Chapter 17
Rose
Mike doesn't say anything as we speed away. He watches all three mirrors like some one if following use. I don't have a feeling like we are though. He doesn't know that and I'm not about to tell him. We made it to George's shop in no time. He whips on to the side of the building. He runs around the truck to my side before I can even get out. Picks me up and runs at top speed into the shop. I don't even have enough time to scream at being picked up. As soon as we get in he locks the door behind him. Ms. Barbara is there with a broom in her hand like she's ready for a fight.
"Good yall got her. Wait, where is Blake?" She looked around us like she just missed him. Mike cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.
"He stayed behind to try to catch the guy. He wanted me to get her to safety first. I did make him call the cops before we got there. I saw them going that way not long after we left. I'm sure he's ok." I couldn't hold my anger at leaving him.
"You don't know that. The last time he went after him. He had to be rushed to the hospital. That's how he got that wound on his head." I take a deep breath in.
"What, he told us he fell walking in the woods at night." mikes looking at me like i grow two heads. "He lied to us." Now I feel bad I may have got him in trouble.
"He didn't really lie. He got it when he chased the guy through the woods at night he fell in a hole and hit his head on the way down. He probably didn't tell yall the whole store because it was my store to tell about being stalked." I try to clear the air. I don't want them to think he's a liar.
" I understand dear, now let's get further away from the windows. Mike be a dear and flip the sign to close." Mike turns and flips it while ms. Barbara pulls me further into the shop.
"Yall don't have to close up just for me i doubt he will follow me here." I try to protest.
"We aren't taking any chances. Let's wait until he gets here and we can think about what to do next. Let's go to the break room and I will make you some hot cocoa." she gives me a big smile continuing to bring me to the back. We entered the room. The first thing she does is sit me down at the table. Mike comes in behind her handing her a throw blanket. She puts it on my legs. Mike walks back out leaving us alone together. There is a little stove in the corner of the room. She starts pulling out things from the cabinet. All I can do is watch her. She doesn't say anything as she makes our drinks. I'm starting to finally relax a little. I wish Blake was here. As I get lost in my thoughts I smell something sweet. I come back to reality and she has set a cup of steaming hot cocoa in front of me with little marshmallows. It smells divine. I pick it up and blow on it. When I think it has cooled enough I take a small sip. I feel the warmth go all the way to the bottom of my stomach. This might be the best hot chocolate I have ever drunk. After i drank about half of it. She finally says something.
"When I was younger in my 20s I was stalked to." my head snapped up to her. "That's why I moved out this way to get away from him. He was my neighbor. By the time I realized he was. It was too late he had infiltrated my life. He made everyone around me think I was crazy. That all he did was be a good neighbor. That I was making things up about him. No one believed me. It got so bad I couldn't take it any more. I changed my name and moved here. That's when I met George and every one in this town. I keep everything hidden about why I moved. I tried to start over but I was always looking over my shoulder. Scared he would find me here. Then one day my fear came true. He showed up. Renting a house in town. I don't know how he found me. He started doing the same thing trying to get everyone in town to think I'm crazy, that I'm a liar. George though never believed anything he said. He talked to everyone in town. Asking if I seemed crazy to them the whole time I had been there, and isn't it weird that he followed me here. After saying I was crazy and lying about him. Shouldn't he want to stay away from someone like that, but he tracked me all the way here even after I changed my name. It's weird. They all started to put it together. With the help of every one in town. We were able to catch him in the act. He's still behind bars to this day. I know you don't trust the people in this town anymore because of what happened with that man. But I want you to know there are still people in this town who have your back and have been where you are." after she's done telling me her store. She pats my hand and hands me a tissue. That's when I noticed that I was crying. I just started crying more letting out all the pain, frustration and anger that was building in me. She didn't say anything else, she just came around and hugged me. We stayed like that for a long moment. My phone dinged, pulling me back. I wipe my eyes and look down. It's Blake telling me him and the cops are on their way. I tell her and she sits back down across from me.
"You can tell me anything, don't hold all of that in. It's not good for you." she hands my other tissue. I tell her everything that has been going on. Nothing about my ability to feel danger, but everything else from how I met Blake to now. She just listens until we hear loud knocking on the front door. My phone starts ringing. I look down at it and it's Blake. I answered the phone.
"It's me at the door. Can you ask someone to come open it? Not you. You stay somewhere in the back." I look up and miss Barbara is already walking out the room.
"Ms Barbara is going to open it now."
" ok i will see you in a sec." he hangs up the phone. It feels like forever until they walk back into the room. As soon as I see Blake I throw myself into his arms. He catches me mid air. Hugging me tightly we stay like that, tell we hear a cough. I lifted my head from his shoulder to see what was going on. I make eye contact with Louise. My face goes red. I try to get down but Blake is having none of it. He turns to look at them with me still in his arms.
"It's too small in here. Let's go to the bay, are the garage doors down?"
"Yes George already did that as soon as you boys left. They're both in there waiting for yall to get here. I'm not happy with you young man. Don't put yourself in danger like that again. I get you wanted her safe but you should have gotten yourself to safety as well until the cops got there." Ms. Barbara sounds mad. I go to turn my face to look at her. Blake puts his hand on the back of my head keeping it down on his shoulder. I don't fight him, I just relax back on to him.
"I'm sorry I wasn't thinking straight, but I thought better than last time. I made sure she was protected." I don't know who he told the second part to but he sounded so proud of himself. I couldn't help the little giggle that came out. He ruffled my hair and continued. "Ok let go." I hear footsteps walking a way. I expect him to put me down now but instead he picks me up bridal style.
"What are you doing?" I gasp.
"You just relax, I got you." is all he says as he starts walking. We go into a big metal door. When we get in he walks straight to a couch along the back wall. I guess that's where customers sit waiting on their cars. He sits with me in his lap. Everyone gets folding chairs and brings them around us to sit, escape to Ms. Barbara. She sits on the couch and puts my feet on her lap. I try to pull them back to give her room. She just puts them back on her then puts the blanket I must have dropped back on my legs.
"Ok Rose can you tell us what happened today from the beginning" Ted asked ready to write everything i say down. I look over to the door and Mike is standing by it like he's making sure no one can come in. I take another beep breath. I open my mouth and everything comes out. I don't tell them I felt eyes on me. I told them I saw someone in the woods staring at me. By the time I finish telling them everything I feel so tired. I want to sleep for a week.