The Stalker (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 7

"Ive already told you a hundred times," Steph said in the dressing room that evening. "When I got back to the motel, I stopped at the desk for messages. The guy handed them to me and I put them on the dresser."

She leaned close to the mirror and began lining her eyes with black eye pencil. "I didn't know this would turn into a federal case, so excuse me if I didn't ask him who delivered the envelope."

"Well, it wasn't the mailman, that's for sure," Toni said, tying a yellow ribbon around her ponytail.  "There's no stamp. And that means he's right here in town. How else did he know Melissa threw away the roses? He sat across the street last night and watched her do it."

"Let's stop talking about it," Melissa said.

She dropped a blue-striped dress over her puffy crinoline slip. "I'd like to put the whole thing out of my mind before we go on. I can't let whoevers doing this freak me out so much I blow it onstage."

In silence, the dancers finished getting into costume and applying their makeup.  As Melissa outlined her lips with red, someone rapped on the door.

"Twenty minutes," Elvis's voice announced.

"Thanks you!" Toni shouted. "How's the house?"

"Filling up," Elvis said. "Is Melissa in there?"

Toni caught Melissa's eye and wiggled her eyebrows. "Yes she is!" She sang out. "Would you like to see her again?"

"Again?" Steph glanced curiously at Melissa.

"Yeah, Melissa, do you have a second?" Elvis called out.

Ignoring steph's questioning look, Melissa threaded her way through the norrow dressing room and stepped outside.

"Hi, Elvis, what's up?" She asked, closing the door behind her.

"Nothin' major." Elvis smiled. "I have to make an emergency run to the hardware store in a few minutes and I'll be staying on after the show to help with some repairs," he explained. "Anyway, since I might not get another chance to talk to you, I wanted to make sure you knew about tomorrow night's party."

Melissa nodded. There was usually a cast party after every closing, and this one was in a club not far from her motel.

"I saw the announcement yesterday," She told Elvis.

"Are you goin'?" He asked.

"Sure."

"Great. I was hoping you were." Elvis seemed to hesitate. Then he reached out and smoothed a strand of Melissa's hair away from her face. His hand dropped to her shoulder and stayed there.

Melissa's heart picked up its pace as Elvis leaned close to her. "Gotta run," he murmured, his breath tickling her ear.

And then he was gone.

Melissa took a deep breath. Don't get wobbly legged now, she thought, grinning to herself. At least wait until the shows over!

Ten minutes to curtain.

In the front of a stack of painted flats, Melissa did a few knee bends amd leg stretches to limber up. She could hear the audience out front, rustling their programs and greeting each other. In a few more minutes, the band would begin tuning up.

Melissa's heart started pounding and her hands shook with the rush of adrenaline that always hit her just before curtain.

She was taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm down, when she saw vic, the stage manager, hurrying towards her.

"Phone call, Melissa," vic said. "Sounds important. Know where the phone is?"

Melissa knew. Rushing downstairs and along the hall that led to the theater manager's office, she could only think of one reason why vic would let her take a call eight minutes before curtain: something must have happened at home.

Something bad.

Passing the dressing rooms, Melissa turned a corner and ran to the end of the hall, and into the office. The phones receiver lay on top of a stack of papers. She grabbed it up.

"Hello?" She said breathlessly. "Mom....dad?"

"No, Melissa." The voice was low and muffled. "Don't worry nothings wrong. I had to do some lying, but it was worth it, don't you think?"

"Who is this?" Melissa cried. "Is this..."

"You know who I am, Melissa," the voice interrupted. "I'm your biggest fan."

"My fan." Melissa's hand was suddenly slick with sweat and she almost dropped the phone.

The caller laughed softly. "Didn't you get my letter?"

"Oh, yeah, I got it," Melissa said. "I got the roses, too. Listen...."

"Ah yes, the roses. You threw them away."

Melissa felt a surge of anger. "You wouldn't know that if you hadn't been spying on me!"

"I love to watch you. Don't you get it?"

"No," Melissa said coldly.

"Trust me, you will. Soon."

"Stop saying that!" Melissa shouted. "Leave me alone!"

With another soft laugh, the caller hung up.

Hey guys, how do you like the story so far? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And Thanks for reading! xoxo