CHAPTER 10
In the following months, I started on the emancipation project immediately. Luckily Bob had many friends in high places in the Oceanview community, which worked to my advantage. An attorney friend of his showed me step by step what to do when it came to documentation. I had to list all the reasons why it was in my benefit to be on my own rather than where I was. Another thing that happened to be in my favor was that at this point in time, Sharon Mumford was listed as being my primary guardian. This made coming up with reasons for emancipation easy! I could have come up with reasons all day long and filled ten blank sheets of paper worth of statements that would have made Oceanview officials ashamed that they ever considered this worthless excuse for human life to be responsible for me.
Once the judge scheduled a hearing for the emancipation, he pretty much looked at my school attendance, my plan of how I would support myself, where I would move, my grades, and the documentation I provided in order to make a sound decision. I could tell by the look on his face that he was reading my reasons for emancipation regarding Sharon Mumford. He had gone from stern judge to being appalled as he frowned deeply and grunted in disapproval of the facts that I listed.
Sharon never responded to the certified mail that was sent to her from the courthouse, nor did she show up for the hearing. Knowing she hadn’t been in contact with Damien either, I had to conclude that she wasn’t even aware there was a hearing date set. Seeing how my parents were dead, I was a responsible, straight-A student who always showed up for school, and seeing the documentation that Sharon was a freak, it didn’t take more than five minutes for the judge to tell me I was now emancipated and free to live on my own.
Knowing what would happen if Lena became aware of my decision, I had not said a word to her about any of this. She had made it so easy not to tell her; in the past three months she only talked to me when she absolutely had to. Admittedly, in the beginning after she came back from the movie shoot, I pulled away a bit, but she took being distant to a completely new level. I hardly even saw her at school. Graduation night, Damien showed up just in time to see her cross the stage, and then he gave her a hug and rushed to the airport to catch a plane.
Lena could care less that he had only shown up for a moment. Damien had offered to send us both on a month-long Caribbean vacation as a graduation gift. I had declined because of my secret little plan I was weaving behind the scenes, but Lena jumped on it. That meant I had an entire month by myself to move out and settle in.
After consulting with Bob’s lawyer friend, I discovered that anything bought and given to me was a gift, so I could take anything such as furniture with me. Once Lena was gone, most of the crew from Spirits showed up with two moving trucks, and we all started taking everything I owned from my room. We left a note regarding my move and emancipation. Since I had had a few months to prepare, I had been ordering furniture for the apartment from magazines and online and having it delivered.
Bob was so nice; all I had to do was tell him when something was scheduled to be there and he would show up to let the deliverymen in with my purchases. I had done things this way not only to prevent Lena from catching on, but I wanted everything to be livable and ready in place when I arrived. We got everything moved in and set up with time to spare. To my surprise cable, Internet, and phone were all up and running as well.
The one thing I did not enjoy about the process was knowing I had to go by Allen Hearsch’s office to provide him with my documents, show I was emancipated, and give him my new address. Walking in gave me the icky feeling it always did as I felt a cold chill go up my spine. I sat in the red leather chair in front of Mr. Hearsch’s desk as he looked over the papers inside the folder with the usual grimace on his face. After shoving the folder in his desk drawer, he looked down at my hands that were resting on the edge of his desk, focusing his eyes on my ring finger as if he were trying to cut the ring off with laser vision.
“It looks like you have everything in order,” Mr. Hearsch said smugly.
“Mr. Hearsch, may I ask you a question?” I was scared to ask him what was on my mind. I never wanted to have more of a conversation with him than I had to, but I wanted more information.
“What is it?” he snapped as he stared at the ring, almost gritting his teeth.
“What do you know about Damien Montgomery and Sharon Mumford?”
“That you were living with Damien because Sharon is irresponsible. Are we done here?” “Yeah, but I meant as people. Do you know if they ever went by any other names?”
“Mattie, I really don’t have time for this,” he said with impatience as his eyes met mine, looking away from my ring.
“I’m sorry. I just thought you might know something.” I felt like a three-year-old in time out.
“I don’t, and I have other clients waiting, so if we’ve covered everything, then I will see you next time.”
