Afraid in the Dark (Stalker Series Book One)

by Rita Hestand

  "Oh yeah, I'm just planning my vacation, Martin," He read his name tag too.

  "How can you take a vacation so soon?" The manager asked good-naturedly.

  "Oh yes, well, I'm preplanning this. I'm pre-paying my trip over and back with a tour guide, and so I won't have to take so much cash with me, or travelers checks."

  "I'd recommend the travelers checks myself."

  "Say, would it be possible to pull that cash out now and then put some in my checking account every month then?"

  "Sure, we could transfer like a nine thousand a month to your checking. But if the IRS contacts you, you better have a statement for them."

  "Oh sure."

  He smiled at her, "It is your money though."

  "Yes, it is."

  "Your father told me you didn't want to touch it." The manager said as he made the first cash transaction for her.

  "I didn't. But a friend of mine told me about this fabulous vacation she took, and I've never been abroad so well, I would love to go. It's a chance of a lifetime. You know I've only been here and Lone Oak and Houston, I want to see more. Can you blame me?"

  "Well, glad you are going to indulge a little. You are young and you should see as much of it as you can." He agreed. "Your grandparents certainly did."

  "Dad doesn't agree with me. But I think it will be enlightening."

  He nodded. Then he handed her the money and a receipt. "And I'll get this fixed up so that you'll have some extra cash flow in your checking account. When you feel, you have enough, let us know and we'll stop the deposits."

  "Well, putting that much in your checking isn't wise. Especially if you travel. When you are ready why don't you come see me about some travelers checks."

  "Thanks Martin, you've been very helpful." She smiled and they walked out of the bank.

  The young teller looked at him. "I thought she wasn't going to touch that money."

  "Yeah, me too, but can't blame her, can you? She's going to Europe."

  "No, not really. Just seemed strange to me."

  Then another gentleman bumped into them and he stared in disbelief. "Good heavens Melane, I thought you were in the hospital."

  "Oh…I was just released."

  "Why didn't you let me know. I mean Jesse called and told me about it. I wanted to come up there, but he said you were connected to a million tubes and going to be put in a coma. How are you, honey?"

  "I'm fine, really. A little unsteady on my feet. Anxious to get back home so I can rest."

  "Aren't you coming to the house and seeing your mother before you return, we've been worried out of our minds you know."

  "Oh," She pulled away realizing this was Melanie's father. "Well, I'm all better now. I had to come get some money out of the bank so I could pay the doctor bills, they were rather large you know."

  "You should have asked me for it. You didn't have to touch that money. And who is this?" He asked looking straight at Dex.

  "Oh, this is Dex, you remember, I told you about him."

  "Oh yes, but Jesse was up there where is he now?"

  "He had some business to attend to."

  "Well ya'll come on to the house and have some lunch with us. You don't have to get back right now and your mother has been worried sick about you."

  "Oh dad, I'd love to, but I'm still pretty shaky on my feet. I'd really like to get home and rest a bit." She told him. "I haven't even gone back to work yet."

  Her father frowned. "She'll be so disappointed."

  "I'm sorry dad, I really can't stay." Norma reached to kiss the man on the cheek, then headed for the car door. "I'm not feeling well yet."

  Her father stared after them as they pulled out of the parking lot. He was standing there shaking his head. Dex stared into the rear-view mirror. "That was a close call. You handled it well though. Never dreamed we'd run into so many people." He waited until they were in the car and headed back before he said a word. "Julia sure won't like this."

  "I thought we were leaving together."

  "Well, I know, but since we can't get the money right away, we'll have to wait until it builds up. It looks like we'll have to stick around a while."

  "I got her debit card, we don't have to come back silly. We just wait every month for the deposit to hit."

