Our waitress came back with our orders. Curious, I decided to open the envelope before I started eating, only to wince when I saw the folded blue note inside.
Oh no. He knew where my dad lived too. That was way past scary. It was almost…stalkerish.
“What is it?” Dad asked. I looked up at him, shuddering. He gestured to the envelope in my hand. “Who’s it from?”
“Uh…” I fumbled. “I have a secret admirer.”
Dad almost choked on his shrimp. He set his fork down and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
“Secret admirer?” he repeated. “Sure it’s not that little snake trying to get you back?”
“It’s not.”
I slid the note out of the envelope and unfolded it. My cheeks flamed when I saw what was written.
I left you a gift inside your mailbox.
Black. Silky. Lace.
I can’t wait to see you in it.
Love, X
Anxious, I shifted in my seat. His fascination with me was on a sexual level.
“Sweetheart?”
I jumped.
“Are you okay?” Dad asked, worry lacing his voice. “What’s the note say?”
“Nothing!” I blurted and reached for my glass of water. I finished it in one gulp. My face was probably flushed with embarrassment.
He regarded me. “You look pale all of a sudden.”
I shook my head and tried to smile, but my lips failed to make the trip. “Dad, it’s nothing.” I crumpled the note and dropped it inside my purse on the floor. It was so disgusting to have read that sitting across from my father.
I quickly changed the topic. “Anyway, there’s going to be a fundraiser held by Vanderson Publishing and a company called Wilcox & Co. You’re welcome to attend. Maybe you could use it as an opportunity to find new clients.”
He relaxed his body. “Always looking out for your old man. Sure, I’ll go, but not to pimp myself. What’s it for?”
“It’s for an animal shelter here in Newport.”
“Sounds good.” He continued eating while telling me about his job and where he might work after finishing.
The note left me on edge and without an appetite. I was thankful when we finally finished and took off from the restaurant.
I was beyond nervous about what I’d find in my mailbox, but I didn’t want to leave it there for my delivery guy to see it—if he hadn’t already.
Gosh! The thought made me feel mortified, since he was around my dad’s age.
When I arrived home, I parked and slowly paced up to my mailbox. Heart pounding, I opened it and looked inside. My stomach twisted at the sight. I reached in with shaky fingers and retrieved the lingerie. Like he’d said in the note, it was black, silky, and had lace embroidery around the hem.
I quickly tucked it inside my purse and glanced around the parking lot to make sure no one had seen.
“Well, he certainly has good taste,” I scoffed, and then continued inside the building. The moment I entered my apartment, I locked the door, clasped the chain, and threw the lingerie into the trash.
Calming my nerves, I turned on the coffee brewer and went into my bedroom. I dropped my purse on the floor, peeled off my clothes, and took a shower. The warm water was soothing, and it helped me to relax my mind and not worry about my admirer. Perhaps he’d get bored soon and move on to someone else.
Afterward, I put on my robe and toweled my hair dry as I ambled back to the living room. When I walked into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, I noticed the lid on the trash bin wasn’t closed all the way.
I could have sworn I’d closed it properly.
Thinking nothing of it, I fixed the lid and finished pouring crème into my coffee. Then I went over to the couch to sit and watch TV.
Terror gripped me. I almost dropped the mug on my lap when I glimpsed the blue note on the coffee table. Confused, I set the mug down next to it. My instincts told me to look over my shoulder.
Fear punctured me all over. Knots twisted in my gut. Swallowing hard, I turned and stared at the front door. My eyes expanded.
The chain was down. Oh no!
I sprang to my feet, heart galloping like rapid-fire bullets. Someone was inside my apartment. He’d probably been here when I came home and snuck out while I was in the shower.
Petrified, I hurried over to the door to fasten the chain. I stayed there, wondering if I should call the cops, but then I looked at the note on the coffee table. With hurried breaths, I ambled back to it. I inhaled and exhaled deeply before reading what it said.