Walking out of Allen Hearsch’s office always left me feeling as if he absolutely hated the fact that I was breathing. He was going to grow old and lonely if he kept this attitude issue up. There was no way he would ever get a date much less a wife! It would take someone incredibly special to put up with him. I know they say there is someone out there for everyone, but I was really beginning to doubt that there would ever be someone for him.
I got home to my new apartment building just after five and parked in the parking garage, when I saw Avan’s clean, waxed, glossy, white Mustang in my rearview mirror. I had given him my spare key so that he could come to my rescue in the event that I locked myself out, so I figured he had probably shown up to surprise me and say hi. Walking across the row of parking spaces, I entered the glass doors that lead to the first floor where there was an information desk, restroom, some couches, and elevators. I pushed the arrow pointing up, hearing the faint ding that let me know the elevator was on its way down to get me. A few seconds later the elevator gave another faint ding as the doors opened, revealing Avan leaning against the handrail.
“What are you doing here so early?” I asked, smiling, as he welcomed me into a hug.
“I live here.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah, everybody that works at Spirits lives on the seventh floor. You didn’t know that?” He gave a little laugh.
“You never told me that!”
“It’s listed on the directory downstairs. I’m sorry, Mattie, I thought you would see it.” “I’m not mad. I just wish I’d known so I didn’t feel so far away from you sometimes. That’s all.”
“I’ve told you before that any time you need me all you have to do is say my name and I’ll come as fast as I can,” he said, kissing my forehead and squeezing me.
“I know, but I’m never in trouble. Sometimes I just miss you. I know I see you all the time, but it gets lonely when I’m alone.”
“That’s when you need me the most then. Loneliness tends to make people get in trouble.”
“Not me. People tend to get me in trouble.”
“Not anymore. I’ll have to do something to them that they won’t enjoy if they try to get you in trouble.”
The elevator stopped on floor eight and Avan walked me to my door, taking out his keys and unlocking it before twisting the handle and pushing it open so I could enter first. I loved how four months had passed since the first day he opened a door for me and he continued to do so.
The apartment that now belonged to me was beautiful. The walls were a light brown/beige color with white trim and crown molding on the ceilings. I had a gas fireplace that I liked much better than real wood because I could just turn it on with a remote control. The furniture I picked out was brown leather and cherry wood, which matched various wall hangings and a few paintings. The kitchen was bigger than most of the apartment kitchens I had seen, but not huge.
The cabinets matched the cherry wood on the furniture and the countertops were black granite with traces of white and silver. I had picked out a table with a granite top and cherry wood legs that seated four; it sat at the end of the kitchen in the dining area. Since the apartment was a three bedroom, two and a half bath with a laundry room, I turned one room into an office area, took the master bedroom for myself, and left the third bedroom as a guest room.
Avan stretched himself out on the sofa, looking so comfortable he could fall asleep. I went into the kitchen to rummage around for something that would cure my hunger problem. I hated days when nothing sounded good. I had all my favorite foods stocked in the cabinets and the refrigerator, but nothing sounded good enough to make me want to eat it. I went from the cabinet to the refrigerator, back and forth, until I finally came to the conclusion that if it was this difficult to decide what to eat, then I was clearly not as hungry as I thought I was. I closed the refrigerator and pulled a few sticky notes off the calendar that hung on the front, reminding me of tasks I had already completed.
I wadded the notes in my hand and tossed them into the trashcan underneath the kitchen sink before making my way back to the living room. I found Avan lying in the same position as he had dozed off into a nap. I crawled over the back of the couch and curled up next to him between his body and the back of the couch; I rested my head on his shoulder. He turned himself toward me without opening his eyes and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close to him.
I watched Avan sleep for so long that I lost track of what time it was. He looked relaxed as he lay there not having to think about anything. His breathing was steady and deep as I listened. His hair fell across the cushion of the couch, looking so soft it made me want to run my fingers through it. I loved being here with him. He was always so strong and confident, but I loved seeing him vulnerable and cute too.
