The screen was filled with the picture of a young brunette woman, with deep brown eyes and a warm smile. Annalise noted how similar she looked to the woman on the screen
“Tonight, a clue has surfaced in the case. After months of analyzing forensic evidence, a profile of the suspect has been released.
“The man is said to be in his late thirties, Caucasian, with graying hair. Evidence at the scene also points to the fact that he had entered her apartment a couple of times prior to the murder…”
As the broadcast continued, Annalise just looked at the screen blankly. This murdered girl had experienced the same feelings of being watched as she now was experiencing. A chill ran down her spine, and no amount of hot soup or tea could make the feeling go away.
She had to tell Brent. Reaching for her phone and starting to dial his number, she came to a sudden stop. She knew he would keep her safe. However, if she did tell him, then he would insist that she leave, and she couldn’t take time off of her new job. She just had to be careful. Staying alert and aware was her best chance. If a man of that description approached her, she would go to the police right away.
Even though she felt like she had a plan now, she still didn’t feel relieved.
He was watching from across the street a few days later. The front door of her apartment building swung open, and she hurried out and down the street. Quickly standing, he followed her to the corner. She turned into the same pizza restaurant that he had originally saw her in.
Perfect.
She went to the counter and ordered a single slice of pizza and a soda. As she settled down in a corner booth, he too ordered something to eat. Now was his time.
“Um, excuse me; I just noticed you were sitting alone here. Are you meeting someone?” he asked her.
A spark of shock lit up her brown eyes but quickly faded.
“No, I’m not meeting anyone, but I’m not staying long,” she said as she gingerly smiled at him.
“Can I sit with you?” he said as he slipped into the booth across from her. He wasn’t going to give her a chance to say no.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I really would rather be alone. I am just about to leave.” She began to stand and gather her things.
“I’m sorry. We got off to a bad start. My name is Paul. I just noticed you and thought that you might be someone I would like to know,” he flashed her a charming smile. It was a false name, but he would come clean with her once he took her out on a few dates. “Please have a seat and talk to me a little.”
“I really must be going. It’s nice to meet you, Paul. Maybe I’ll run into you again.” She waved as she left her food uneaten and fled the restaurant.
She was a shy one. She expects me to give up on her, but there is no way I will. I have come too far to let her go now!
He sat there and ate his food and hers as well before heading back to his hideout in front of her apartment. His next approach needed to be less direct. He needed to show her that he didn’t need to be feared.
Fear raced through her as she hurried down the street. The man she had just encountered in the restaurant gave her uncomfortable chills. He matched the description of the man who the police were looking for. She had thought about going to the police, but they wouldn’t believe her simply because she was having a “feeling.”
She chastised herself. Now she knew she was getting paranoid. There were hundreds of men out there who would match the description. One man approaches her to talk and she freaks out! How did she ever expect to start a life if she feared every stranger that dared to reach out to her?
Her breathing calmed as she went back into her apartment. At this rate, she would turn down every guy who talked to her. She stifled a small laugh. So much for grandkids, Mom!
Sitting down on the couch, she tried to think through what had just happened in the restaurant. A man had approached her and asked if she was alone. She had admitted it, but then made sure he knew she wasn’t interested. He sat down anyway and began a conversation. She had gotten up and left. Wow, if that wasn’t rejection, she didn’t know what else would be! Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to deal with him again. If she did, she would repeat her wishes to be left alone.
She thought back to the news broadcast. Amy had turned down the guy who supposedly killed her multiple times before she died. If this guy was the same guy, who’s to say that he wouldn’t come and get her tonight? What if he killed her too? Would he let her live if she agreed to date him?
The thought gave her the creeps. Just knowing that he might be watching her as she sat mulling over the situation on the couch was enough to make her want to run home to her mom. She raced through her apartment, making sure all the windows were locked and that the shades were down. If he was watching her, then she wouldn’t give him anything to watch. She returned to the couch and sat there in shock. Could she really be in danger? If she was, who would believe her other than Brent?
CHAPTER FOUR
He knew that he would try again soon. The pretty brunette was his match in every way, and he wouldn’t let her get away. She just didn’t get approached by many men. He had seen that in the past few weeks. Once she realized what a gem she really was, she would bloom into her true self.
Getting poetic now, huh, man?
He shook his inner thoughts out of his head and slid back into his hiding spot. This girl really was scared. He looked up and noticed that all of the shades were drawn and that there were no lights on in the apartment. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel afraid.
Annalise, I’m out here waiting for you! I just want a chance to get to know you. I think that you’re different from all the other girls I’ve had feelings for in the past.
