by West, Naomi
“Yeah.”
Megan went back out to take drinks to her table. Sara poured the coffee and took a deep breath before heading back over to Mr. Creepy.
“Here’s your coffee,” she said, setting the mug on the table. “Are you ready to order?”
“Just coffee.” He didn’t make eye contact, but stared straight ahead.
“Okay. I’ll check back in a little while to see if you need a refill.”
“Tell me something.”
He looked at her now, with that same dark expression, like he was a cop about to ask for her confession. She shifted her weight to her other foot and glanced around again. Megan was at the next table, chatting away with her customer. Ed was nowhere in sight and everyone else seemed busy.
“You worked here long?” he asked.
“Umm…” Was he about to insult her? It happened on occasion. Some rude customer thought they should tell her how to do her job. “A few years?”
“Where else do you work?”
“Another restaurant.” How in the world did he know she had a second job? Or had he just guessed?
“What’s it called?”
She didn’t want to tell him. What if he showed up there next? She made up a name and a location. “Freddy’s? Over on Fifth.”
He nodded and she thought maybe she could divert the conversation a bit.
“What about you? What do you do for a living?” she asked.
“How many kids do you have?”
She chuckled nervously. This didn’t feel right. “Oh, you know, my husband and I haven’t really decided on a set number yet.” Maybe the old “I’m taken” trick would work on him.
“You’re not married.” He said it like it was absolute fact.
“Oh, I just don’t wear my ring at work. I’ve lost it too many times.” She tried to laugh it off again. “Okay, well, I’ll check back in a little while.”
She started to walk away, but he called after her.
“Hey.”
She had to turn back around. It was her job. “Yes?” She turned her head, but didn’t move closer to him.
“What time does your shift end?”
“Long one today,” she lied. “Won’t be done until after dinner.”
She forced a smile and walked back to the kitchen. She went straight to Ed’s office and knocked.
“Ed?”
He motioned her in and she sat down.
“What’s up?” he asked, looking away from his computer’s screen.
“There is a super creepy customer out there, asking all sorts of really personal questions.”
“Like?”
“Like when I’m off work, where else I work, how many kids I have.”
“He probably just likes you. You might be able to work a bigger tip out of him.”
She shook her head. “It’s not like that. He scares me. Like he’s going to follow me home or something.”
“Well, have one of the guys walk you out when you leave. I’ll go ask him how everything’s going. Which table?”
“Four.”
He nodded. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Right. Easy for him to say. Maybe Saxton had the right idea carrying a gun and knife all the time. She could start carrying one or the other. It would make her feel a lot safer in situations like this.
Sara watched from the kitchen as Ed went out to check on Mr. Creepy. When he came back to the kitchen, he shrugged.
“Didn’t say much,” he said.
“I know. Did you think he’s creepy?”
“A little. Not much I can do though. I can’t ask him to leave for being creepy. If he sits too long and doesn’t order, though, let me know. I’ll try to move him along.”
“Thanks.” Sara went to the bathroom and considered calling Saxton again. She could use the excuse that she wanted to check on him. Make sure he was okay being out of the house on his own. And she could casually mention that she had a creepy customer.
What would he do if she told him? Would he come and check it out? Stay while she worked and make sure she was okay? Or would he just think nothing of it and go back to finding his friend’s murderer? She wanted him to come rescue her. But at that thought, she immediately decided she wouldn’t call him. If she started relying on him like that, it wouldn’t end. She didn’t want to think Saxton would be there to protect her. Or would save her somehow. That would only lead to feelings, which would only lead to problems.
She looked herself over in the mirror and went back out to check on all her tables. When she walked out through the kitchen, she froze. Table four was empty. Maybe he’d just gone to use the bathroom.
She made her rounds, checking customers’ drink levels and bringing extra condiments as they were needed. As she was finishing up, she passed table four and noticed a $5 bill tucked under his half drunk coffee. He’d left then. And had given her a $2 tip on a $3 bill. Well, at least it was over. She didn’t have to deal with him anymore.
Sara went about the rest of her shift, watching for him. He didn’t return. When her shift ended, she went to the kitchen to find a guy to walk her out. Ed was in his office with someone. The only male server on at the moment was busy with a table. There was a male cook and dishwasher, though.
“Hey Harris,” Sara called across the metal counter. “Can you walk me out to my car real quick?”
“Uhh…” He looked over at the stack of waiting tickets. “A little behind at the moment. Can Dave?”
“I’ll check.” Sara walked around the corner, where Dave was rinsing dishes off with the high-powered sprayer and putting them in the rack. “Can you walk me out to my car?”
