"Alex, really… thank you for everything you’ve done for me. And I’m sorry I went quiet for almost a year, but I felt stupid because you were right about everything. I’ll come by next week so you have time to recover after the heat."
"Please do."
"Can I ask something? It's a bit personal."
"Shoot."
"Are you spending it alone?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Or maybe fortunately, I don’t know. I’m not sure I can handle a relationship anymore, too much has happened lately. We’ll talk when you come."
"I hoped you already… moved on from Bay."
And here it goes again, another person with the same spiel:Move on!I press my lips together. I don’t want to talk about this.
"My life is complicated. We’ll chat later, alright?"
The call ends, and I rest my head on the edge of the tub again, feeling a wave of relief. At least something.
Jared got back on track. Hopefully… I feel a little uneasy thinking about his fiancé, who didn’t hesitate to mingle with shady people to advance his company… and he knows Ennio? How come? But maybe I shouldn’t judge too quickly. Since I’m a killer now, I probably lost a few points of moral superiority over people. Maybe I should wait and see what actually happens.
With my head in a brooding mode, I soak for another twenty minutes, then get out and go back to Dereck’s bed.
I don’t know how much time I have before the next wave hits, but since this heat has been going on all day, I can expect it to get worse now, stronger.
Unexpectedly, sleep gets the better of me.
I wake up to a painful twist in my lower belly. It’s so intense it bends me in half.
Tears well up in my eyes because I know I’ll have to deal with this alone. Somehow I doubt the stalker will come back.
But… a minute later I’m proven wrong. I hear knocking at the door, slow and strong.
I jolt up from the bed and hurry downstairs.
Yes. It’s him.
My heart races instantly.
Without hesitation I pull the chair away from the door and open it.
What is happening to me? I don’t even know this man.
He steps inside and I close the door and wedge the chair under the handle again.
I lean against the wall.
The man says nothing.
He suddenly pulls a business card out of his pocket. And an envelope.
Wow. I blink at the number printed on it.Carpentry shop. Door repairs.
"Oh… thanks."
Inside the envelope I find cash. I swallow hard and look up at him.
"Seriously… you didn’t have to. You came here to help me. I’d never expect you to—"