He felt his heart throb with regret. He should have known that she wouldn’t like to be approached the way he had approached her. Next time he talked to her would be different. She would see that he just wanted to be a friend.
At that moment, he decided that the next time she came out, he would find some way to talk to her, to make sure that she was not afraid.
After the incident at the restaurant the previous night, Annalise was hesitant to go to work the next morning. As much as she told herself that she was just imagining her feelings, they just wouldn’t go away. The man who approached her gave her the creeps.
Forcing herself to leave the apartment, she rushed down the street to where she could be in heavy crowds of people rushing to work; the more people, the better. After she joined the stream of people, she felt slightly better. She felt safer knowing that she had other people around her if something should happen.
Slowing down slightly, she forced a few deep breaths and shook off the creepy feelings. This would be a good day for her. The head doctor had told her yesterday that she wanted to talk to her about a new job opportunity. Hopefully this opportunity came with more money.
The feeling of being followed came over her once again. She turned quickly, but she didn’t see anyone who seemed intent on following her. Knowing she was looking for a man with graying hair, every man around her that had gray hair gave her a feeling of being trapped. She forced herself to shake off the feelings.
Continuing on her way, she kept glancing behind her after every few moments, just in case she would recognize someone. She didn’t see anyone she could perceive as a danger, but some people weren’t who they seemed. As she opened the doctor’s office door, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was safe here. No one would dare hurt her in the middle of a busy doctor’s office.
Brent knew something didn’t seem right. Ever since his conversation with Annalise a few days ago, he was worried that there was something that she wasn’t telling him. When he brought it up last night, she simply denied it and claimed that she had just been working hard lately and was tired.
Annalise was a terrible liar. He could hear the strain in her voice as she tried to tell him about her new job and the little things she was buying for her apartment. She thought she could fool him.
He talked to her on the phone last night. There was something in her voice that told him something had happened that she didn’t want him to know. As much as he tried to get her to talk to him about what was bothering her, she kept insisting that everything was okay.
It was Friday and school had dismissed early that day, so he thought maybe he would just drop in on her tonight and see how she was really doing. He spontaneously jumped in his car and headed toward Chicago. The constant sense of fear and apprehension he felt needed to stop. If she was in danger, he would tie her up and drag her home with him.
He watched as she headed off to work. Following her had become a normal part of his day. She seemed so jumpy today though. Did he really scare her?
I just want to love and cherish you, Annalise…
Staying to the back of the crowd, he noticed her looking back several times. She couldn’t recognize him; he wore a baseball cap and sunglasses today. He looked like he was heading for a day at the park.
As she slipped into her work, he made the decision that would make him a happy man. He was going to go talk to her at work.
He slid open the front door and walked in with a smile on his face.
“Welcome, how can I help you?” she asked absently as she typed up something on the computer.
“Well, you can start by telling me your name,” he smiled down at her.
The look of utter shock on her face made him freeze. All the color in her features drained and he feared that she might pass out any moment.
“Why do you want to know my name? Sir, I don’t know you, and I’m not looking for anyone right now. So, if you could please just leave me alone, I would really appreciate it,” she nervously turned back to her work.
“I’ve noticed you around. You are a picture. I want to make you mine.” He smiled lovingly down at her. There was only one emotion that could be described in his eyes- obsession.
She just stared at him in shock. He knew he scared her, but he would show her that he really was a good guy.
“So what do you say, Annalise, do you want to get to know me as well as I already know you?” he smirked at her.
“Sir, please leave! I will call the police if you don’t!” she seemed stuck between fear and anger.
“You haven’t seen the last of me. When I want something, I always get what I want,” he said as he turned and exited the office.
He would just have to do this the hard way.
Shock raced up and down Annalise’s spine as she blankly stared at the door. He knew her name. Not only that, he claimed he knew more about her. How much more? Had he been following her? Tears raced down her face as Nancy, the medical assistant, came out to check for the next appointment.
“Annalise? Are you okay?” she hurried to place a reassuring hand on Annalise’s back. All Annalise could do was sob.
“H..he… This guy has been following me. He…he knows my name and told me he would get me,” she sobbed as the other young woman pulled her into her arms.
“Who is this guy?” Nancy didn’t know Annalise very well, but she knew that she seemed level-headed.
“He found me in a restaurant last night and tried to ask me out. I left quickly. He was just here, and I told him that I wasn’t interested in a relationship. He said his name is Paul. He then called me by name and told me he knew more about me. I’ve been getting a feeling of being watched since I moved here! I’m scared!” She was hysterical now.
Nancy took her to the back office and tried to get her to calm down. Annalise’s story sounded like something from a crime show, so she had to wonder if she was just imagining it. Maybe Annalise watched a little too much television. Maybe they were giving her nightmares.