  "Damn hick towns. They don't do anything right." Dex cursed.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Julia walked into the Elkins Clinic and Hospital that night with her nurse's uniform on. She prided herself on living in a world where her rules of laws dominated. Unleashing a facet of her life she'd never exposed before, greed made her hunger to change the mundane in her life. She had a spirit of recklessness, and a dash of the devil himself inside her. She wasn't polished at being a villain, but she'd learn. Her confidence spurred her to danger itself. She easily overrode her ignorance. It was exhilarating, and she knew instinctively she could get to liking it.

  She was nearing the nurse's station now. The night nurse was on the phone. She waited for her chance to slip by, confident that she could carry out her own mission.

  She passed a few people in the front hall and they all stared at her, but she kept moving. There were only a skeleton crew on duty. It would be easy to slip in and give Melanie the dose of poison that would surely kill her. She formed a mental picture of her success. She had been a firm believer that success had to be envisioned, before it became a reality.

  She had her syringe in her pocket. He confidence soared.

  That is until she saw the cop at the end of the hall. It had to be Melanie's room. Now what was she going to do.

  She spoke to him and he followed her into the room.

  Tension filled the room. What was she going to do? She couldn't do it in front of him. When he turned his back on her, she stabbed him with the syringe.

  Damn, she hadn't planned on that.

  She drug him into the bathroom, laying him in the shower and pulling the curtain so he wouldn't be noticed right away. She hadn't brought enough poison for two. She changed clothes, leaving her uniform stuffed inside the bathroom trash can, she put her street clothes on and left.

  It would have to wait until another time.

  She ran out as soon as the hall was clear and slipped out a back door. It meant she had to walk around the entire complex, but at least no one saw her. There was no moon to betray her either.

  She walked forever, until she got back on the street she came in on, she'd broken a heel and she had to take her shoes off to walk. It wasn't that far to her car now and she found her car in a crowded parking lot where she'd left it. There was no attendant, but she could pay the fee and the rail guard would open for her. She slid behind the wheel and put her head on the steering wheel. Frustration climbed all over her. She'd taken such a risk and killed the wrong person. Nothing was going right. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. "It's almost over now. I can't give it up now. We are too close."

  She sighed, then beat the steering wheel. "Dammit, how long is this going to take!" She beat the steering wheel.

  After a half hour of fussing at herself, she drove back to Mercy Hospital. She went up to Pediatrics and went into Patricia's room. "Are you ready hon?" She asked her.

  "Yes ma'am." The pretty young girl lying in the bed had been crying. She stared at her.

  "This will be the hardest part. But believe me, she's going to a woman that will love her forever. I promise you that. I wouldn't be doing this for you, if she wasn't."

  "I know Miss Julia. It's just kind of hard since I've seen her and she's so pretty." She glanced at the portable bassinet by her bed.

  Julia shot the baby a glance.

  "Yes, she is. But hopefully, this will give you a better life and you can have more children later."

  The girl nodded without saying anything.

  She took Patricia and her baby down a back stairway and a private entrance for nurses and doctors. They slipped out to her car and she got behind the wheel. "Are you sure about this?"


  "Yes ma'am. The lady sounds like she really wants a baby. And I can't afford to take care of her. So yes, I am."

  "Fine. We're on our way then."

  It was early in the morning by the time they reached Dex's apartment. Dex answered the door, in his pajamas and robe. Norma was sitting on the couch in her clothes.

  "Well, we've got your baby." Julia announced proudly.

  Norma got up and faced them. Her face was red, and her happiness overflowing when Julia put the baby in her arms. Norma cried tears of joy. "Oh, you precious little doll." Norma looked at the young mother. "Please, don't worry. I'll be very good to her."

  The girl stared down at her baby and turned her back on her. "I know…"

  "Oh, this is Patricia." Julia explained.

  "Hello, I'm Norma."

  "She's beautiful…" Norma gushed. The baby stretched, yawned and went back to sleep in Norma's arms. Norma closed her eyes with satisfaction.

  The girl hung her head.

  Norma looked at her. "Did you have a name you wanted to give her?"

  "I thought about Mercy…. like the hospital."

