Dangerous Dana (A Suspense Thriller)

by Doris Miller

The following Monday morning, Dana and Teresa are back on the road again, heading to work. They work their normal day, then they head back home.

  Two days later, on a Wednesday morning, Dana and Teresa are driving to work again. Twenty-five minutes later, they reach the back door of the stockroom. Dana, who is dressed in a black turtle-neck shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows, a black leather mini skirt, black stockings and black shoes and Teresa, who is dressed in a purple dress and black shoes, walk through the back door as Kenneth lets them both inside. When Dana and Teresa enter the building, Stanley approaches them both and tells them, "Wallace wants to see you two."

  Dana and Teresa look at each other. Dana then asks, "Why? What does he want to see us about?"

  "Well Ramesh, that Indian fellow, had made a complaint about you two. He told Wallace that you two were stealing and taking items from out of the building! Is that true?"

  "What!" Dana says.

  "Ramesh told Wallace that you two were taking items from out of the building! Is it true?"

  "No!" Teresa says.

  "Well Wallace wants to see you two anyway."

  Dana and Teresa look at each other again. Then they start to walk towards Wallace's office which is on the opposite side of the hall from Stanley's office. Dana and Teresa approach the office door and open it. They go inside Wallace's office. Wallace sees them both and tells them, "Have a seat." Dana and Teresa sit down in the two chairs in front of Wallace's desk. Wallace then says to them, "I want to speak with you two about stealing items."

  Dana and Teresa look at Wallace as Dana asks, "Stealing items? What are you talking about?"

  "Ramesh reported to me that you two and a few other employees are always stealing and taking items from out of the stockroom, taking items home for your personal use!

  "What items are y'all talking about," Teresa asks. "We didn't steal any items!"

  "Well according to Ramesh, you two did!"

  "Oh yeah? Well what items did he think we took?"

  "That's what I'm trying to find out! Listen, if I find out that any of this is true, I would have you all suspended for three weeks without pay! I am not going to tolerate this kind of behavior! And if it is true, I will have to postpone the raise that you two and the other employees are supposed to get!"

  Dana and Teresa become very upset as Dana tells Wallace, "Teresa and I did not take any items or any other merchandise out of the stockroom!"

  "Well Ramesh had reported to me that you two take items out of the stockroom all the time!"

  "I don't care what the hell Ramesh reported," Dana angrily says. "Teresa and I did not steal or take any items out of this building!"

  "That's right," Teresa angrily says. "And why is Ramesh making these false accusations anyway?"

  "I don't know whether they're false accusations or not," Wallace says. "But still, tell me! Did you two take some brand new tools out of the stockroom, yes or no? I know some brand new tools like a hammer and some screws are missing! I found some of the missing tools in the back office you are working in Dana! Did you two take these tools or didn't you?"

  "Yes we took them," Dana says. "But we were only borrowing those tools! We meant to bring the tools back!"

  "You're not supposed to take anything out of the building regardless! What were you borrowing those tools for anyway?"

  "We needed the tools to fix the rim on Dana's car," Teresa says. "We drive on the highway which has so many potholes on it! Dana accidentally hits the potholes and the potholes would usually bent one of the rims on her car! So we borrow the hammer to bang the rim back into place, that's all!"

  "THAT IS STILL NO EXCUSE!"

  "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE YELLING AT? WE'RE NOT YOUR CHILDREN!"

  Wallace continues to yell! Dana and Teresa yell back, shouting that they didn't steal anything! They both get into a very heated argument with Wallace! Wallace fires them both right on the spot! Teresa shouts, "WHAT!"

  "YOU CAN'T JUST FIRE US LIKE THAT," Dana shouts!

  "I CAN IF YOU TWO ARE STEALING OR TAKING ITEMS OUT OF THE BUILDING! YOU TWO ARE BOTH FIRED!"

  Dana and Teresa become shocked! They can't believe what Wallace just did! Dana then becomes furious! She leaps up out of her chair and throws her arms across the desk, grabbing Wallace by the neck! She lifts him up all the way over to her side of the desk, jerking and squeezing his neck, trying to choke him to death! Teresa becomes shocked and frightened! She stands up and tries to pull Dana's tight grip from around Wallace's neck screaming, "NO DANA DON'T! STOP IT!" She turns towards the door and shouts, "HELP! STANLEY! SOMEBODY! HELP!"