The way his head titled and the profile of his jaw made me want to trace my finger down his face and pull him in for a kiss, but I knew it would wake him so I resisted the temptation and rested my hand over his heart instead. Before I knew it my breathing matched his as I listened to his steady heartbeat and for the first time I drifted to sleep in his arms.
When I woke up it was dark and Avan was no longer beside me. I disliked that I was no longer in his arms anymore as I sat up, trying to focus my eyes. Swinging my feet to the floor I walked through the kitchen and down the hallway, where I noticed a faint light coming from the office. I neared the door and looked inside to find Avan leaning back reading a book by candlelight. For a minute I just stayed in the doorway admiring how he looked in the candle light, wishing it were over dinner rather than spying on him.
“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said, looking in my direction.
“How long was I asleep?”
“I would say about two hours longer than me.”
“So in other words we really have no idea,” I said with a small laugh.
“Long enough to know how cute you are when you talk about me in your sleep,” He replied with a smile and looked up from the book in his hand.
“I do not!”
“Oh, you do.”
“Seriously?”
“Clear as a bell!” he added, clearly enjoying it.
“Have you ever read this?” Avan asked, flipping to the cover of the book.
“I’m not sure. What’s it called?”
“It’s a journal.”
“No, I don’t know of any journals. It must have been left here from before,” I said, not really interested by a book of ranting entries compiled together about some stranger’s life.
“You should give it a try sometime. It’s pretty interesting stuff,” he replied putting it back on the shelf.
Agreeing that we were both starving, we decided to make dinner, even though it was 1:00 a.m. Neither of us felt like making a huge mess or cleaning up, so we settled for frozen pizzas and bottled water. We cuddled on the couch watching reruns on TV, not feeling nearly tired enough to fall asleep again anytime soon. As the commercials came on between segments, we laughed at the ones for different medications; they insisted to viewers that they should ask their doctor about starting on them after they just listed every ailment known to mankind as a possible side effect.
Who on earth would want to ask their doctor about getting on a medication that could cause severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, headaches, rashes, diarrhea, and in some cases death? Even if it cured cancer and aids, if it could cause all that stuff it certainly would not be worth it in my opinion! These companies were not rich enough to pay me enough money to take a medication that might cause all that mess!
We were laughing until we nearly fell off the couch as we made up our own commercials for fictitious products, being sure to add hideous side effect possibilities. I was laughing so hard my sides hurt as Avan went on and on about some made up wart removal that would rid children of the ugliest of stepmothers, and how if you acted now you could receive not one but two bottles of the product for one low price, if they paid separate shipping and processing fees.
As hard as I was laughing the feeling that someone was watching us suddenly overwhelmed me. My laughter stopped instantly as I felt my face turn serious. Avan noticed right away and asked me what was wrong. I was unsure of how to explain someone was watching us on the eighth floor locked inside my apartment but I knew that we were. I told him the feeling had come over me, and he told me not to worry and that there was nothing that could reach me here. I am not sure what had drawn me to do so, but I got up from the couch and looked out the window down toward the street. Standing there underneath the lamppost was a man dressed in black from his hat down to his shoes, staring right back up at me as if he were able to make eye contact with me.
I backed away from the window as quickly as I could, hoping I was too high up for him to realize I had seen him. I told Avan to see if he could get a better view. He rushed over to the window, but by the time he got there the man was gone. He assured me that there was no possible way anyone could set foot in this building without Bob’s permission, so that lamppost was as close as this guy was going to be able to get to me. Still, sensing my discomfort, he told me he would stay here with me until I felt safe enough.
I knew Avan would do everything in his power to keep me out of harm’s way, but it did not stop me from being scared. What could this person want? I had kept my apartment a secret. How could anyone besides my friends at Spirits, the judge, and my accountant know where I had gone? It made no sense of how word could have spread so fast that I was no longer at Lena’s anymore. I had even graduated and left behind the popular-girl rumor mill! High school was the gossip central of Oceanview! Also, it was summer; most people were either on vacation or spending all their time oiled up on a beach! What was so interesting about me that someone had to follow me and harass me?
