Man in the Wall (Who is he?)

Chapter 20 - Miss Marthis

I blink countless times to make sure that my eyes aren't deceiving me. But no matter how hard I try to blink away the truth, his image simply refuses to diminish. I find myself accepting a caliginous reality.

He has found me.

"Thought you could get away huh?" he says as he tauntingly steps into the room. Like a predator angling their prey, about to pounce at any given time.

Our eyes are locked onto one another's. With the telephone still glued to the palm of my hand, I stand frozen in my spot. Scream! You're in a sheriff's station! Scream! I open my mouth but find myself unable to do exactly just that. My voice somehow concaves right when I need it the most. I clear my throat in an attempt to at least say something, since my cry for help is uncommunicative.

"Steven. What are you doing here?" It takes me a few seconds too long before realizing that I'm not the one who uttered those words. Just then Sheriff Porter steps into view with a puzzled expression and a few files tucked neatly beneath his arm.

The Sheriff knows him? How!? I don't know, but we'll find out soon Jess.

"Good day Sheriff," Steven says as he turns to face Sheriff Porter and reaches out to shake his hand. Which they actually do. Sheriff Porter is shaking my kidnapper's hand!

"Always with the formality lad. I told you, call me Leonard or Mr. Porter for the most," he says with light laughter accompanying a carefree smile, a little too friendly for comfort. 

"You know him!?" I shriek, an octave higher than needed. Although, the situation hints otherwise. Both heads snap towards me at the sound of my voice as if noticing me for the first time and I feel the bile rising in the back of my throat. 

"Of course. Steven's my neighbor." His brows knit together not understanding my outburst. "You look like you've seen a ghost child. What's you discomfort," he questions.

It takes everything in me not start hurling objects about in anger. No human being should possibly be this oblivious. 

"He's my kidnapper!" I clamor, hoping to raise some form of suspicion to anyone passing by as well.

Sherrif Porter's features fall to bewilderment. "What?"

"He's the one who kidnapped me! Please! You have to keep me away from him! Arrest him for crying out loud!" My yelling is enough to draw three officers to stop in their tracks at the door to see what the commotion is all about.

"Steven!? Why that's most certainly impossible. Steven couldn't possibly have been the one to do this to you." The Sheriff says like a father who just heard that his son is part of the KKK clan.

"That's because I didn't. Sheriff, This-" Steven begins but I refuse to allow his venomous words to diminish the truth. "No! Don't listen to a word he has to say! I'm telling you that he's the one who took me! He hurt me! He caused these bruises!" I exclaim.

"This can't be true. I've known this man for just over four years now. He has a clean record. The town's people trust him." The Sheriff speaks more to himself than me while shaking his head in disbelief. I can tell that getting through to this man is going to be challenging.

If someone were to tell me Jessica was secretly a 'world class' serial killer, I wouldn't believe the tale even if the bodies stared me smack in the face. It's the simple fact that once we grow to know people over a long period of time, we find it difficult to comprehend knowledge from a stranger. Especially if it doesn't suit the traits of the individual we claim to know.

"Sheriff, is everything okay here?" The lieutenant questions as he pushes past the other officers to enter the room. I notice him carrying a parcel, a takeaway bag resting above articles of clothing. The other three officers stand steadily behind him. They stand guard, ready to attack when necessary.