“I’ll be okay,” she said as she wiped her eyes. “I will just call my best friend and have him come spend the weekend with me. It will be fine.”
The subject wasn’t pursued any further, and the day progressed as usual in the office. Everyone but Annalise seemed themselves. Deep inside, Annalise feared for her life.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!
How could he have scared her even more? He wanted to hold and protect her, not scare her!!! Something had to be done to make this right. Knowing her, she would call pretty boy to come visit her. He had to make sure that he talked to her first.
He quickly walked down the block towards her apartment. If Brent was to come before she got home, then he wanted to make sure that he was there too. He had worked too hard to let this one go.
Almost like it was a habit, he went up to her apartment, picked her lock, and let himself in. He opened all the shades and sat down on the couch with a bottle of water. Picking up a family picture album, he began to look through all the pictures of Annalise growing up. Was that a younger Brent in the picture? Had they known each other for a long time?
Angrily he threw down the album. Brent was in her life more than he could have ever imagined! How was he going to get rid of him?
He stood up and paced the floor. He had to take care of the guy. If there would be any hope of him having a relationship with Annalise, Brent had to go.
Now he hoped Brent would show himself first…
CHAPTER FIVE
Brent entered the city just as the evening rush hour was beginning. He should be able to be at Annalise’s apartment before she got home from work. If anything was wrong, she would come home with him tonight. She wasn’t going to risk her safety for a job.
Pulling into the parking garage at her apartment, Brent got an uneasy feeling. Something just wasn’t right. Annalise was keeping something from him. The sooner they got to the bottom of it, the better. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and headed for the elevator.
He wanted to see her, to make sure that she wasn’t hurt. The longer it took for the elevator to get to the parking garage, the more agitated he became.
With the rush of the appointments that day, Annalise hadn’t had time to call Brent to tell him she needed him to come to her apartment. She told herself that it would be okay, she would just call him when she got home. He would be there before she knew it.
Locking the front door of the office, she turned and glanced around her several times before beginning to walk home. The feelings of being followed had gone away, but she still saw the look in that man’s eyes as he told her that she would be his. If he knew where she worked, he must know where she lived as well. The thought chilled her to the bone. She grabbed the pepper spray from her purse and held it ready as she walked home.
It was a warm evening, but she still shook as if it were freezing. She hoped Brent would come tonight. He was the only one who sensed that something wasn’t right. As she remained alert to the floods of people around her, she kept thinking about what she would do. She needed to get out of the city.
Searching through Annalise’s things, he was able to find a few things that would assist him in his plan. If Brent got there before she did, he would tie him up and use him as bait. If she got home first, then he would tie her down and have a nice little talk with her.
Bathroom towels, some paper towels, and a few kitchen knives would do the trick. He arranged his findings around two kitchen chairs he had placed in the corner. He picked up the lamp that would serve to incapacitate the big guy. Now all he had to do was sit and wait.
About ten minutes later, he heard the sound of keys turning in the lock…
Brent felt something was really wrong when he stepped off of the elevator. Every sense in his body told him to turn and run. However, he kept reminding himself that his best friend might be on the other side of that door, and she might be in danger
Taking the keys from his pocket, he made his way toward the door. He took a deep breath as he put the key in the lock and entered the apartment.
At first sight, everything looked okay. Then he realized something was different. He knew that Annalise had been keeping her shades down, but every shade in her apartment was open. On the coffee table sat a bottle of water. She would neve
r leave her trash lying around. Annalise was a neat freak. Then he noticed the family album dumped on the floor by the couch. That album meant everything to her. She would never just leave it on the floor like that.
He stepped toward the album to pick it up off the floor. That’s when he knew that someone was right behind him. Brent couldn’t turn quickly enough. The sudden blow to his head made the entire world go black.
Annalise rushed to her apartment, confident that no one was following her this time. She pushed her key in the lock and let herself in. After locking the door, she turned around to lean up against the door and knew that something terrible was happening.
Her apartment wasn’t as she had left it that morning. All the shades were up and there were things lying about that she never would have left there. Clutching the pepper spray even harder, she slowly stepped further into her apartment.
She heard the moan before she saw him. Turning around, she saw Brent tied to her kitchen chair with a paper towel shoved in his mouth. Blood was pouring from a wound in his head. Her heart jumped in her chest as she rushed toward him.
“Not so fast, Annalise. We need to have a little talk, and I see that your boyfriend here wanted to take you out. When I’m done, you will be mine and this moron of a man will be out of your life forever,” the man from that morning said as he stepped out of the kitchen.
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