Please stop throwing my gifts away.
It hurts me, and you don’t want to hurt my feelings, Bristol.
I’ll be forced to act.
By the way, I enjoyed watching you in the shower.
You are breathtaking.
I wanted to join you so bad.
Love, X
My heart almost stopped. I gasped for air, like he was choking me. The note fell from my trembling hands. I began searching for my cellphone, then remembered it was still inside my purse.
Running into my bedroom, I rifled through my purse on the floor next to my bed. Thankfully, he hadn’t taken it, but I noticed that the crumpled note that I’d received from Dad was gone.
I was about to call 911, but hesitated again. What should I tell them? That some weirdo snuck inside my apartment and got off while watching me shower but I didn’t know who? That he was leaving me roses and notes? I’d watched enough thrillers. The police would need more than that to do anything. So what could they do right now?
My phone vibrated in my hand, frightening me. My racing heart settled a tad when I saw who was calling: Julian.
“Hey,” she chirped. “You want to go to the waterfire in Prov—”
I cut her off, “Jules, he was inside my apartment!”
“Who?” she asked, worried.
“That damn secret admirer. He left lingerie in my mailbox. He knows where my dad lives. He sent a note to his condo. Jules, this is not sexy. This shit is freaking me out!”
“Okay, calm down. How do you know he was inside your apartment?”
Frustrated, I combed my hand through my hair aggressively. “Because the chain was down when I came out of the shower, and he said so in the stupid note he left. He was here, Jules. He was watching me!”
Scared shitless, I tiptoed to the doorway and peeked into the hallway, looking left then right. “I don’t know what to do… I feel like calling the cops but…I don’t know if they can do anything.”
“What do you mean?” she shrieked. “Bristol, some creep was inside your apartment! You have to call the cops. I’m coming over. I don’t want you to be alone.”
“Okay.” I nodded at her words.
The second Julian hung up, I called the police. They said someone would be over shortly. I hauled on a t-shirt and jeans, and then went into the living room to sit on the couch, biting my nails and keeping my eyes glued to the door while I waited.
I’d never felt so freaked out. All of a sudden my apartment didn’t feel so safe anymore.
A knock at the door almost made me jump out of my skin. I calmed when I heard the deep voice call out, “It’s the police.”
Rising from the couch, I hurried over to the door and opened it.
“I’m here about a—” He stopped when our eyes met. “Bristol?”
“Mason,” I breathed, a little too happy to see him. Gliding over his fitted black police uniform, I corrected myself, “Officer Daniels.”
He arched his brow as he asked, “Are you okay? You reported a break in?”
I nodded and opened the door wider. Mason stepped inside. He looked around before he asked, “What happened?”
“My chain was down when I came out of the bathroom, and there was a note on the coffee table.” I jutted my chin in the direction.
Mason stared at the paper. “Mind if I take a look?”
“No.” I walked over to the couch and picked up the note, then handed
it to him. “This is one of four.”
“Four?” he repeated, sounding alarmed. “Do you have the others?”
“No, I threw away the first one, which I got at work, but the others…” I went to the kitchen and lifted the lid off the trash.
I gasped. They were gone. So were the roses. “He must have taken them,” I whispered.
“He?” Mason asked.
I glanced at him. “Well, it must be a guy. The things he wrote…”
Lowering his head, Mason began reading the note. “Please stop throwing my gifts away… Huh. It offends me.” He cleared his throat and read the rest of it to himself. Afterward, he looked at me again. Sparks tickled my stomach at the power in his stare.
“When did you start receiving these?” he asked.
“Monday,” I replied. “He sent the first one to my job, along with a bracelet, but the roses he left at my door.”
He cocked his head in thought, then it seemed as if a light of realization had gone off in his head. “That’s why your friend asked me if I was your secret admirer.”
Heat crept into my cheeks; I was embarrassed.