Just as the question had popped in my head, I considered a possible answer. Ian Bentley. It had been months since I heard from him. Since Lena had come back from the movie shoot, I had not even heard his name. He had stopped all of the nonsensical texting and over-the-top voice messages on my phone. I also stopped receiving any more threatening notes. Ian was looking better and better as the prime suspect, but what could he possibly gain from all this?
If Ian Bentley wanted to scare me it did not require having to dress up or leave notes—all he had to do was show his face. I could barely stand it when I heard the name Ian randomly out in public. In stores I would catch myself hiding behind shelves, scouting out the area before coming back out into view just to make sure no one was talking to the same Ian. The memory of our only date plagued me day in and day out.
Reading my mind again, Avan tensed every muscle in his body like a tiger getting ready to pounce on an unsuspecting victim. I could tell he was ready to stalk the darkened streets and alleyways until he found Ian and gave him a lesson he would never forget. Debating on calling the police to report this person as a stalker, I weighed my options. Sure I lived in a very secure building, but this individual knew how to find me; there was no way I could just stay in the top of Angel Towers behind a locked door for the rest of my life!
At least if I called the police and had them come fill out a report, then it would be on file if something ever did happen, and they would know better than to think I was just missing by choice. The bad thing was that until I knew who it was, filing for a restraining order was pointless. I pinned it on Ian Bentley because he seemed like the most likely suspect, but I had no concrete evidence. The other key thing in this situation is that I was actually the only person who had ever seen this guy. The first thing the police would ask was why I decided not to call the very first time I received a note on my car.
I knew they were going to want answers to questions that I simply did not have good answers to. Seeing as how once again I was stuck at a fork in the road with insufficient evidence, I opted not to get the police involved. I remembered Detective O’Donoly telling me three years ago that I could always call him, but I just felt like he would think I was suffering from PTSD. The last thing I needed to do was give a detective an open invitation to my peculiar life. Grabbing Avan’s hand, I pulled him back on to the couch with me, where he cuddled me close the rest of the night in his rock, solid arms where not even the dark feeling could penetrate his protective embrace.
Even sitting here with Avan I was plagued with the thought of how I felt when I looked out the window and saw the figure under the lamppost. Pulling away from Avan, I suddenly felt the need to go downstairs and check everything out. I knew Avan had told me no one could enter Angel Towers unless they lived here or had special clearance from Bob, but I wanted to see for myself if this person was lurking about, waiting for me in the shadows.
I knew I was surrounded by people who would do anything in their power to ensure that no harm would ever come to me, so why did I still feel like I needed to go and check out the area where the figure had been? I could not make sense of any of this in my mind, but nothing could stop me from going to make sure everything was all right. After several minutes of insistent whining and begging, Avan agreed to check things out, but I was to follow rather than lead and not take any chances that could lead to something happening to me.
Opening the door, Avan looked up and down the hallway before walking out the door. Once he was in the hallway, he went up and down each direction before coming to the decision that it was safe and no one was there. I waited for him to pop his head back inside the door to tell me the coast was clear before I followed behind him down the hall to the elevator. Pushing the button, I could tell Avan was not one bit crazy about going downstairs to look for the person who was invading my life and privacy. The sound of the elevator made him take a defensive stance as he braced himself to take on anything that might be inside the elevator.
As the doors came open and slid apart, it was clear no one was inside, but before getting in, Avan insisted on checking the ceiling tiles and the door to be certain it was completely safe. Walking inside, we pressed the buttons, closed the doors, and headed to the ground floor as Avan looked over his shoulder, instructing me again to let him lead the way. I knew why he was being so over protective. After all, I was oblivious to which way the creep had gone and being the wee hours of the morning, there were not many people who would notice if anything went wrong. In fact, I was not even sure anyone could hear us from the parking garage at all.
The elevator doors slid open as we made our way out into the large, empty lobby. The furniture was in the same place and clearly untouched. The front doors appeared as though they had been unused since last evening, and everything seemed to be silent with no detection of anyone being remotely close. Avan walked to the plate-glass windows that lined the lobby and took a look outside, noting every detail of what he saw mentally. I was sure all he saw were the same things I did when I looked out of them. A pitch-black sky was just outside the window that looked down on a sleeping world.
