Afraid in the Dark (Stalker Series Book One)

by Rita Hestand

  "We're pushing it for time." She declared, "but maybe a quick one…" she murmured breathlessly unable to satiate the hunger between them.

  He carried her back to the couch, kissing her all the way. Laying her down, he covered her with his body, and entered her immediately. She moaned, "No matter how many times you take me…. every time is like a rapture. You are a magnificent lover. So, good…" her voice drifted off as their passion swept them away to another world.

  He smiled. They made love for another half hour, not bothering to hurry. What thrilled him was that she was as into sex as he was. She was always ready for him.

  But it was nearly dawn and almost as soon as they climaxed, they were dressed and he slipped out with a promise for more later. She smiled, "Can't wait."

  Then he was gone again. She sighed, straightened her clothes, combed her hair which was in a disarray and dabbed more lipstick on, she looked into the mirror and smiled, then locked the door and went home. It was her day off and she'd sleep most of it away, dreaming of the day when they could put all of this behind them and boldly proclaim their love for each other.

  It wouldn't be long now, they'd have everything they wanted, Norma would have the baby she craved and they'd be laying on the beaches of the Bahamas drink margaritas and making love.

  She smiled. It was a perfect crime….

  Chapter Twenty

  Deciding she had better check with the police while she was off work, Melanie went to the closest precinct. It wasn't the one in her neighborhood but she liked it that way. If anyone was watching they'd wonder why here.

  There were a lot of policemen going in and out of the building. She asked one of them who she might talk to and the officer directed her to a Sargent at a big desk.

  "Can I help you?" the big black officer asked her. He was a large man with a friendly face. His bald head shined like a new penny, and his brown eyes danced when he spoke. He seemed to study her quickly.

  "Could I talk to you for a moment?" She asked.

  "Sure, have a seat." He told her and motioned to the chair in front of his desk.

  After shuffling some paperwork, he looked at her. "Now, how can I help you?"

  She didn't know how to begin. "I live at the Beachcomber Apartments and work at Mercy General, I'm a nurse, my name is Melanie George."

  He wrote the information down on a pad. Then his gaze took her in and something stirred in his expression.

  "Alright, what can I do for you, Miss George?"

  "A few weeks ago, someone locked me in my apartment bathroom."

  He stopped what he was doing and looked at her strangely. "From the outside." His expression held disbelief.

  "Yes. They sawed the knob off and I couldn't get out. But the door was locked, with a key, the maintenance man said."

  "Did you report this?"

  "He did. They came out, but I haven't talked to them since. I have a rather hectic schedule at the hospital and I was wondering if they found out anything. They took print samples or whatever it is they do. But I haven't heard back from them so I wanted to follow up on their progress."

  He stood up, shuffled his feet the stopped and stared down at her.

  "I'll check it out and see." He told her. "Do you have any idea who it was that locked you inside?"

  "No, I'm being stalked though."

  His mouth hung open.

  He frowned, then pushed the pad to her on his desk, "Write down you correct address and name."

  She did so.

  He nodded and took the paper with him.

  "I'll be back in a minute or two." He told her.

  She nodded.

  It was more like fifteen but he finally came back and sat down at the desk. He glanced at her, seeing she was a bit nervous. "I have the report here. I printed it out for us. Let me look at it for a minute."

  She nodded.

  He read it thoroughly, going over a few points here and there. Then he closed the file and looked at her.

  "They didn't get a print. Says here they suspect gloves were used. Latex gloves, as it had powder residue, but not a clear print."

  "I see." Her shoulders slumped.

  "Do you have any idea who might have done it?"

  "No sir, not a clue. But there is more."

  "Go on." He encouraged.

  "Someone is following me. In a big black Cadillac. I've caught them twice now, once when I walked home from work and once in my apartment building parking lot." She told him.

  He stared for a moment, as though considering what she just said. "Same car, both times?"

  "Yes. The last time was today when I left my apartment to go furniture shopping." She told him.

  "Did you get a license plate number?" He asked.

  "No, it had one of those dealer plates on it." She informed him.

  "Was it a new car?"

  "No, and old one."

  "A used car. And black you say?" He asked writing down a few notes. "Cadillac."

  "Yes, and the windows were darkly tinted, I couldn't see if it was a man or a woman."

  "Dark tinted windows. Okay, that gives me a little to go on. I can check the used lots and see who has purchased a used Cadillac lately. Or rented one either."

  Melanie perked up. "Do you think we could trace them from that?"

  "Maybe. But, they will be wise to your movements and probably change cars, and they probably didn't even use the correct name when they bought it."

  "Oh, then we are right back where we started from, huh?"

  "No, people who go to that much trouble usually leave a line of trails behind them and sooner or later we catch them. We just must recognize those trails. Now, comes the hard part. I'm going to need a list of all contacts you have. Friends, old boyfriends, new boyfriends, girlfriends. Bosses, anyone you've had an argument with lately. Even family."

  "Do you think it could be a woman?"

  "Maybe. Women sometime can be very vengeful. Have you made any enemies lately? Made anyone jealous?"