  "Oh, that's lovely. Then I'll name her Mercy, just for you hon."

  "Thank you. I can tell you love her already." The girls said. "I'm glad. I don't like giving her up, but I know I can't afford to support her. It would be years before I could. This is the best I can do. I'm just so happy you like her."

  "I certainly do."

  Dex walked up to the baby and stared. She was all pink and squiggly. He didn't know much about babies, but he wasn't sure he wanted to either.

  "Well, I've got to take Patricia to her parents. I guess I won't see you again Norma. Good luck…"

  Julia and Patricia walked out of the apartment. Julia wrapped her arm around the girl, after all her parents were good friends of hers.

  Dex watched Julia leave then turned his attention to Norma.

  Norma didn't say anything.

  Dex stood there staring at Norma and the baby, and shook his head. "Look Norma…."

  Norma shot him a quick glance.

  "It's alright, I understand. We'd have been good together though. But I knew even when you said you would that the baby would be the deal breaker. You just aren't ready for a family. But…. I am."

  "Yeah, maybe you are. I'm happy for you."

  "She's gonna be ticked about the money." Norma reminded him.

  "I know. I'm not sure what to do now." Dex looked a bit confused. "It'll take forever to transfer that much money and they might catch us before it's complete."

  "That's for sure. I wish you luck, Dex, but I think I really should go. She could come back any time now, and I want to be gone."

  He pulled out the money that Norma had handed him. "Take this, and it'll help get you started somewhere else."

  "But that's your money. Julia will be pissed."

  "I know, but I can handle her."

  "Can you?" Norma's brow shot upward.

  "Most of the time, at least." He grinned.

  "Listen," she took the money. "If you ever need a place to crash for a while. Come to Oregon. I'll put you up. I'm going to a small town there, Eagle Valley. If you ever change your mind, or need my help, look me up."

  "Thanks honey, I might just do that." He grinned and kissed her.

  "I sure wish you'd go with me." She sighed.

  "I gotta try to see this through." Dex explained.

  "Well, you did your part, you got the money coming. It will take forever though to get all of it. I don't think we can wait around."

  "Well, Dex, you can't stay here, you said they were on to you, especially about Melanie."

  "I know. Well, good luck Norma." He came and kissed her on the lips. She swooned and smiled. "You're a good kisser, Dex. I'll miss you, and Julia is lucky to have you."

  "What are you going to do?"

  Norma smiled. "I'm going to take a train to Oregon, see a few sights along the way. I'm going to enjoy being a mother, and I'll get along. The invitation is open for you any time."

  "I'll remember that babe." He kissed her again.

  "Want a quickie before I go?" She suggested with a grin.

  "What about the baby?"

  "She's asleep. I'll put her on the floor on a pallet."

  "Dammit babe, I do." He sighed staring into her eyes now.

  After Norma made the baby a pallet on the floor so she could see her. Dex locked the front door, then he came back to her and tipped her chin up with the crook of his finger. She stared into his eyes for a long moment.

  Then he kissed her and she lost it. Her arms went around him and she kissed him back for all she was worth. He slowly peeled her clothes off and his own, then he took her to the bedroom and they made love. It was sweet and tender, unlike Julia who was as tigress.

  "If I change my mind in the next few weeks, will I still be welcome?"

  "You bet." She whispered and kissed him tenderly. "I'm in love with you Dex. How could I not be?"

  "You got a way about you Norma."

  She smiled. "Don't forget me…" she whispered.

  "Never." He smiled, and pulled her back into his arms and kissed her until she was ready for him again.

  It was midafternoon before they got out of bed.

  She put her clothes on, and he watched. A sadness hit him like he'd never known before. He could fall in love with Norma. He knew that, maybe he already was. She had every attribute Melanie had except she liked kinky sex and so did Dex.

  When she pulled on her t-shirt, he came over to her and kissed her solidly on the lips. "Keep that door open Norma…for me."

  "I will," she cooed. "I meant it when I said I loved you."

