Kill Or Be Killed

Chapter Eight

Scale number: 1

Cat's eyes were glued to the open front door, unable to see past the doorway from where she was sitting. A flash of her life-like nightmare came flooding back like an ice cold waterfall. Has Jessie come back for real this time? Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she was afraid it was going to jump out and land with a wet 'SPLAT' on the counter.

When the knock came again, it was perhaps a bit softer, followed by a reassuring, "Hello?"

That voice.

"Ms. Clade, are you home?"

Before moving, she started running her fingers through her hair real quick, her skin flushed as she was reminded of her dream. Then her hand stilled, if the mysterious officer was real and had returned... It hadn't been a nightmare at all.

Jessie had shown up last night.

And he hadn't left breathing.

Cat sobered immediately, the guy shot him and then she was told to follow him to find her husband's killer. Was 'him' this Kal guy? She swallowed, attempting to dampen her now dry throat.

"Caterina, I'm opening the door. Don't be afraid," he warned less than a second before his screen squeaked. The giant of a man stepped into the kitchen, and surprisingly, just as he had commanded, she felt absolutely no fear at the sight of him. Although she was sure she would have preferred that over the entire body blush that probably looked ridiculous. Her eyes swept over his large frame, noting the bag on his shoulder. However she couldn't get the words out fast enough before he was slipping out of the room, somehow a lot more nimble than a man his size should be.

Turning so her back was to the sink, she leaned to the side a little just in time to see a glimpse of him climbing the stairs. His footsteps were so silent she wasn't even sure if he walked around before he was walking around the other corner, coming back into the living room. "What did he want?"

"Good morning to you too, officer."

He blinked at her a couple of times, "Good morning, What did Captain Jefferys want?"

Cat's brows came together, coming up short, "How did you..."

"There are some things we need to talk about," he dropped his bag on the floor on the edge of the top step between the kitchen and the rest of the house. "The first being the fact that you've been under surveillance for some time now." Kal turned to face her, his face sober like this was something normal people talk about.

"Excuse me?" She hadn't meant to snap at him, but she was so rattled by the events of the last twenty-four hours that she wasn't really sure of any other way to process it.

"We have been keeping an eye on you since the night of your... husband's death." There was the slightest of pauses that she might have even imagined it. "There were some people in his life that weren't the safest and we wanted to make sure you were safe."

We? Had Dan been the one who put her 'under surveillance'? Then another more important thing wandered to the forefront of her derailed train of thought. Was this proof Greg was killed? "Uhh," she cleared her throat, giving his duffle a nervous glance, taking a couple of steps to the side to keep the island between them. "Why did you say anything last night?"

"Would you have believed me?"

"Would you have?" She asked with a skeptical look that made him huff out, what she could only guess was, an amused breath. He just cocked an eyebrow but gave no verbal answer. So she wasn't sure what else to say, or ask. Although she remembered something her Meemee used to say, 'Don't look a gifted horse in the mouth.' Clearing her throat again, "You want a coffee or something?" Part of her regretted dumping out the pot, knowing it would just keep him here longer if he had to wait for the drink."