  Stanley and all the other employees rush into the office! They are shocked and stunned to see Dana jerking and squeezing Wallace's neck, trying to choke him to death! They all rush to grab Dana's tight grip from around Wallace's neck as Stanley shouts in a calm voice, "LET GO OF HIS NECK DANA. COME ON NOW, LET GO OF HIS NECK." Dana refuses to let go of Wallace's neck! She continues to have a tight grip around Wallace's neck as his face turns red! After a harsh struggle, Stanley and the other employees finally manage to restrain Dana as she angrily lets go of Wallace's neck, dropping Wallace to the floor! Wallace lies on the floor all out of breath! His face is all red! Stanley and the employees surround Wallace and try to help him!

  Dana is very bitter! She feels that it is not right that she and Teresa get fired! She has anger built up inside of her! She storms right out of the office! She storms through the hallway and heads towards the stockroom, looking for Ramesh! She enters the stockroom and sees Ramesh! She angrily shouts at him, "YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU CAUSED ME AND TERESA TO LOSE OUR DAMN JOBS!" Ramesh stands there looking stunned! Teresa, Stanley and the other employees rush to Dana! They start to hold on to Dana and try to calm her down as she angrily shouts to Ramesh, "HOW DARE YOU TELL WALLACE THOSE LIES ABOUT ME AND TERESA STEALING! HOW DARE YOU LIE AND TELL WALLACE ME AND TERESA WERE STEALING TOOLS WHEN WE WEREN'T! HE JUST FIRED US BOTH AND IT'S YOUR DAMN FAULT!" Dana violently pulls away from Teresa, Stanley and the other employees and storms right out of the stockroom! Ramesh continues to look on stunned!

  Teresa becomes very upset! She goes to Ramesh, asking, "Ramesh? Is it true that you told Wallace that Dana and I were stealing tools when we weren't?"

  "Yeah! I had to tell Wallace! I can't let employees get off taking things out of here!"

  "We were just borrowing those tools," Teresa angrily says. "By the way, what the hell is it to you anyway? It's not like we were taking anything away from you! Why the hell did you have to make up an accusation like that Ramesh?"

  "Because it's my duty to report anyone who I see is stealing items!"

  "We weren't stealing anything! We were borrowing them! Try to learn the difference before you open up your mouth and risk other people's jobs, alright?" Teresa furiously storms out of the stockroom!

  Fifteen minutes later, Dana and Teresa angrily go out of the building, into the parking lot! They head back into Dana's car! Dana starts up her vehicle and races right out of the parking lot!

  That same afternoon, Dana is home with Tony. She is very upset! She is very bitter! She tells Tony that she and Teresa had both gotten fired! Tony hysterically shouts, "WHAT! YOU AND TERESA GOT FIRED? WHY? WHAT HAPPENED DANA?"

  "WALLACE HAD ACCUSED ME AND TERESA AND A FEW OTHER EMPLOYEES OF STEALING! HE HAD ACCUSED ME AND TERESA OF STEALING ITEMS RIGHT OUT OF THE STOCKROOM AND WE WEREN'T! WE WERE JUST BORROWING THE ITEMS! WALLACE TOLD ME AND TERESA THAT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE HAD REPORTED US!"

  "WHAT! ANOTHER EMPLOYEE HAD REPORTED TO YOUR BOSS THAT YOU, TERESA AND A FEW OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE STEALING?"

  "YEAH!"

  "WHAT OTHER EMPLOYEE?"

  "THIS GUY NAMED RAMESH!"

  "A GUY NAMED RAMESH?"

  "YEAH!"

  "WELL WHAT DID HE REPORT THAT YOU, TERESA AND THE OTHER EMPLOYEES STEAL?"

  "HE REPORTED TO THE BOSS THAT TERESA AND I HAD STOLE A HAMMER AND SOME SCREWS AND WE DIDN'T! WE WERE JUST BORROWING THOSE THINGS TO FIX THE RI
M ON MY CAR! WE TOLD WALLACE THAT WE PLANNED ON BRINGING THOSE TOOLS BACK, BUT HE SAID THAT WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF THE BUILDING REGARDLESS!"

  "AND YOU SAID THAT THIS GUY RAMESH HAD MADE THIS REPORT TO THE BOSS ABOUT YOU AND TERESA STEALING THE HAMMER AND SOME SCREWS?"

  "YEAH!"

  "WELL WHY THE HELL DID HE HAD TO GO DO THAT FOR?"

  "I DON'T KNOW! ALL I KNOW IS THAT AS SOON AS ME AND TERESA WALKED INSIDE THE BUILDING, STANLEY APPROACHED US AND TOLD US THAT WALLACE WANTED TO SEE US! TERESA AND I WENT RIGHT TO WALLACE'S OFFICE! THAT'S WHEN WALLACE ACCUSED US OF STEALING! AFTER HE ACCUSED ME AND TERESA OF STEALING, ME AND TERESA GOT INTO A HEATED ARGUMENT WITH HTM! THEN HE FIRED US BOTH RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT! I TRIED TO KILL HIM RIGHT THERE TONY," Dana angrily shouts as she bangs her fist against her opposite hand! She angrily storms out of the living room!

