a hurried scribble on a delivery bag sent me racing to my backyard, leading to a discovery that could have saved my family from something terrifying. As a single mom, relying on food delivery has become a regular occurrence when I am too exhausted to cook for my children, Kai and Isla.
Over time, Ravi, our regular delivery guy, had become more than just a familiar face. He was a friend to my children, sharing high-fives with them before heading off. But last Tuesday, something felt off. Ravi arrived looking unusually tense and handed me our food without a word before quickly hurrying back to his car.
My children, Kai and Isla, noticed his strange behavior and asked me about it as they peered out the window. I tried to brush it off, thinking he was just in a rush. But as I set the food on the kitchen counter, I noticed something scribbled on the back of the delivery bag. The shaky handwriting immediately caught my attention, and as I read the message, dinner was the last thing on my mind.
The note from Ravi said, “CHECK YOUR TRASH CAN.” My heart raced as I tried to remain calm for my kids. I suggested they wash up while I checked something outside. As soon as they were gone, I dashed to the backyard, Ravi’s message echoing in my mind. I approached the trash cans, my hands trembling as I lifted the lid of the first one. Nothing out of the ordinary, just our usual garbage. But when I opened the second can, I froze. Inside, wrapped in an old blanket, was a collection of gloves, a few small tools, and an unlabeled bottle filled with a mysterious liquid. Panic surged through me.
My daughter, Isla, noticed my unease and asked me if I was okay. I quickly shut the lid and turned to her with a forced smile, reassuring her that everything was fine and sending her back inside to finish dinner. As soon as she was out of sight, I called the sheriff’s office.
When I spoke to Leona, she immediately told me not to touch anything and that she was on her way. She also advised me to stay inside with my kids until she arrived. I couldn’t shake the fear that our neighborhood had recently experienced a series of break-ins with eerily similar methods. It was a chilling thought that my house could be next on the list.
As I waited for Leona to arrive, my mind raced with worry. I couldn’t help but think about my kids’ safety and what might have happened if Ravi hadn’t left that note. When Leona finally arrived, she listened carefully as I described everything. She told me that I had done the right thing by calling her and that she would take a look at what I found and get it analyzed. In the meantime, she strongly recommended that I increase our security and assured me that they would patrol the area all night.