A lamppost next to the street cast a halo of light around the bulb and shone down onto the sidewalk and grass. I knew there were flowers and trees decorating the outside of the building, but it was too dark to distinguish them. From this angle all they resembled were dark eerie shadows that sent chills down my spine. The hair on my neck and arms rose as I thought of the stalker camouflaged in their protection, waiting for me to come looking for him so he could strike.
Convinced that there was no one in front of the building Avan, signaled for me to follow him toward the entrance to the parking garage. When we walked out of the building I felt a sudden change. Inside Angel Towers I always felt calm, collected, and safe. At the moment I left the doorway of the building I felt vulnerable again. I could definitely tell that whatever protection Angel Towers provided, once you left the safe haven created by its walls, you were a sitting duck for whatever or whoever may be after you! I just wanted to run back inside and get back into my apartment behind closed doors, safe from the entire world where nothing could touch me. However, I was the one who came up with this idea so, there was no way I could be the loser that wimps out and runs the other direction, especially after nagging Avan into agreeing with my idiotic plan to be a CSI! I had to keep my composure and suck it up!
Walking through the covered walkway leading into the parking garage, a dark uncomfortable feeling surrounded me; I felt I was being watched. The goose bumps rose all along my skin, making me feel as if the temperature dropped at least fifteen degrees with no warning. I stopped walking, and Avan sensed I was feeling something as he turned and made eye contact. Within seconds he went from over-protective boyfriend mode to attack-dog mode.
Grabbing my hand tightly, he pulled me close behind him, blocking me from whatever we might encounter as we ventured farther from the doorway of Angel Towers. My heart went from its steady beat inside my chest to threatening to explode right through the skin it was pulsing so hard and rapid. A wind whipped by, chilling us to the bone without warning and making me shiver—another red flag that something was wrong.
Reaching the entrance of the parking garage, Avan kept me close by him. I neither saw nor heard anything, but Avan must have sensed it somehow. Instantly his head turned to the right as he focused on a row of cars across the garage. The way he reacted reminded me of an animal that had just felt the small, almost undetectable tremors within the earth before an earthquake took place. Giving me the signal to stay quiet and follow him, I nodded and fell into his footsteps. Careful not to touch any of the cars for fear of setting off the alarms, we moved silently between the rows as we edged closer to where Avan had sensed movement.
The closer we inched our way forward, the more nervous I became. It was clear we were heading straight toward my parked car. I was still clutching Avan’s hand in mine, and I could feel my palm becoming sweaty as a stress reaction; I hoped he dismissed thoughts that I was gross and disgusting. If he noticed at all, it seemed not to bother him one bit. I knew that was the last thing on his mind as we were only a few feet from my car where he was focusing all of his attention.
Remembering how my senses had seemed to heighten a few months ago, I wondered if I could make them do whatever they had done that morning again. I had never given much thought to it since that day; I assumed it had been something going on with my head. I focused my eyes on my car, and instantly they responded. I could focus on every fleck of paint that shined in the dim light of the garage. I zoomed out, taking a good look, but I noticed nothing out of the ordinary from where we were standing. I zoomed out more until I returned to normal sight deciding to see if I could manipulate my hearing. I listened hard until I could hear birds outside in the trees, a mouse in the alley behind the building, and then I noticed it.
As I concentrated on the car, I could hear the two sounds as plainly as if I were peeking around the back end of my car. I could hear a nervous heartbeat and shallow breathing, as if whoever it was couldn’t decide if they should run or stay; they were hoping we would leave, convinced nothing was out of the ordinary. I heard their weight shift behind the car as Avan reacted by tensing like a lion low to the ground and concentrating on its prey before going in for the kill. What was beyond my understanding was why he reacted. I was heightening my senses to be able to hear these small sounds, so how in the world had he heard them? To anyone else the garage would seem totally empty.
Faster than I could realize what happened, Avan took off running toward my car as the mysterious man dressed in black ran for the exit. Avan whispered back at me to get in the car and lock the doors. How did he know I would hear him if he whispered? The sound of their shoes slamming against the concrete floor reverberated inside my head as I backed up against a cold concrete pillar in between rows of parked cars. This was getting stranger by the second.