  Tony follows after Dana! He grabs her and puts his arms around her as he hysterically says, "Now calm down Dana!" He tries to comfort Dana by saying, "Listen Dana, I'll call your boss up and talk to him tomorrow!"

  "NO! I DON'T WANT YOU TO TALK WITH MY EX-BOSS! I JUST WANT MY DAMN JOB BACK!" Dana angrily storms away from Tony and storms into the bedroom! Tony becomes frustrated! He does not know what to do! He goes to the telephone and calls up Dana's family's home.

  The telephone rings inside Gracy and Mike's house. Gracy picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hi Grandma, it's me Tony!"

  "Oh hi Tony!"

  "Hi Grandma. Grandma I just called because I have some bad news for you!"

  "Bad news for me?"

  "Yeah!"

  "What bad news Tony? Did something happened to Dana?"

  "Yes! She and Teresa had both got fired today!"

  "WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE AND TERESA HAD BOTH GOT FIRED?"

  "Well Dana just came in the house and told me that a co-worker at her job had reported to the boss that she, Teresa and a few other employees were stealing!"

  "A CO-WORKER HAD REPORTED TO DANA'S BOSS THAT SHE, TERESA AND A FEW OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE STEALING?"

  "Yeah! And Dana said that she wasn't stealing! She said that she and Teresa were just borrowing the items to fix her car with! She said she told the boss that she and Teresa planned on bringing the items back, but her boss said that they're not supposed to take anything out of the building regardless! Oh Grandma, Dana is very upset right now! She told me as soon as she and Teresa walked into their job, Stanley had approached them both and told them that Wallace wanted to see them! Dana said that she and Teresa went right to Wallace's office! That's when Wallace accused them both of stealing! Dana said after Wallace accused her and Teresa of stealing, she and Teresa got into a heated argument with Wallace! Then he fired them both right there on the spot! Dana said she tried to kill Wallace right there!"

  "WHAT! SHE SAID THAT?"

  "Yeah, that's what she just said!"

  "OH MY GOD TONY! YOU KNOW THAT WHENEVER DANA SAYS THAT SHE TRIED TO KILL SOMEBODY OR THAT SHE'S READY TO KILL SOMEBODY, IT IS NOT SOMETHING TO TAKE LIGHTLY! ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE WORDS ARE COMING FROM HER!"

  "I know Grandma! That's why when she said that, I tried to calm her down real quick!"

  "I DON'T BLAME YOU TONY!"

  "After I tried to calm her down, she stormed right into the bedroom!"

  "SHE DID?"

  "Yeah!"

  "OH MY GOD! HOLD ON TONY! LET ME JUST TELL THE REST OF THE FAMILY ABOUT THIS REAL QUICK, OKAY?"

  "Okay Grandma!"

  Gracy tells the rest of her family about what just happened to Dana and Teresa! Dana's family becomes very upset! They start to feel real bad for her and Teresa! Gracy gets back on the phone and says, "Put Dana on the phone Tony! I want to speak to her!"

  "Okay Grandma, hold on." Tony leaves the phone and goes towards the bedroom.

  A couple of minutes later, Dana enters the living room. She picks up the telephone and says, "Yeah Grandma!"

  "HEY DANA, WHAT'S GOING ON?"

  "WHAT'S GOING ON? MY DAMN BOSS JUST FIRED ME AND TERESA TODAY, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON!"

  "YEAH, TONY JUST TOLD ME! BUT WHY DID YOUR BOSS FIRE YOU AND TERESA?"

  "HE HAD ACCUSED ME AND TERESA OF STEALING ITEMS FROM OUT OF THE STOCKROOM! FIRST OF ALL, WE DIDN'T STEAL ANYTHING FROM OUT OF THE STOCKROOM! WE ONLY BORROWED THEM!"

  "YOU ONLY BORROWED THEM?"

  "YEAH!"

  "WELL WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU AND TERESA HAD BORROWED DANA?"

  "WE ONLY BORROWED SOME TOOLS TO FIX THE RIM ON MY CAR BECAUSE WE HITTED A POTHOLE, THAT'S ALL!"

  "WHAT TOOLS DANA?"

  "A HAMMER AND SOME SCREWS! WE MEANT TO BRING THOSE TOOLS BACK!"

  "THEN WHAT MADE YOUR BOSS THINK THAT YOU AND TERESA STOLE THOSE ITEMS?"

