Death Waxed Over - Tim Myers [3]
At I came back inside, Becka grabbed my shoulder. “Did you see him? Did you?”
“Nobody’s out there,” I said.
“Harrison, he must have ducked into one of the shops. I’ve never seen his face; he always hides in the shadows. I’m telling you, he was there a minute ago.”
I led her to the office in back, offered her my chair, then took Eve’s regular seat. “You need to take a deep breath and tell me what’s been happening.” Becka wasn’t my favorite ex-girlfriend, not after I’d learned about her argument with my late Great-Aunt Belle just before she’d died, but we’d meant something to each other once, and I couldn’t turn my back on that. It would have probably been easier to help a stranger, someone I had no history with, but regardless of what had gone on before between us, I couldn’t abandon her now.
“It started last week,” she said softly. “At first I thought it was just my imagination, but I kept getting this creepy feeling that I was being watched, you know? He’s not going to be content just shadowing me, I realize that now. He’s trying to engage me in something, but I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Are you saying he’s done something more direct?” I asked.
“Harrison, I’m not imagining this. I wouldn’t. He’s stalking me, I know it.”
“Take it easy, I believe you.”
After she hesitated a second, she added, “It’s getting worse.” I could see her shiver slightly as she continued. “Today when I got back to my car from grocery shopping, there was a note on my windshield that said, i need to see more of you, printed out in big block letters.”
“What did you do?”
“I panicked,” she said. “Normally I’m not afraid of anything or anybody, but this is really creeping me out.”
I tore the note up and drove straight here. He must have followed me.”
“You came to me?” I couldn’t believe Becka was willing to admit she needed me for anything.
“Harrison, we may have had our problems in the past, but you’re the one person in the world I know I can always count on.”
Becka prided herself on her independence, so I knew what that statement must have cost her. “The first thing we need to do is call the sheriff.”
“Do you honestly think he’ll be able to help me?”
‘Truthfully, I’m not sure what he can do at this point, but we still need to let him know what’s going on.”
She snapped, “What’s it going to take, an all-out attack from the man? I can’t stand feeling this way, but I won’t let the police think I’m a fool, either. Forget it.”
I stood and leaned against the wall. “I just don’t know what else I can do. I’m here if you need me, you know that.”
She stood and put a hand on my shoulder. “Believe me, I know that, Harrison. Honestly, I feel better just telling you about it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to phone the police? I’d be glad to make the call for you.”
She shook her head. “No, not until I’ve got something to show them. It was foolish of me to tear up that note, I realize that now.” She hesitated a moment, then added, “Do you know what I’m going to do? The next time I see him, I’m going to turn around and confront him.”
It was a lousy idea, but I couldn’t say it that openly. “Do you honestly think that’s the best course of action to take?”
“Don’t worry about me, Harrison, I’ll be fine. I’m betting once he knows I’m not afraid of him anymore, he’ll run away like a scared little boy.” She opened her purse and pulled out a red cylinder. “Besides, I’ve got this Mace for protection if he tries anything.”
“At least let me walk you to your car.”
She nodded. “I’d appreciate that.”
Eve was trying her best not to let on that she’d been eavesdropping when Becka and I walked toward the front door. “I’ll just be a minute,” I told her.
“Take your time,” Eve said, though her gaze never left my ex-girlfriend.
I walked Becka to her car, all the while searching the parking lot and