I knew why he would want to prevent the man from knowing what he had instructed me to do, but I had never told him about the weird sensory thing I could do. I had never told anyone! I had no understanding of it myself. For all I knew I was just the freak down the street who thought she had magic powers! I tried my hardest to forget it had ever happened over the past few months, so I never had to deal with my oddity. How in the world would I have explained that to anyone?
Keeping my eyes on them, it blew my mind how fast both Avan and the man were running! What was more noticeable was how neither of them seemed to be laboring for breath. It was as though they were both used to running like this on a daily basis. I knew Avan worked out in the gym at our apartment building, but watching him run after the intruder, both of them resembled cross-country runners who had done intense cardio training for years. I had no idea Avan was that fast!
The space between them remained, never getting any smaller, even though they were running so fast. Within a few minutes, they darted out the entrance of the garage, hurdling the arm of the guard preventing those who were required to pay or failed to have a parking pass from pulling their car inside.
Avan had told me to stay in the car with the doors locked, but I had to see what was going on. I hated to think that Avan was exhausting himself as he chased after my phantom of the night. I jogged toward the entrance and looked around into the street. There was no trace of either of them in the street lamps. I wondered what had happed to them or where they could have gone. It was as if they disappeared into thin air. I strained my ears as much as I could, and still all I could hear was silence in the dead of night. I needed to know Avan was all right. If something happened to him, I knew I would never be able to live with myself. It would be my fault.
Whoever this person was, it was clear they wanted me, not Avan. He had gotten involved in all this crazy mess because of me, and now he had put himself in harm’s way in order to protect me! How far would this person go to get to me? Would he be willing to kill to get to me? What if this could be the one who killed my parents and framed it to look like a murder/suicide? Would he be willing to kill Avan to get to me? All his notes were written in third person, so was he working with someone else or a group of people? What if they expected Avan to get involved to protect me and they had set this whole thing up? He could have run after the creep right into a trap and they could have taken him, or worse! I had to find Avan and know he was okay. There was no other option. If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have to deal with all this and he certainly wouldn’t be in danger.
Concluding that I had to find Avan, I decided to go against what he had instructed me to do, and I walked past the car toward the opposite end of the garage. I made my way to the door that led to the passage leading into Angel Towers to look on that side in case he was hurt on the side street somewhere. Stepping onto the sidewalk, I looked up and down both directions, but Avan was nowhere in sight. Considering the intruder couldn’t get in Angel Towers anyway, it was unlikely that they would have come in this direction. I wasn’t sure why I had chosen to look here first. Maybe I knew that I had the reassurance of making my way into the building if danger presented itself.
Convinced I was alone, I walked beside the garage and around the corner to the front, keeping a watchful eye as I passed in front of the guard. I still saw no sign of either Avan or the man in black. I listened carefully, not even hearing the sound of footsteps. My hearing was so heightened I should have been able to hear their footsteps from yards away with the night being so silent! Where could they have gone so fast? Just then I heard someone’s feet hit the ground at the same time, as though they’d jumped off of something and landed on the concrete. The only thing was the sound that came from the alley on the opposite end of the garage.
Peering around the corner of the garage into the alley, I just knew I would find Avan there, but even with my heightened sight, my vision was sketchy back here. The lighting in the alley was fairly nonexistent lit only by was the moon as there were no lampposts, no lights by back entrances to the businesses, no nothing. In the moonlight I could see slick spots of what I assumed was some kind of nasty mixture of liquids from Dumpsters, oil from leaky cars, and leftover puddles of rain. I jumped as I saw something move to my right but realized it was a rat running from an alley cat. The cat looked emaciated and matted, as though it had seen its fair share of fights defending its territory.
Dumpsters lined the alley, along with cardboard boxes strung here and there. The brick on the back of the buildings had graffiti that I couldn’t make out in the dim light. I fought against my gag reflex as the smell of rotting garbage and dead mice crept into my nose, making my eyes water. Just standing in the entry of the alley, I felt as if a film of filth covered my skin; it made my clothes smell like the corroding nastiness that surrounded me. I could not believe anything this disgusting could be located anywhere near Angel Towers! Steam was coming up through storm drains along the alley, which made it difficult to see.
