“Don’t think for a second that I’m done with you tonight,” Chase warns, kissing me again. “I may never be able to get enough.”
“That’s fine with me, baby.” I smile. “I’m going to go grab a bottle of water. I’ll be right back.”
He reluctantly lets me leave the bed. I set off for the kitchen but decide to stop in the bathroom first. I push open the door and immediately realize that something’s not right.
I don’t remember leaving my tablet in here.
I look around the room and notice that several things are out of place.
Maybe Jenny rearranged earlier, and I didn’t notice it.
I decide to inspect the apartment before I say anything to Chase.
The easiest place to start will be the kitchen. I’ll know instantly if anything’s out of place. Jenny knows I have everything just how I like it in there.
I flip on the kitchen lights and feel frozen with panic. The countertop appliances have been completely rearranged and our grocery list has been wiped off our refrigerator marker board. In its place is a single message written in red.
I’M STILL WATCHING. AND I’M STILL COMING FOR YOU.
***
Jenny shuffles into the kitchen just after the sun comes up. “Oh my God, Kiara, have you been up all night?”
“Yes, and I’m nowhere near finished. I’m going to call in to work, I can’t stand to leave this place the way Robbs left it.”
“I’ll call in, too, and help you. What have you done so far?”
“Just the kitchen,” I reply. “I washed all of the dishes and disinfected every inch of the room. I’ve been washing all of my clothes, too, and I think that we should do yours. There’s no telling what that psycho may have left behind. Chase is going to replace the locks again as soon as the hardware store opens. The cops left around three; they didn’t find any prints.”
“That’s what all that black smudgy stuff in the bathroom is!”
“Yeah, they made a hell of a mess and didn’t find anything. You’d think that they’d at least clean up after themselves.”
“Kiara, maybe we should take Officer Marquez’s advice and leave town for a while. We could rent a car and disappear until they track him down.”
“He’ll track us, Jenny. And we’ll be away from everyone we know who could help us. Besides, Robbs has been evading the cops for months now. Do you really want to be on the run that long? How would we even afford it?”
“All right, points taken,” she gives in. “But could we at least have Chase stay here from now on?”
“Yes,” I say with a blush. “I don’t think that that will be a problem. In fact, he’s in my bed right now.”
“Kiara! You finally did it! It took you long enough,” she teases.
“I know, and I realized that the bathroom was rearranged right after. Talk about killing the moment.”
“So the sex happened before I got home, and Chase never left after I went to bed.”
“Right.”
“God, that is terrible timing. But I’m glad that he was here when you realized what had happened.”
“Me, too. I’m sorry that I forgot to call you. I know how stressful it is to pull into the parking lot and see the blue lights.”
“It’s okay, I did the same thing to you. It’s crazy how much you forget about during chaos. I just wish that one of us had been here when he broke in.”
“What are you talking about, Jenny? He could have killed us.”
She shakes her head. “He proved that he can get in here, if he’d wanted to kill us, he could have. He’s trying to scare us, and I refuse to let him. I’m not going to live in fear anymore. If I do, he wins. I hope I’m here when he shows up again. I’ll put my pepper spray and self-defense training to good use, I promise you that.”
She really has been getting a lot out of those meetings.
“I just want him caught, I don’t care how it happens,” I tell her.
“My sentiments exactly,” Chase says as he steps into the kitchen. “I guess I’m not the only one who couldn’t sleep? I noticed that you never came to bed last night.”
“I won’t be able to sleep until I get the Robbs off of everything. Jenny and I are both going to call in to work.”
“I’m going to do the same. I’ll make the call and explain what happened last night. It’s Paul’s restaurant. He can handle it without us for one day.”
Jenny opens the refrigerator door, and I brace myself for her reaction. “Kiara, did you throw out all of our food?”
“Yes, I bagged it up and tossed it down the trash shoot after Chase went to bed. We have to assume that he did something to it, better safe than sorry.”
“I’m actually surprised that the police didn’t think of that,” Jenny replies.
“I’ll run to the corner store and buy some coffee,” Chase offers. “I’d go across the hall and get mine, but something tells me you’re going to make me do this at my place, too.”
“Better safe than sorry,” I say again.
Chase shrugs. “I don’t have much over there anyway. I’ll pick up some breakfast while I’m out, and I’ll call Paul.”
“Thank you, baby,” I tell him with a hug.
“You’re welcome. I’ll be back soon.”
Chase grabs his keys from the kitchen counter and leaves the apartment.
“You two are so cute together.” Jenny smiles. “So what finally made you trust him?”
I tell her about what we found in my student file.
“That bastard! It had to be Robbs! Let me see the file.”
“That’s really not necessary, the fewer people who read those lies the better.”
“I don’t want to read the statements. I just want to look at the file types.”
“What does that matter?” I ask as I pass her my phone.
“It might not, just give me a second.” Jenny taps the screen a couple of times and then turns the phone back toward me.
“The statements are all attached individually. If we can find someone who’s halfway decent at hacking, we can have each file traced back to its source. And I bet that every last damn one of them will trace back to Robbs.”
