Catch Me

Chapter 5- No Feelings of Security

Squinting I was relieved I had made it through the night without having nightmares about the disconcerting events of the night before. 

I rushed to the window and thrust open the curtains. No cars there but the usual neighbors coming back from nights of partying and leaving for work.

"Work. Work let's go to work."

I got ready and rushed to my car looking around hoping no one would grab me as I unlocked my door. "You're being so silly knock it off idiot."

I met Walter as usual and was about to tell him about what happened with the SUV yesterday but I stopped mid sentence. "He will literally think you're going crazy. Keep your ridiculous fears to yourself."

I opened my cases from the day before and went to work trying to figure out solutions, replacing the bad with the good. But I was distracted today. I looked down at my work, it was good, but I was moving at a pace that was so slow, I would barely finish one relocation case by the time I needed to go home. I walked out of my office around noon, and told Walter I was going to have a cigarette. I know they're bad for you but I seriously needed to relax. 

Walter waited outside the courtyard for me as I sat on a bench and breathed in slowly trying to relax and center myself. Suddenly I heard beeping horns and the screech of tires. 

I jerked my eyes open, darting them towards the commotion in the street directly in front of where I was sitting. A large bus had t-boned another vehicle against a tree....it was a dark colored SUV. I now saw it was a dark navy. Almost black.

"It can't be the same one...it isn't the same one." the panicked voice in my head kept repeating. But it was. It was the same vehicle that I had seen last night. Would be ridiculous to assume but over the years I had become observant of little things, and license plates had always been something I could memorize in seconds, and remember for weeks. I leaped up, seeing Walter run out of the doors and over to me to make sure I was safe. I was physically, but felt far from safe staring at the SUV. It had been parked next to the tree in front of me before it was hit, less than 30 feet away. 

Watching me. 

The driver had obviously tried to pull out and get away fast, but hadn't observed the traffic behind him and gotten hit. I strained to look at who was driving but the leaves of the tree were rustling and covering the windows at the angle I was sitting. Police had arrived on the scene by that point. Walter guided me back inside saying that I should head back inside where it was safe. I was able to look back one more time and saw that the drivers seat was empty...whoever had been pinned against that tree was long gone leaving the car, accident and me behind. 

Shaken internally, Walter escorted me upstairs to my office and asked if I was okay one more time. I said yes and that I would need to be taken to my car in 10 minutes. He nodded and went back to his security office. 

My shaky hand opened my door and I dropped into my seat. That SUV had been parked there, watching me, looking at me. 

"Where was the driver? Where did he go in the minute that the crash happened and I happened to look back? Why was he watching me? Is that the same SUV or am I nuts? Who is this?" Too many questions were filling my mind and I kept getting more and more freaked out as I thought about their answers. 

I jumped a little when Walter walked into my office asking if I was ready to go. The kind, handsome, 35 year old saw me clutching the arms of my chair with wide eyes and instantly looked concerned. 

"Miss Katherine, what's wrong?" his voice, low and patient made me want to spill what had been happening to me the past two days. 

"Nothing Walter, I'm just jumpy, thank you for asking." I paused and added "That crash kind of scared me, it was very close to where I was sitting." I looked at him embarrassed. I dealt with horror stories all day, how could I be scared of an accident when they happened all the time in the city?

"It was. I'm glad you weren't any closer. I can take you down now if you're sure you're okay."' he moved to offer his arm to me.

"Thank you." I said softly, gathering my things and wrapping my hand around the crook of his arm. I couldn't help but smile at how sweet he was, but my head was still troubled with the events of what had happened just a few minutes before. 

He helped me into my car and waved goodbye to me, telling me to text or call him if I needed him. I again thanked him and drove off out of the gates. 

I noticed how light it was, since I was too shaken to stay a full day. I noticed that the streets were busier than normal around the court house because of the accident. I noticed that my heart hadn't stopped pumping since I had spotted the SUV again.

One thing I didn't notice however was a dark-clothed figure standing on the sidewalk by the gates of the courthouse parking garage, staring at the back of my car as I drove home, watching me get farther and farther away.