The smell of sewage came in waves from a manhole that was missing its lid. I had no desire to set foot in this alley, but I had heard shoes on the pavement and I knew Avan had to be back here somewhere. Weighing the fact that he had not come out yet, I was sure he had to be injured and was probably sitting next to one of these grimy, disgusting walls. I imagined his clothes soaking up the essence of rotting food, dead animals, human excrement, and other unmentionable filth. I had to find him and help him. I owed it to him to face a little discomfort after what all he had done for me.
I started into the repulsive alley, taking one small step at a time whispering Avan’s name. Every time I opened my mouth to say his name I nearly threw up. I had smelled some pretty gross things in Sharon’s house before but this kind of filth was almost its own art form. This was a whole new level of nasty. Making my way through a blast of steam, I tripped, which caused me to lose my balance. By the grace of God I was able to steady myself before falling onto the ground, which was covered in a shiny liquid that made the soles of my shoes stick as I walked. Suddenly a new repulsive scent caught my nose; it made me instantly bend over and retch. Standing up after losing all stomach contents and adding to the disgust in the alley with my own personal touch, I assessed where the smell could have come from.
Looking down, it was obvious I had tripped over what appeared to be a soiled adult diaper that had gotten its contents all over my shoe. I had to fight the urge of being sick again as I tried to scrape my shoe against the brick wall in a failed attempt to rake off the excrement. I swallowed hard, reminding myself this was a small price to pay compared to what Avan had done for me. I forced myself to pull it together as I made my way deeper into the alley that only seemed to get darker the farther I went.
I made my way about halfway down the alley when I heard a shuffling sound behind me. I turned around, but no one was there.
“Who’s there?” I asked in a voice that was much more unsure and nervous than I meant for it to be as it shook.
“Matalyn, calm down. I’m not here to hurt you,” a low voice said.
I looked around, but I was unable to tell where it had come from. About that time a dark figure stepped out from behind a stack of boxes. I still had no way of deciphering who it was, but I knew from his frame that he was the stalker in black that had been leaving me messages.
“What do you want?”
“I need to give you something.”
“Come into the light,” I said. I knew I was taking a risk, but I had no intention of taking anything from a stranger.
When he stepped into the light, I could hardly believe it. I had always thought Allen Hearsch was a freak of nature, but I had never in my life thought he would resort to stalking me. Caught off guard, I lost the ability to know how to react well. My accountant had been the creep that followed me and left me creepy, threatening notes. What I did know was that he better have one heck of a good excuse and Avan better be in perfect condition, or losing a client would become the least of his worries.
“Allen Hearsch? What is the meaning of all this? What are you trying to do? What have you done with Avan? Where is he?” I shouted, realizing I was angrier than I had acknowledged.
“I know it looks bad, Matalyn, but just give me a chance to explain.”
“Oh, you have about two minutes before you regret that you ever met me if I’m not satisfied with what you have to say!”
I had no idea what my next move would be to turn my threat into a promise. I knew physically the odds probably weren’t in my favor, seeing how athletic he actually was earlier. Mentally I was smart, but he was a CPA. If this were a poker game, I would be forced to fold. But we were standing in an alley playing poker with life instead of cards, so the only thing I could do was keep an excellent poker face and make him think I was holding a royal flush!
“Matalyn, there are some things you need to know. First of all, some of the people in your life aren’t who you think they are—”
“Oh, like my accountant, who is a stalker that leaves me threatening notes? You should know that’s illegal and I have every intention of pressing charges now that I know it was you!”
“Just hear me out, Matalyn. There are people who will come for you. They are already after you now, and you just haven’t realized it. They need you, and you are the only one who can fulfill their mission. I know it seems unbelievable, but it’s true. The reason I had to sneak around and leave the clues is because a long time ago your father and I worked with them. If they learn I found out about their plans, I will be found out and unable to get close enough to get the information you need to stay out of danger. Please trust me, Matalyn!”