“If we could prove that, the board would have no choice but to reinstate my scholarship.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s brilliant. How do you know about this kind of stuff? You’ve never talked about computers before.”
Her smile disappears, and I know that I’ve hit a nerve. “My father is a computer programmer,” she finally answers. “I guess I could try to call him, see if he can trace the files.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I tell her quickly. “I’m sure that Chase knows someone from his old university who can help us out.”
She breathes a long sigh of relief. “That would probably be better.”
“Jenny, have you called your parents and told them about what happened in New York?”
“No,” she admits. “I’ve been tempted to a couple of times, but I just can’t make the call. I know exactly what they’ll say. My father will tell me that it was God’s will, because babies out of wedlock are an abomination. Then my mother will insist that it’s for the best, because it’s impossible for a single mother to find a good husband. That was the worst night of my life, and they’ll see it as redemption. I can’t take that right now.”
“It’s okay, Jenny, if that’s how they feel then you’re better off without them.”
“Most people don’t understand how a person can feel that way about their parents,” she says with a sad smile.
“I know, but we’re not most people.” As I move to hug her, I hear my phone ring in the living room. “That might be Chase, I better get it.”
“Of course, go ahead.”
I grab my phone and see Paul’s cell number on the screen.
Damn it, doesn’t he understand that I don’t have time for this right now?
“Hello?” I answer impatiently.
“Chef Sands, as I’m sure you’re aware, it’s Fission policy that an employee calls in for themselves when they’re not going to be able to make it to work,” Paul says hatefully. “As you and Jenny have both broken that policy, I have no choice but to terminate your positions.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hiss. “I know Chase explained the situation to you. How can you be this heartless?”
“It’s not my job to worry about what happens to you outside of the kitchen. I have a business to run, and I need staff that I can count on.”
“I see. And what reason are you giving for getting rid of Chase?”
“Mr. Abbott overstepped the boundaries of his apprenticeship by fraternizing with you. I intend to file a report about his actions with the ethics board of Le Cordon Bleu.”
“You do that. And while you’re busy patting yourself on the back for being a horse’s ass, I’ll round up all of the women from Fission you’ve fraternized with over the years. I bet the Better Business Bureau and the Austin Chamber of Commerce would be interested in that information as well. Not to mention the local papers. What’s the name of that female food critic at The Post who likes you so much? I wonder if she’d keep singing your praises if she knew what kind of person you really are.”
“You do whatever you have to do, and I’ll do the same. And don’t bother bringing your jacket back this time. The fucking thing is cursed; I don’t want it in my restaurant.”
A few moments of silence pass, and I realize that Paul has ended the call. I toss my phone onto the sofa and let out a long laugh.
“What’s so funny? It sounded like we just got fired,” Jenny says with a frown.
“We did,” I tell her. “And I’ve never felt better in my life.”
Chapter Ten
We spend the next six hours cleaning, and I finally feel like the apartment is Robbs free. To my relief, neither Jenny nor Chase seem too upset that we’re all suddenly unemployed. Chase leaves to buy new locks for our door, and Jenny sits down at the couch with my laptop.
“You don’t mind if I use this, do you? I want to look at the job postings.”
“Go ahead,” I tell her. “But I think I have an idea about where we could all work.”
“Really? That was fast. I’m surprised at how well you’re handling this. For weeks you’ve been saying that we were stuck at Fission because we need the money. Suddenly we’ve both been fired, and you don’t seem concerned at all.”
“An idea came to me when I was talking to Paul. When I mentioned rounding up all of the female employees he’s screwed, it dawned on me that I’d be able to find most of them at the same place.”
“Which is…?” Jenny asks, still confused.
“Patrick’s new restaurant,” I answer simply. “He’s set to open in two weeks, and I’m sure he’s still building his staff. And he and I always got along well in the kitchen. He’s the one who gave me my spot in the apprenticeship competition.”
“Me, too!” Jenny smiles. “I don’t want to work in the kitchen again, but I wouldn’t mind waiting tables. And I bet tips will be even better there. Kiara, this is a brilliant idea. Do you think he’ll give Chase an apprenticeship?”
“I don’t know if Chase would even be interested in one. He mentioned something about focusing on school for the rest of the semester. But if Patrick is shorthanded in the kitchen, I guess it’s possible. I’ll call Patrick tomorrow and see if he has any openings.”
“I’m going to hold off on this until after you talk to him,” Jenny says, shutting the laptop. She lets out a long yawn. “I bet I didn’t get two hours of sleep last night. I’m going to take a nap.”
“Okay, I think I’m going to run to the market and replace our groceries. Is there anything in particular you’d like me to pick up?”
“Don’t forget Diet Coke.”
“It’s the first thing on my list. Chase should be back with the new locks soon. Do you want me to stay until he gets here?”
“No need,” she insists. “I really meant what I said earlier. I’m not afraid of Robbs anymore.”
“All right, well I’ll have my cell on me if you need anything. I shouldn’t be gone more than an hour or so.”
Jenny laughs. “I’ve been to Whole Foods with you before, remember? You’re going to get mesmerized by all of their fancy products, and I won’t see you until nightfall.”