  "I’m not gonna tell you goodbye," he told her.

  "Good. We'd be good together Dex, and you know it. But I understand."

  "I gotta see this through first." He told her.

  "I know. See ya…" she kissed his jaw.

  He stood there in the doorway, watching her walk away and knowing he wanted to go with her. But he was knee deep in this shit and he couldn't just walk off.

  He waited for Julia to come back. But she didn't.

  He wondered what happened. Was she truly seeing that doctor?

  She called later.

  "Did Norma leave?" She asked.

  "Yeah, she's gone."

  "Did you or Norma find the card yet?"

  "Yeah," He sighed heavily. "We found it and went to Lone Oak."

  "So, are you coming by?" She asked in an agitated voice.

  "No, not tonight. Look, Norma and I found the card, we went to the bank, but it didn't go well."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean it didn't go well. We couldn't get as much as we wanted withdrawn." He exclaimed. "Where are you?"

  "I'm at work, and trying my best to stay awake. What went wrong."

  "Her bank, that's what. They have a policy that you can only withdraw so much a day. Or they report it to the IRS. So, we had an automatic withdrawal put on her checking account. It won't all go in, and at this rate it'll take six months to get it all."

  "We can't stay here six more months." She protested.

  "Well then since you are the brains, you figure out how we can do it!" He hung up.

  He was so frustrated and so angry he couldn't talk right now. Julia hadn't come back; the money wasn't all going to be there and they needed to get away. He suspected she wasn't even at work. But calling from that doctor's house.

  Julia called him back a few minutes later. "Look, don't panic. We'll think of something."

  "Norma is gone. And the money will be transferred every day until it is all in the checking account. Did you take care of Melanie?"

  "No, I couldn't."

  "What?"

  She could hear his anger.

  "There was a cop by her door. I killed him instead. I didn't have enough to take care of both."

  "You killed a cop? Great. I got my bags packed, I'm leaving."

  "Le
aving?" She cried.

  "You heard me. I'm not gonna stick around and get arrested." He told her.

  "Where are you going?"

  "Don't know yet. Just getting out of this area for a while."

  "Dex, don't do anything impulsive. There might still be a way…I'll take care of her tonight." She promised.

  "Yeah, you gonna kill another cop too?" He asked.

  "W-well…. I…. Dex, don't leave me!" She cried.

  "Look Julia, we better lie low for a while. You better get yourself out of that hospital."

  "Why, I'm not a suspect."

  "Maybe, but the cops aren't dumb. See ya Julia…."

  "Dex…." He hung up.

  ***

  But as Dex sat in his car at the airport the next evening, he pondered on what had transpired between him and Julia on the phone. It had all gone so wrong. And now that he thought on it, he realized that Norma had the debit card.

  He slapped himself in the head. So, Norma was the winner. He almost laughed. Hard to believe that he and Julia had been out maneuvered.

  Still, she had invited him to come to Oregon, and he had to get out of town. Maybe all wasn't lost. Maybe Julia would be the one to pay the price, and rightfully so, she was the one that dreamed the whole thing up. It was her fault. She was the one that murdered the cop.

  He hated leaving her, but he hated that she just kept killing people too. It wasn't right. He counted himself a lot of things but murderer wasn't one of them. Julia killed too easily. What would stop her from killing him and taking all the money. What if someday he made her mad and she decided to kill him. Yeah, it could happen.

  Then he looked at the card that he grabbed from Julia's purse, the other night it was a clinic hospital card. Feeling guilty and proud at the same time he dialed the number. He sighed heavily, maybe this was not a good move, but murder wasn't either.

  "Hello, Elkins Clinic and Hospital."

  "Yes, I'd like to report that a Melanie George is about to be poisoned. She's a patient of yours."

  "Poisoned. How do you know this sir?"

  "Look, I don't want her to die. So, if you feel the same way, check her IV tonight closely will ya. Keep an eye out for a woman in a uniform."