“So these are people you and my dad helped? Like old clients?”
“No, Matalyn, these people are much worse than any client your father ever represented.”
“How did you and my dad get involved with such bad people? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I know it’s difficult to understand, but I have something for you that will explain everything. After you get it I promise I will answer any questions you have.”
“Why did you stare at my ring like it made you mad last week? Why do you hate me so much if you are trying to help me?”
“Matalyn, you have to understand, these people keep track of what I do. I have to make sure they have no idea that I’m on your side. You have no idea what they are capable of. I made your father a promise that I would protect you at all costs. Part of that requires me to act as if I don’t care in front of everyone else so that no one catches on to that. When I saw your ring, I knew it was time for you to know who you are, what you are, and why you are so important. I knew when I saw the ring that the one who was made for you had found you.”
“So my dad didn’t commit the crime he was accused of?” I asked as my heart told me Allen was telling the truth.
“Absolutely not! Your parents were killed by cold-blooded murderers!”
“Because they were after me…”
“Yes.”
“So it’s my fault they’re dead,” I stated as I tried to hold back my tears.
“No, Matalyn, none of this is your fault. Never think that! It is more of a tragedy that you have to be caught in the middle of all of this. I am so very sorry that your parents didn’t have the chance to explain everything.”
“If you knew they were both murdered, then why didn’t you stand up and say anything? Oh, I forgot, you can’t because of your false loyalty to whoever the gang of murderers are. Awesome.”
“Matalyn, I can understand you hating me, but I swear I’ve only done these things to protect you. There are three things that you need to understand all of this. Two of the items are in a safety deposit box at the bank. When you retrieve them, do not let anyone at the bank see them until after you have been home to reflect carefully over both of them.”
“Okay, can you tell me what they are? Where is the third one located?”
“The first item is a detailed letter from your father explaining what is happening as well as what happened to him and your mother, in addition to explaining why. The second item is a charm bracelet your father gave me with charms of angels that the letter explains about too. The third item is one you should read last. It is somewhere in your apartment. It is a journal your father wrote about his mission before he became your father. It isn’t a long journal, but it will show you what he was like before he changed into someone good. It is important that you read this last so that it doesn’t deter you from reading the letter which is the most crucial.”
“My bracelet? How do I get into the lock box?” I inquired.
“In your apartment in the desk that was your father’s, there is a drawer with a secret compartment in the back. Inside the compartment you will find a key with a paper tag attached that has the safety deposit box number on it.”
“So where do you fit into all this?”
“It’s all explained in detail in your father’s letter, but for the sake of having at least one answer tonight, I’ll give you the short version. I was a friend of your mother’s. We came from the same place. I was sent here on protection detail for her working undercover. When she met your father, I warned her not to get involved, but because she was in love, she didn’t care about consequences or how it would throw everything we knew out of balance. In an unplanned turn of events, you were born and I decided to stay here working undercover to protect you at your father’s request. The letter will explain everything you need to know.”
“So you’re an undercover cop?”
“Um, not really, but if I had a badge, let’s just say I would be, like, the mother of all cops. You’ll understand when you read the letter. Oh, one more thing, the materials you are about to read will seem unbelievable, but once you do, you need to know that you will never see the world the same way you do now ever again. That is what will make you know it is real. Avan is up in your apartment. He is good for you; trust him. He is here to help you through this as well. He will also be able to help you with any questions as well,” Allen said, winking.
I turned to look up at Angel Towers, wondering if Avan could see me from the window of my apartment. When I turned back to tell Allen good-bye, he was nowhere in sight. Once again I could not make out any sound of footsteps. The only thing I could hear was the flapping of wings in the night sky. With that I walked out of the alley and back to the entrance of Angel Towers, discarding my shoes in a trashcan in front of the building before putting on my socks. Avan asked how the conversation went and explained when he found out it was Allen sneaking around, he knew it was okay to let him talk with me. I was so exhausted I needed sleep before I could even discuss the details of what Allen and I had discussed. I curled up on the couch beside Avan and drifted into a deep sleep as the sun started to rise.