  "THIS DAMN GUY THAT WORKS WITH US TOLD WALLACETHAT ME AND TERESA STOLE THE ITEMS, THAT'S WHY WALLACE THINKS WE STOLE THEM!"

  "WELL WHO IS THIS GUY ANYWAY? WHAT'S HIS NAME?"

  "I DON'T EVEN WANT TO MENTION HIS DAMN NAME GRANDMA! I JUST FEEL VERY PISSED OFF AND DEPRESSED ABOUT THE WHOLE ENTIRE THING!"

  "WELL DANA WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME STAY WITH US FOR A WHILE?"

  "I DON'T KNOW GRANDMA! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO!"

  "NO? OKAY DANA! YOU HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, ALRIGHT? BUT IN THE MEAN TIME, THE FAMILY AND I ARE GOING TO STOP BY YOUR PLACE TO CHECK ON YOU, OKAY?"

  "Okay Grandma, I'll be here!"

  "Alright Dana! We'll see you shortly, okay? Bye!" Gracy hangs up the telephone.

  Around 5:00 that evening, Teresa is home with Joseph. She is very upset! She tells Joseph about what happened at her job. She shouts, "DANA AND I RAN INTO SOME PROBLEMS AT THE JOB TODAY! WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH WALLACE AND THIS GUY NAMED RAMESH!"

  "What are you talking about Teresa?"

  "RAMESH, THIS INDIAN GUY, HAD REPORTED TO WALLACE THAT DANA AND I WERE STEALING ITEMS FROM OUT OF THE STOCKROOM WHEN WE WEREN'T! WALLACE WANTED TO SEE BOTH ME AND DANA INSIDE HIS OFFICE RIGHT AWAY WHEN WE GOT THERE! THEN HE TOLD US THAT RAMESH HAD REPORTED US BOTH STEALING!"

  "Some guy named Ramesh had reported to your boss that you and Dana were stealing?"

  "YES! HE MADE A REPORT THAT ME AND DANA STOLE SOME ITEMS FROM OUT OF THE STOCKROOM!"

  "What items Teresa?"

  "SOME TOOLS!"

  "Some tools? You're saying that this Indian fellow named Ramesh had reported to your boss that you and Dana stole some tools?"

  "YES!"

  "Tools like what?"

  "A HAMMER AND SOME SCREWS!"

  "A hammer and some screws?"

  "YEAH!"

  "Well did you and Dana actually take a hammer and some screws?"

  "YEAH! BUT WE WERE ONLY BORROWING THE HAMMER AND THE SCREWS! WE WEREN'T STEALING THEM!"

  "Well what were you and Dana borrowing the hammer and the screws for Teresa?"

  "WELL THERE'S A LOT OF POTHOLES ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHERE DANA AND I RIDE ON! DANA SPEEDS A LOT! AND WHEN SHE SPEEDS, ONCE IN A WHILE SHE WOULD RUN RIGHT OVER THE POTHOLES BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T SEE THEM IN TIME! ONE OF THE RIMS ON HER CAR TIRES WOULD HIT THE POTHOLE AND GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE! AFTER THAT HAPPENS, DANA WOULD GET RIGHT OUT OF HER CAR, TAKE THE HAMMER AND BANG THE RIM BACK INTO PLACE THAT'S ALL! THEN SHE WOULD STOP BY THE GAS STATION AND FILL THE TIRE BACK UP WITH SOME OF THE AIR THAT IT LOST! DANA AND I EXPLAINED THAT TO WALLACE AND TOLD HIM THAT WE WEREN'T STEALING THOSE TOOLS! THEN DANA AND I HAD GOTTEN INTO A HEATED ARGUMENT WITH WALLACE! HE FIRED US BOTH RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT!"

  "WHAT! HE FIRED YOU TWO?"

  "YEAH! THEN DANA GOT VERY ANGRY AND ATTACKED WALLACE!"

  "SHE DID WHAT!"

  "YEAH! SHE TRIED TO CHOKE WALLACE TO DEATH RIGHT THERE!"

  "OH MY GOD!"