“Sure. Let me just finish loading this rack. We got slammed today.”
“Okay.” Sara stood and watched him work for several minutes. It was starting to get late and she had to be there to get Ian. She couldn’t wait any longer and would have to risk it. “Hey, Dave,” she called over the sound of the sprayer and the loud kitchen noises. “It’s okay. I have to get going. Thanks anyway.”
“You sure? It’ll just be another few minutes.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”
She walked to the backdoor. The creepy guy had left anyway. It was nothing. She was over reacting. But she stopped before walking out into the back parking lot. She glanced around. The lot was empty of people, though several cars were lined up along the back edge of the lot. And there were several large trucks and vans parked amongst the cars. Including one right next to hers.
Sara had learned long ago that you should never walk to your car alone when there was a van sitting next to your driver’s side door. It was too risky, especially in a city like Chicago. But there was still some daylight. This time of year, the late afternoon wasn’t the brightest, but it wasn’t dark, either. She didn’t see anyone in the van.
Maybe she could just run. Or get in through the passenger side. Hadn’t she read about that somewhere? So what if it seemed paranoid if it kept her safe. She took a breath, held her keys tight and ready in her hand, and walked quickly.
She thought she heard footsteps behind her and spun around. Nothing but the pounding of her heart. Okay, Sara, calm down. There was the eerie feeling of someone following her. Was it in her head? She was halfway to her car when she heard a definite shuffle of steps behind her.
She turned and was just inches from Mr. Creepy. She sucked in a breath to scream and he clamped a hand down hard over her mouth.
“Shut up, or I’ll slit your throat.”
Sara wouldn’t go down without a fight. She’d seen this guy close up in the restaurant. She could pick out his face and had witnesses. He would not get away with whatever he was after.
He didn’t try to take her purse. So it must be worse, then. He didn’t want to rob her. She tried to pull free from his grip. He walked toward a black car, half dragging her along as she kept fighting to get away from him.
She kicked at his legs and tried to bite his hand. With his free hand, he
slapped her hard across the cheek. Her eyes filled with tears at the stinging pain, and the shock made her freeze for a moment.
“Get in the car. Stop fighting.”
She tried again to rip out of his grip. She let herself fall, hoping to slip down and out, but he held her too tight. She twisted and kicked again. She stomped down on his foot. He grunted, but kept moving.
They were just a few feet from the black car now. If he got her in there, who knew what would happen? He could take her anywhere and do anything.
She moved her elbow as far away from his ribs as possible, then hurled it back and into him with all her strength. He stopped to take in a breath, then he fell backward.
His grip on her loosened and he crashed to the ground. Sara spun around, shocked that her elbow attack had dropped him like that.
When she turned, she saw Saxton. He was kicking the guy, who was now lying on the ground, curled on his side, trying to defend himself. Saxton’s gun was pointed at his head.
He spared her a second’s glance. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Get in my car.” He motioned with his head toward where his car sat, waiting.
She ran over and hopped into the passenger side. As she sat there, she saw Saxton kick him several times and stomp down hard on his hand. By the time Saxton walked away, the man just laid there, unmoving.
Chapter Sixteen
Saxton slid in behind the driver’s seat, clutching his side where he’d been stabbed.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
He started the car and pressed hard on the gas so that the car leapt forward and sped across the lot.
“Is he dead?” she asked.
“No. Just unconscious.”
“Are you sure?”
He glanced over at her. “Would you really be that upset if he was dead?”
She stopped to think about that for a moment. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble. And I don’t like the idea of him being killed, even if he did attack me.”
Saxton shook his head. “Well, he’s not. But you should want him dead for what he did to you. And whatever else he was about to do.”
Her mind started wandering down that path, imaging what horrors she might be facing at this moment if Saxton hadn’t shown up. He’d saved her after all. And she hadn’t even had to call him to tell him she needed him.
Then, in a flash, she remembered where she had been going. “I have to get Ian.” The words came out sounding panicky. Both because she was already late and because she was now terrified that something had happened to him as well.
“Where is his school?”
Sara gave him directions, and with each turn, she thought she was going to throw up. What if someone had been sent to get him? What if he was in some car right now being taken somewhere? Her heart raced so fast, she started to feel dizzy.
When they pulled into the school lot and she saw the bright green backpack, she sagged in relief. She tore open the car door and ran toward him. When he saw her, he started running, too. She scooped him into a hug and hurried with him back to the car.