“I’ll try to stay focused.” I laugh. “I’ll see you soon.” I send Chase a quick text explaining my plans and toss my phone into my purse. I grab my keys and leave the apartment just as Jenny’s going back to bed.
Maybe I should stay… I hate leaving her alone. But I’m starving, she must be starving, and the police promised to drive by the building every fifteen minutes. Jenny will be fine.
I have an overwhelming feeling that we haven’t seen the last of Robbs but I convince myself that Jenny is right. We can’t live in fear and limbo, basing our every move around what Robbs may or may not do.
I won’t be gone more than two hours, and Chase should be back any time. Jenny will be fine.
I drive two miles and pull in to the Whole Foods parking lot. Once inside, I try to ignore the organic, free-range offerings in front of me and focus on our necessities. I load my basket with Diet Coke, cereal, and coffee beans before making my way to the proteins. As I round the corner, my eyes fall on Chase. He’s on the other end of the store but I’d recognize his broad shoulders anywhere.
He must have gotten my text and decided to join me. He’s so sweet. But I wish he’d have gone straight back to the apartment to stay with Jenny.
I take three steps in his direction and stop dead in my tracks. A beautiful thin brunette joins Chase, and he casually wraps an arm around her shoulders.
Who the FUCK is that? And what is he doing with her? DAMNIT how is this happening to me again? Why can’t one fucking man in my life be worthy of trust?
Chase and the woman turn and he spots me standing in the aisle. He looks from me to the woman at his side and a look of panic crosses his face. I push my basket up to him and give him a cold stare.
“Kiara, this is…”
“I don’t care who this is,” I snap.
The woman blushes. “I know how this must look to you, but…”
“I’m sorry,” I interrupt her. “But this is between me and Chase. He’ll be all yours in just a minute.” I turn back to him.
“Don’t bother with the new locks, I’ll call the super. I need to speak with him anyway and give notice on our month-to-month lease. Jenny and I will be out of the building in a week. I’d appreciate it if you’d steer clear of us until then.”
I leave my basket in the aisle and stomp toward the front of the store.
“Kiara, wait!” Chase calls after me.
“Chase, just let her go,” the woman tells him.
I can’t fucking believe this. He’s been so helpful, so caring. I thought I’d finally found a man who loves me. But he’s worse than the rest of them combined. At least Paul admits that he’s an asshole, and James would be the first to call himself a man whore. Chase prances around like a well-mannered Southern gentleman but he’s really just a snake.
I drive around aimlessly for over an hour, ignoring my cell phone. It rings every five minutes, but I know that Chase is on the other line and I have nothing to say to him. I finally pull into a convenience store and load up on soda and junk food before I go home.
We’ll just order dinner in tonight. I haven’t had Thai Palace since we moved home, and they’ll deliver.
I pull into the parking lot and stack the twelve packs of Diet Coke in my arms.
I’ll come back for the rest of this…
I walk through the entrance and into the elevator. The sodas are heavy in my arms but I barely notice. The elevator carries me to the third floor, and I try to decide how to tell Jenny that Chase is an ass and we have to move again. The doors slide open; the moment I step into the hallway, I know that I have bigger
problems to worry about.
The front door of our apartment is splintered and barely hanging from its hinges. I drop the twelve packs and rush into the living room.
“Jenny!” I cry out in panic. All of the furniture has been overturned and the television screen is busted. Glass shards are scattered throughout the carpet, and Jenny is nowhere to be seen. I rush into her bedroom and find her laying in the middle of the floor.
“Jenny!” I say again, shaking her lightly. She stirs and groans but doesn’t open her eyes.
Fucking mother fuckers. That son of a bitch was here again, and the man who was supposed to be protecting us was too busy screwing around on me. Well, fuck this. From now on, I’ll do everything myself.
I grab my cell phone from my purse and call 911 as I cradle Jenny’s head in my lap.
“Emergency dispatch, how may I help you?”
I give the woman my name and address and explain that my roommate has been attacked. “The cops have been looking for Robbs Martin for months, but he always makes it past them. We’ve mainly been dealing with Officers Jones and Marquez.”
“Yes, Ms. Sands, they’re patrolling your area now. I’ve dispatched them to your apartment, along with an ambulance. Would you like me to stay on the line until they get there?”
Jenny stirs in my lap and tries to open her eyes. I hold her for what seems like hours but she never completely wakes up. Finally, I hear a knock from the living room.
“Ms. Sands? It’s Officer Marquez.”
“They’re here now, thank you,” I tell the dispatcher.
“You’re welcome, Ms. Sands. The ambulance should be there shortly.”
“We’re in the first bedroom,” I call out to Marquez as I end the call.
He rushes into the room. “Kiara, what happened?”
“I wasn’t here but I think it’s pretty obvious that Robbs came back. I just went to the market to get groceries. I tossed everything out last night, I was afraid that he might have poisoned it when he broke in. I came back to this. Jenny’s moved a bit and made noise, but she won’t wake up,” I sob.
Another knock comes from the living room; Officer Marquez disappears and returns a moment later with a paramedic.
Fifty Recipes For Disaster Page 8