  "IT'S TRUE JOSEPH! I CALLED OUT FOR HELP! THEN STANLEY AND THE OTHER EMPLOYEES CAME RUSHING INTO THE OFFICE, TRYING TO PULL DANA'S GRIP FROM AROUND WALLACE'S NECK! AFTER THEY GOT DANA'S GRIP FROM AROUND WALLACE'S NECK, WALLACE FELL TO THE FLOOR! HIS FACE WAS ALL RED! HE WAS OUT OF BREATH! THEN DANA STORMED
RIGHT OUT OF THEOFFICE AND WENT LOOKING FOR RAMESH! SHE SAW RAMESH IN THE STOCKROOM AND GOT VERY ANGRY WITH HIM! THEN SHE STORMED OUT OF THE STOCKROOM! AROUND FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, DANA AND I LEFT THE BUILDING AND CAME HOME! BUT RAMESH USUALLY REPORTS TO WALLACE ABOUT OTHER EMPLOYEES AND THEIR WORK HABITS! THIS TIME, HE MADE A REPORT ABOUT ME AND DANA! HE MADE A REPORT ABOUT ME AND DANA STEALING ITEMS FROM OUT OF THE STOCKROOM AND TAKING THEM HOME FOR OUR PERSONAL USE!"

  "WHAT! WHY DID HE HAD TO GO DO THAT FOR?"

  "I DON'T KNOW JOSEPH! HE SAYS THAT HE CANNOT LET EMPLOYEES GET OFF TAKING ITEMS OUT OF THE STOCKROOM THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THEM!"

  "REALLY? BUT STILL TERESA, WHAT THE HELL IS IT TO HIM ANYWAY? IS IT HIS DUTY TO REPORT WHAT OTHER EMPLOYEES ARE DOING?"

  "NO, BUT HE MAKES IT HIS PERSONAL DUTY! HE TAKES IT UPON HIMSELF TO MAKE IT HIS PERSONAL DUTY!"

  Joseph puts his arms around Teresa and tells her, "Don't worry Teresa. I'm here for you. I'll have a talk with your boss tomorrow."

  "Oh you will?"

  "Yeah. I'll have a talk with him when I call up your job tomorrow morning."

  "Oh thank you Joseph," Teresa says as she puts her arms around Joseph.

  Teresa and Joseph continue to wrap their arms around each other. Joseph then pulls back. He looks at Teresa and worriedly asks, "Well how do you think Dana is doing right now Teresa? I know she's still furious!"

  "Oh she is Joseph. Oh Joseph, I'm so afraid of what Dana might do next! I'm so afraid that she's gonna get into a rage and go off the deep end!"

  "Yeah, me too Teresa. We're gonna have to try to be there for Dana and make sure that she does not do anything drastic."

  "I know Joseph. Knowing Dana, she will do something drastic! She tried to choke Wallace to death already and she might try to choke him again!" Teresa worriedly leans on Joseph's shoulder again. She and Joseph tightly hold on to each other, worriedly thinking about what Dana might do.

  Around 6:00, the telephone rings inside Tony and Dana's apartment. Tony picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hey Tony?” Diane D says. “It's me! I just heard what happened to Dana and Teresa today!"

  "Yeah, it's true Diane!"

  "Yeah Grandma just called me and told me about it! Is Dana alright?"

  "I'm afraid not Diane! She is very, very depressed!"

  "Yeah I bet she is! Put Dana on the phone Tony! Let me talk to her!"

  "Oh Dana is in the shower right now, Diane."

  "She is?"

  "Yeah."

  "Okay Tony! I'll stop by there later on with Grandma, Grandpa and the rest of the family, alright?"

  "Alright Diane. We'll be here."

  "Alright Tony! I'm gonna get ready to call up Teresa right now and see how she's doing!"

  "Okay Diane. She should be home."

  "Okay. Listen Tony, you take care of Dana alright?"

  "You don't have to worry about that Diane. I'll take care of Dana."

  "Okay Tony! I'll talk to you guys later!"

  "Alright Diane. Bye." Tony hangs up the telephone.

  Around 7:00, Dana's entire family and relatives are over at her and Tony's apartment. There are around 30 people inside her and Tony's apartment. They had all heard the news about her and Teresa being fired. They all feel very bad for Dana and Teresa. They want to help out in any way they can. Tony tells Dana that he will take care of her and everything else, but Dana will not hear of it! Mike and Gracy offer to pay Dana's bills, but she refuses their help! Sammy and Thomas try to give cash money in Dana's hand, but she throws the cash right back in their faces! She refuses their help! Dana's Uncle Willie tries to shove money down into her pocket, but she lets out steam and shouts, "I DON'T NEED CHARITY FROM YOU, ALRIGHT? I'D RATHER DO THINGS ON MY OWN!"

  "Oh Dana, please let us help," Missy begs.

  "HEY EVERYBODY," Tony stands there and angrily shouts! "I'M STILL WORKING! DANA AND I AREN'T THAT BROKE! I COULD TAKE CARE OF DANA!"

  "TONY, IT'S NOT THE POINT WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF DANA," David angrily shouts! "THE POINT IS THAT DANA IS STILL