  "Not that I know of. Even the boyfriend I broke up with before I went to work wasn't angry with me, I guess he could still be a suspect."

  "We'll need to contact him for sure. Some time they don't let you know they are angry. Sometimes the anger builds later and they become obsessed with it. So, he could be a contender."

  "Oh!" She was shocked. Could Brad have been that angry with her? She mused that in her head for a moment. He did have a bad temper. Would he really bother hanging around here when he had a job in Chicago? She told the officer about that and he stared.

  "What?" She asked him when he looked a bit miffed.

  "Are you even sure he had a job in Chicago?"

  "Well…." It never dawned her or that he might not. She trusted so easily. "I-I hadn't even considered he'd lie about it. He said he did. He was excited about going. He packed his bags."

  "Do you have an address for him in Chicago?"

  "No, I never even thought to ask. We were breaking up." She explained. "I felt I had no business asking."

  "Put him at the top of the list and then whoever you might have met since. Did you go to college with him?"

  "Yes, we dated for four years all through college, went to parties and all the school functions."

  "Four years and then nothing?" He sounded shocked

  She nodded.

  "Now when you are through, and I send you home. Don't think we'll have an answer for you tomorrow. It is going to take some time to run these people down and find out what is going on."

  "Are you going to talk to all of them?"

  "If we can yes. Is there a problem?"

  "Well, I don't want to accuse anyone."

  "You won't be. We will."

  She nodded numbly this time. What would Dex think if they came to question him? She looked up at the officer as he stood up, "What makes people do this kind of thing? I mean, I'm sure you have come across stalkers before, have you ever asked them why?"

  "Revenge, sometimes not even at yo
u, but at the system itself and you are the unlucky participant. Sometimes it's a grudge that just won't be satisfied. And every now and then, it's someone who admires you and wants something very different."

  Melanie's eyes widened on that news. "I hadn't given that any thought."

  Sex? Good grief the only guy she ever dated that didn't get mad about sex was Jesse. All the others were furious with her for not giving into the baser emotions of sex. That could very well be the problem. But Dex and Brad were the only two men she'd gotten that far along with. Jesse had always been a gentleman.

  Could it be that simple?

  She'd never even imagined such a thing.

  "So, you are saying it is someone I probably know?"

  "Not necessarily, no. It could be someone who wants that from you. And admirer." He told her. "Or someone who has been secretly jealous of you a long time or someone you unknowingly hurt."

  "About the sex, I've never…" Her cheeks flushed crimson.

  He stared at her now, then from her flushed cheeks understood what she was trying to say. "Never?"

  "No sir." She could tell he wasn't used to this kind of admission.

  "Have you been asked to?"

  "Yes."

  "And you refused."

  "Yes." He shook his head and then nodded slowly. "I want you to go home and try to relax. I want you to carry on your life as usual as though you never spoke to me. I'll get on this right away. I need your telephone or cell number and I'll need you to keep your phone charged at all times and on at all times."

  "Oh," she looked at her purse for a moment. "That's another thing. Whoever it is, has called several times. They don't say anything, just heavy breathing."

  "Good, maybe we can trace that back, who is your phone carrier?"

  "Oh, Version."

  The Sargent shook his head, "It would be."

  "Is there a problem?"

  "No, just have to go through a lot of procedures to get information is all. But it can be done and will. So, if they call again, keep them on the line as long as you can, that way we might trace the call. We can find out what tower they used and track them from that. Don't agitate them, just try to keep them on the line somehow. If you can't we can at least get a location from where the calls are coming from the cell phone towers."

  "I'll try."

  "Good. I'm glad you came in it's the only way to catch these people. Just try to stay calm."

  "Do you think, whoever it is, they mean me harm?"

  He looked incredulously at her. "They don't mean you good, Miss George. Keep that in mind."

  "Uh, I guess there is one other thing I should tell you then."

  "Okay?"

  "I bought a gun the other day."

  He stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Not a problem in this state. And if you are physically threatened in any way, you have a right to defend yourself. Texas looks to protect the victim not the villain. Keep it handy if you can."

  "I sometimes have to walk home from work, and I know they are following me. I feel their eyes on me."

  "Not good. Don't walk home. Can you hail a cab?"

  "I guess so. You think that is necessary?"

  "Yes. Since you live close it won't cost as much, so do it. Every time."

  "I bought a bike."

  "There's little protection on a bike." He insisted.

  "Okay, whatever you say." She shrugged.

  "It's for your own protection. Lock your doors, report anything out of the ordinary to your manager and to us. Alright? And don't ever linger in the parking lots. It seems parking lots are a place they like to expose themselves to you. Move at a normal pace, but don't linger."

  "Alright, thank you officer. Anything else?"

  He paused a minute then looked up at her suddenly, "Yes, was buying the gun your idea, or did someone suggest it?"

  "Well, I…. well, the man I'm seeing, Dexter Cooper suggested I might need it. Is there something wrong with that?"

  "I don't know. But your boyfriends do intrigue me. We'll be talking to them. But please…. don't warn them."

  "Of course. I can't get a hold of Brad anyway and Dex is mad at me?"

