Possible stalker? Seems harmless. Wouldn’t touch anyone? Doesn’t have it in her. I throw that paper aside and grab the next one.
I believe Hanna to have no involvement with the Banks’s missing daughter.
Missing daughter? What is this? What is happening? I keep sifting and find another paper, or what would be more like a report of me.
Hired by the Banks family to look into Hanna Whittington for the disappearance of their daughter. Evidence in her apartment found. Seems to most likely have been planted. Why is there a connection? Why would he stalk her, then plant evidence? Stalker most likely the suspect in the case.
I drop the paper, and my stomach turns. I feel the bile rising in my throat. I lean out of the truck, and I vomit, the bile leaving me. I can’t help it. Who is Theo, and what is he in my life for? I stumble a bit and search the pocket of my romper to pull out my keys.
Run. Get away. Run.
I repeat in my head the one thing I know to do, and when I unlock my car, I open the door and look up to see Theo bounding down the porch steps.
“Fuck! Hanna!” He must have forgotten about the papers, and before I slide into my car and lock the doors, he sees me crying, the pain etched onto me like permanent ink. He tries to open the locked door just as I turn the key in the ignition.
“Baby, open the door. Let me explain. Please. Come on, baby.” I get the car on, and I shake my head.
“Leave me alone. Don’t ever come near me again!” I scream, and he slams his fist down on the hood of my car. As I back out, he runs back into the house, I’m sure to grab his keys. I slam on the gas, accelerating like a bat out of hell.
“What could it have been? Who is the Banks girl? Why am I person of interest? Why does Theo have those papers? So many questions run through my head. I plug my phone into the charger with shaky hands and look up to see I’m veering and almost hit the car coming the opposite way. They honk, and I swerve back over.
The only thing I can think to do is call Jack and have my bases covered. Ask him what to do, tell him what I saw. Is Theo a cop? Is that why he never talks about his job? I knew he wasn’t the type to be in IT. Was I a job for him?
My phone turns on, and I pick it up and see Theo calling. I keep hitting Ignore, but he just calls again. I ignore it repeatedly until finally I answer. “Leave me alone and stay the hell away from me. I don’t know who you are or what you are doing, but you just… stay the hell away!”
“Baby, it’s me. Listen. I’m on my way to you, and I’m going to tell you everything. It’s still me. The man you fell in love with. The man who loves you,” he assures, but I’m too angry. I never want to see him again. Not only do I feel betrayed, but I’m heartbroken. I love him. He made me fall in love under the cover of lies and secrets.
“No, stay away—ahh!” I scream when my bumper is hit and I’m jolted forward.
“Hanna? Baby? What happened?” I look up in the rearview mirror and see the truck. The one that came to my house twice.
“No. No!” I cry. It’s them. They found me. I knew it. I thought it was just my mind playing games. I eventually convinced myself the person was just casing the place, knowing my grandfather died and wanting to rob the place. But I’m now seeing I was wrong.
“Baby! Talk to me,” Theo yells through the phone, and my fear leads me.
“The man. They are following me. They just bumped me, tried to push me off the road. Theo, I know it’s the person from New York. It has to be.” I lead-foot my gas pedal and speed as fast as I can.
“Hey, listen to me. I want you to drive as fast but carefully as you can. Put me on speaker and set the phone on the seat next to you.” I may be livid, but if Theo is a cop, he is the only saving grace I have.
“Okay.” I keep looking up, and they are on my tail. I try to see who it is, but the windows are so tinted I have no luck.
“Good, where are you?” he asks.
“A mile or so from my house. Theo, he is getting close again. He’s trying to hit me.” The truck is within feet and just getting closer.
“Good, I see him. I’ve almost caught up. Keep going and pull into your driveway. I will stay on him. You’re safe, baby. He won’t get to you.”