“Do you have any idea who it could be?” he asked.
I fidgeted with my fingers and shifted on my feet. “Uh, no. Well, at first I thought it was my ex-boyfriend, only this isn’t his thing. He never bought me flowers, much less a bracelet or—” I stopped, not wanting to mention the lingerie. I was humiliated enough.
“Or?” Mason prodded, eyeing me keenly.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
Sighing, he scanned the place. “All right, mind if I take a look around the apartment?”
“No, please, go ahead,” I replied, gesturing with my hands.
I shadowed Mason as he started in the living room, working his way to my bedroom and then the bathroom. My skin crawled at the thought of that pervert watching me shower.
Uncontrollably, I covered my face with the palm of my hand. That creep had seen me naked.
He saw everything!
“Are you all right, Bristol?” Mason asked, his voice drenched with concern.
I moved my hand away and looked at him. He held a sympathetic expression as he inspected my features, perhaps because I was shifting my weight from one leg to the other so nervously.
“Yeah,” I answered in a stifled whisper.
Mason observed me for a moment more, then he motioned for us to go back down the hallway.
“Does anything look out of place?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at me as we made our way back to the living room.
I replied, “No.”
He stopped by the couch and said, “There really isn’t anything I ca—”
Noises outside the door interrupted him. Mason placed his hand on top of his gun as the door pushed opened.
Julian rushed inside. “Bristol, are you okay?” She flung her arms around me, holding me tight.
“I’m okay.” I exhaled slowly.
Amber stormed in just as Julian released me, panting and looking flabbergasted. “Oh god, Bristol. Jules told me what happened. Are you okay?” She gave Mason a once over and then cut back to me. “This is ironic.”
“Yeah,” Mason agreed. “Listen, Bristol, like I was saying, there isn’t anything I can do. I mean, all you have right now are notes and roses. I could run this for—”
“If it had stayed at notes and roses I wouldn’t be so disturbed. He was inside my apartment,” I reiterated. “Uninvited. He was watching me…in the shower. He knows where I work, where my dad lives…”
Julian rubbed my arm.
“I’m sorry about that, Bristol.” Mason held up the note. “The only thing I can do is run this for prints. I’ll let you know. For now, you should stay with someone and have your locks changed.”
I didn’t utter a word. Mason stuck the note inside his pocket and treaded past us, heading for the door. Before leaving, he looked at me sideways and said, “Maybe it is your ex. What’s his name? I’ll question him.”
“Tyler McKinley,” I replied in a murmur.
“Okay. I’ll let you know what I come up with.” Mason slipped outside, closing the door behind him.
Amber towed me over to the couch to sit down. “Okay, what happened exactly?”
Julian joined us. “Didn’t you notice anything when you came home?”
“I didn’t. I locked the door, put the chain up, made coffee, and showered…” My shoulders slumped as I added, “The usual.”
“Ugh.” Julian wobbled her head. “I can’t believe some asshole was hiding out in your apartment.”
“Yeah, at least he didn’t hurt you. That’s the good thing,” Amber said, squeezing my hands.
“But he was watching me,” I said, enraged. “How did I not notice someone standing in the bathroom watching me take a shower? He…saw me.”
My skin tingled in disgust. Then my body started to shake again. “Oh my god! What if he recorded it? Oh, no. I’m going to be on some porn site.” I buried my face in my hands.
Julian rubbed my back. “Calm down, honey. Let’s hope he didn’t take it that far.”
Moving my hands away, I started to dab at my eyes. Amber eased up from the couch. She released a gush of air as she crossed her arms firmly at the waist.
“Are you sure it’s not Tyler? I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
“It’s not.” I couldn’t believe I was defending my cheating ex, but I knew it wasn’t him. I knew Tyler. At least, I thought I did.
“Are you positive?” Julian pressed.
I massaged my temples as I replied with a groggy “yes”.
“Okay, you look tired. Why don’t you go lie down?” she suggested.