  "For what?"

  She looked at him strangely as though she didn't want to tell him. "For not…"

  "Oh, is that so. Well, we'll be speaking to him too you know." He sounded just like her father.

  She smiled.

  Melanie thought about that. How would Dex take it?

  "I guess I should thank you for all the help."

  "You're welcome. I'll be in touch. Do you have an e-mail or computer?"

  "I have a laptop."

  "Good, here's my card, e-mail me the names so I can get started on the list. My e-mail is on the card."

  "Alright, thank you."

  She nodded and started to leave but turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "Is my life in danger?"

  He frowned now, and looked at the floor before he answered, "It very well could be, yes. It could be a prankster, but they don't usually go to so much trouble. We've had many flashers before."

  "Flashers?"

  "Men who get a kick out of flashing their nude bodies at modest ladies. But I seriously doubt that is the case here."

  "I somehow wish it were that simple."

  "Me too, Miss George, me too! Say you work at Merch General?" He asked as he looked he over.

  "Yes," She crooked her head to the side.

  "What department?"

  "Pediatrics." She murmured.

  "Is that a fact. Did you just start working there?" He twisted his head.

  "Yes, I did."

  "How long ago?"

  "Nearly a month ago." She told him counting up the weeks in her head.

  "That's interesting. That's very interesting. I'll be in touch soon." He smiled at her.

  "Okay, thanks again."

  He waved. As she left he muttered to a policeman passing by his desk, "Hey Phil, would you pull the file on Norma Wells for me."

  "Norma Wells, sure Sarge, isn't that the lady who tried to steal the baby from Mercy?" He asked curiously.

  "The same."

  "Wasn't you just talking to her?"

  "No, that's the really weird part, it wasn't. That was Melanie George, her replacement if you can believe that. Now Phil, why would they hire someone who looks just like Norma Wells?"

  "Wow Sarge, that is crazy, isn't it?"

  "Yeah, don't you find that peculiar, or am I the only one."

  "Wow Sarge, what do you think is going on over there?"

  "I don't know, but I'm sure I'm going to find out."

  "I'm familiar with that case."

  "How so?" The Sarge asked.

  "I was one of the investigating officers."

  "Pull her file." He commanded. "Pull Norma's file, right now. We might be on to something here."

  "Sure thing. Got something going on her again?" Phil asked as he looked at his boss. "You sure this Melanie George wasn't pulling your leg? I could have sworn that was Norma Wells."

  "I'm not sure of anything right now, just doing some investigating on my own." He told him. "Got a curious little case of stalking."

  "Sounds serious."

  "Could be. Could be that the Norma Wells case has become active again."

  "Do you think that lady was Norma?"

  "No, that's the funny part I don't. But answer this if you can. Why would the hospital hire her twin? Doesn't make a bit of sense to me."

  "So, who is the victim this time, Sarge?"

  "The lady that just walked out of here is the victim."

  "The one that looks like Norma?"

  "Yeah. Strange isn't it. Works at the same hospital, same department. Now why would the head of Pediatrics hire her double? And I'll be wanting a full workup of the head nurses in that hospital."

  When Phil brought the file back he stared at his notes and ask him. "I need some background on these people, would you check these two out. I'll have more later.
"

  "Sure, what am I looking for, Sarge?"

  "Anything unusual or illegal they've pulled." He told him. "Any known character traits that stand out. Any connection to each other."

  "Okay, get right on it."

  "Thanks, I owe you one."

  Phil chuckled. "Your bill is stacking up, Sarge."

  "Well don't hold your breath about getting paid." He chuckled.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It was late when Melanie got home. Just as she turned down the hall to her apartment, she heard voices. She paused for a moment. One voice sounded awfully familiar. She might not have paid the least attention to them, but the woman's voice was so soft and sultry, and the man's voice was husky and quite familiar. As she approached her door, she saw they were on the top of the stairs. She turned in time to see a woman's legs, and Dex standing just a bit down from her. There was a pause in conversation, then a husky voice whispered something. His tone left implications.

  "Thanks for the help." Came the sultry reply.

  "Hey, anytime." The man replied.

  Melanie knew it was Dex standing there, flirting with the woman. He certainly wasn't subtle about it. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the sound of the woman's voice was husky and that pause meant only one thing, they had kissed.

  She grabbed her keys from her purse and started to open her door. Her hands shook as she tried to open it. She suddenly wanted away from it, to think clearly. Tears clouded her eyes. Was Dex making a fool of her?

  Dex hurried down the steps to catch her as she closed her door.

  He knocked.

  She threw open the door after flicking her tears away.

  "I was worried sick. Where have you been?" Dex exclaimed his face flushed, as he walked right in.

  Had he just kissed that lady? Then she had her answer when he turned his head and she saw lipstick at the corner of his mouth.

  Disappointment flew all over Melanie, but she quickly veiled it. After all, her and Dex hadn't committed themselves to their relationship. She had no right to condemn him, but her reactions were defensive now.

  Not wanting to alarm him she shrugged, "Out shopping for furniture. Why?"