Camden Vaile

Saturday, May 2nd

The soft knock on the bedroom door woke me up. I said, "Shhh!" and pulled myself out of Joel's arms. He grunted and rolled over but didn't wake up. I got up and grabbed my robe and cracked the door. One look at Jasmine's face had me pushing through and quickly shutting the door.

She grabbed my arm and nodded for me to follow her. She went straight to the front door and before she opened it she looked at me. She was freaking me out. I grabbed the handle and jerked it open myself and then just gasped. What the fuck!?

Written all over my car were obscenities. Some said "bitch" some, said "cunt" some said "slut", but the one that caught my eye was the one that said, "You're mine". My hand went to my throat and I could only get incoherent sounds to come out of my mouth.

Jasmine reached over to rub my arm and said, "Camden...."

I looked at her wide eyed and then said, "You have to help me."

She followed me as I ran into the kitchen for some rags and a bowl of water. We ran out and she helped me scrub the shoe polish off my car. We had most of it scrubbed off when Tracey came out onto the porch and said, "What are y'all doing?"

I said sounding close to a panic, "Just decided to wash my car, what's it look like?"

She put her hands on her hips and said, "In your robes?!"

Jasmine said, "Just... let it go Trace! And don't mention it to anyone."

I stopped to look at her and said, "Please."

Her face went serious and she said, "What happened."

I shook my head and said, "Just... please. Let it go."

She frowned and went back inside. I let out a sigh and told Jasmine, "I'm going to go shower and get dressed. I need to call Detective Smith and let him know...."

She said, "Ok. I'll meet you in the kitchen when you're done."

Why couldn't he just leave me alone? What was this obsession with me? He surely hadn't seemed to care about me when were engaged. Was he watching last night when Joel and I.... Oh my God. I shuddered and broke out in goose bumps.

When I got out of the shower, Joel was still passed out and I felt sick. I met Jasmine in the kitchen and told her, "I'm going to step outside and call Detective Smith."

She nodded and said, "I'll let you know if Joel gets up."

When he answered I said, "This is Camden Vaile...."

He said, "I was just about to call you. I heard back from Detective Riley and he says this Jackson guy is no joke."

I gulped and said, "He's here."

He said, "Right now? I'm on my way."

I said, "No... I mean... he's in Panama City. I saw him yesterday and I think... I'm pretty sure he was watching through my bedroom window last night. He marked my car up with obscenities."

He said, "But he's not physically there right now?"

I shuddered and said, "I don't think so."

He said, "Ok... I'll be right there." He hung up.

I went back inside just as Joel stumbled down the hall. Oh shit. I had so many emotions flowing through me that I was going to be sick. I was a nervous wreck. I took off at a run to the bathroom and was sick. Joel came in right behind me and said, "Hey! Are you ok?"

I heaved some more and when I started dry heaving he got a cold washcloth to put on the back of my neck. As I flushed the toilet, Jasmine came to the door and said, "What happened?"