Agreeing, I stood and started for my bedroom. Julian followed behind while Amber remained in the living room to make a phone call.
Lying beside me on the bed, Julian muttered, “I wonder who it is.”
“I have no idea.”
Shortly after, Amber strolled into the room. “I was talking to Mr. Farris. I asked him if he’d seen anyone suspicious.”
“And?” I urged, easing up on my elbows.
Hope seeped away when Amber frowned. “He’s been gone all day,” she said.
“Oh.” I collapsed back on the pillow.
“Hey, you two having a slumber party without me?” Amber moved around the bed and made herself comfortable on the other side.
“Thanks guys,” I whispered. “I’m too scared to be alone right now.”
Julian patted my arm. “What are friends for?”
“Yeah,” Amber chimed in. “And when we find out who this creep is, we’re going to whoop his ass it’ll fall off.”
We managed to giggle in spite of what had happened. Soon my lids started to feel heavy and I closed them, finding peace nuzzled in between my two best friends as I drifted asleep.
Warmth caressed my cheek. The sound of voices and clanking pots woke me up. I quickly pressed my eyes shut as the sunlight stung them. Turning my back to the window, I checked the time on the clock next to my bed. It was after seven. I’d slept all the way ’til morning.
I climbed out of bed, stretched my hands up over my head, and raked my fingers through my disheveled hair. Traipsing into the living room, I saw Julian at the stove cooking and Amber at the island drinking coffee.
“Hey,” Amber said when she glimpsed me. “Good morning.”
I wiped my face as I replied, “Morning. You two stayed the night?”
“We sure did.” Julian beamed at me. “Hungry?” She turned off the stove and brought the frying pan with scrambled eggs to the island, filling up three plates with sausages already on them.
“Starving,” I said as I continued over and sat on a stool beside Amber.
Julian placed the pan back on the stove and picked up the coffee pot, filling three cups. Then she sat on the other side of the island and we started eating.
“You know, I’m not trying to make light of the situation, but Mason looked go
od in his uniform.” Amber stuck her fork into a sausage link and brought it to her lips. Before taking a bite she stressed, “Really good.”
Julian tittered. “Yeah, he did. Maybe Seven should join the force.”
They laughed with each other.
I shook my head and sipped my coffee. Setting the mug down next to my plate, I began to ponder. “I wonder why now?”
Amber prodded, “What do you mean?”
Passing a gaze between them, I said, “Why did he start doing this right after I dumped Tyler?”
“Maybe he knows about the breakup and considered it an opportunity,” Julian said. “That would mean it’s—”
“Someone who knows me,” I finished her thought. “He’d been watching me. But who?”
“Good question,” Amber muttered. She swallowed what was in her mouth and continued, “It could be someone from school. I mean, you’re nice to everybody, and you tutored a few people.”
“Yeah, but I never tutored any guys,” I retorted.
“What about the center?” Julian asked.
“No. I don’t think so. The only men there are old, married, or gay.”
“Humph.” Amber scraped the fork around her plate, thinking. “Why are you so sure that it’s a guy?”
“What do you mean?” Julian scowled. “You think the secret admirer is a girl?”
“It’s possible,” Amber replied. “I mean, it could be anyone.”
Silence filled the kitchen. Amber was right. It could be anyone.
A quick breath sputtered from Julian before she said, “I wish whoever it was would mess up.”
“That’s just it,” I whispered. “I probably have seen him and don’t remember.”
They passed a poignant look between each other and then glanced back at me. After a moment we continued eating breakfast.
Later on, we hung out on the couch watching recorded episodes of “Girls”. Then Julian had to leave to meet up with Seven.
“So what do you want to do tonight?” she asked me as I walked her to the door.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you coming to my apartment to stay with me and Mackenzie for the night? Or are you going to Amber’s place?”
Chasing Bristol (The Finding Trilogy Book 2) Page 4