“Mommy?” Ian looked up at her with scared eyes as she opened the back door and almost hurled him into the backseat. “What’s wrong?”
She hadn’t thought about what her actions might seem like to him. He must have seen the terror in her expression.
“Oh,” she said, trying to compose herself. “Nothing. We were just late and I was worried. I missed you today.”
“I missed you, too.” He smiled and climbed into the backseat. “Hi Saxton.”
“Heya,” Saxton said.
Sara got back in the passenger seat and gave Saxton a look that she hoped conveyed her desire to keep things as normal as possible for Ian. To act like nothing was wrong.
“Did you have a good day at school?” Sara used her cheery mommy voice and turned in her seat to give him a bright smile.
“It was okay. They ran out of chocolate milk.”
“Oh, well, maybe I can make you some later.”
“That’d be good. Why is Saxton here?” Of course Ian didn’t waste any time with his questions.
Sara looked at Saxton for help. What was a good excuse for his presence? She certainly wasn’t going to tell him the truth.
“I wanted to pick your mommy up from work,” Saxton said.
“Why?”
“Well…” Had Saxton thought Ian would let it go at his simple answer? He’d have to get used to the way a six-year-old’s mind worked. Keep asking questions, then ask more questions. “It’s my first day leaving the house, and I thought it’d be a nice thing to do.”
This seemed to be enough for Ian. “Are we going to Saxton’s house today?”
Sara made eye contact with Saxton. The last thing she wanted to do was go home and be there alone. She wouldn’t sleep. She’d be terrified all night. And it seemed that now she was in Saxton’s debt again. Would she ever stop owing him for saving her?
She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Do you mind if we spend the night?”
“I didn’t know you’d planned not to.”
She pressed her lips together. So maybe she hadn’t told him that part. When she’d taken Ian to school, she had told him that they wouldn’t be staying there any longer. But she hadn’t told Saxton, and after their strange conversation earlier that morning, she thought it would be better if they just left and didn’t say much about it. Now she felt bad that she hadn’t said anything to him. But hadn’t they all known that they were only staying there until Saxton was better?
“I just thought that since you were up and about more, you wouldn’t need me anymore.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “I didn’t need you in the first place. I could have managed. But it was nice having you there. And Ian.”
That surprised her a bit. Sure, he would think having a woman there to cook and clean and sleep with him was nice, but she had worried that Ian would just be in his way and annoying him.
“Thank you.” She turned to Ian and said, “We’re going to stay at Saxton’s again tonight.”
“Yay!” Ian said.
“Maybe you should plan to stay for a few more days,” Saxton said.
A few more days sounded wonderful. However many nights she could spend at Saxton’s was however many nights she would sleep easy. When the inevitable time came that they did return home, it wouldn’t be easy. Unless somehow she knew for sure they were no longer at risk. But could she really ever be sure that they were safe?
The fact that Saxton had shown up on his own bothered her as much as it relieved her. Did he know something about what had happened? They needed to talk and see what they each knew and what they could do about it. Maybe Mr. Creepy wasn’t working alone. Maybe he was part of something bigger, or maybe he wouldn’t stop until he had her.
“That would be nice,” she said. “I would feel much safer.”
“And I’d feel much better that you were safe and I didn’t have to worry about you.”
He would have worried about her? She tried not to care about that. Tried to ignore the warm feeling it gave her in her chest. But she thought about him worrying and the fact that she could easily sleep with him again, and it made the warmness spread to her groin.
When they got to Saxton’s, he reached out to take her arm as she headed to the kitchen. “Let’s just order pizza or something tonight. We need to talk and you’ve had a hard enough day. You don’t need to go cook dinner and clean up, too.”
“Oh.” She glanced toward the kitchen, feeling like everything he did just put her more in debt to him and there were so few ways she could repay him. “Are you sure? It’s no problem.”
“I’m sure. Order whatever Ian and you like. I’m going to sit and rest.”
He went to the living room and flipped on the TV.
Ian was sitting at the kitchen table, already pulling his homework out of his book bag.
“What do you think about pizza for dinner?” she asked.
Ian’s face lit up. “Yay!”
After digging through a drawer to find a menu from the local pizza place, Sara called to order. She helped Ian with his homework and when the pizza arrived, took the cash from Saxton’s wallet as he directed, paid the delivery man, and did her best to make the meal as nice as possible with plates and drinks in glasses. She hoped Saxton would join them at the table, but when she asked, he said he’d rather eat in the living room, watching TV. That was something Sara refused to allow Ian to do, so they stayed in the kitchen.