Nice To Meet You (Completed)

Chapter 4

It's been two days since I've talked to Officer Artem and two days of silence from whoever my stalker is.

Checking my apartment for anything out of place has become a habit for Jacob, Reggie, and I. It's funny 'cause no matter how tough I think I am I feel safer when they're with me including Bella. They're the only piece of Chicago I have.

Since I finished up all of my client's @12 for today and had to reschedule with one, I guess I'm good to go. I take my bag and head toward the entrance.

"Done for the day?" Eli sits up in his seat and leans forward.

"Er yea I guess so- last client rescheduled for next week."

"Is something weird going on with you? You've been a little distant lately.. I mean I love it when you guys dive into your work but..." he scratches his sandy red beard with a raised brow.

Leaning on the counter, I think about whether I should tell anyone else about the situation. I don't know who it is yet.

Fuck it. Eli's cool.

"I have a stalker."

"That's fucked. They didn't try to hurt you or anything right?"

"Hurt me? Please...you know I pack heat. Always."

He chuckles and leans back.

"It's still dangerous. You know?"

"I'm aware, Eli. Have a nice night man." Before he could say anything else I grab my things and push through the door. I have no time for talking. I'm off tomorrow and can't wait to get home.
_____________________________

Putting the keys in my garage door I find it weird that I don't hear Bella barking yet. She always barks because she knows it's either me or Reggie.

I push open the door quietly and grab my steel bat by the staircase. Creeping slowly down the hallway I hear clanging and drawers closing coming from the kitchen. The light is on.

Did she say she'd be home today?

Bracing myself against the wall and taking a breath I get ready to swing.

I turn the corner about to hit whoever out the park.

"Woaaahhh!! Are you trying to kill me!" I drop the bat and see that it's Reggie with mustard all over her mouth in my pajamas.

Leaning the bat against the cabinet I try to breathe normally.  "What the fuck are you doing clanging around in here!"

"I'm just trying to make a sandwich damn!" She wipes the excess mustard off the sides of her mouth.

I sigh.  "I'm sorry. I didn't hear Bella and I didn't realize you were off today."

Bella runs up to the sliding door that leads to the backyard and I open it happy to see her. "How's my good girl? How's my good girl?"

"Sorry I let her out just before you came and Jacob said he's coming over too for movie night."
___________________________

All three of us sit in the living room while watching a bunch of movies Jacob picked out. I trust him with it 'cause he has good taste unlike myself.

"Get your feet away from my face!" Jacob shifted away from Reggie's feet hanging off the couch.

She snickers, "They can't stink that bad bro."

"I wouldn't know if you kept those cheddarwursts over there!" He pushed them out of the way with a disgusted look.

Raising my finger in front of my mouth I shush them. This movie is really good and I'm the type that reads subtitles.

Moments later, I hear a message come to my phone. I look down and see Bella is napping in my lap.

"Pass me my phone, please?"

Jacob picks it up from the end table and tosses it to me nearly missing my face.

"Thanks, dickhead."  I check my phone not seeing anything but social app notifications and a text message that makes my heart drop.

Nice room. Didn't know you liked black lace so much 😈. Model for me?
-Unkown

"Guys..."

Both Jacob and Reggie sit up and look at me with worry in their eyes.

"What's wrong?" They both say as I hand them my phone and she puts her hand over her mouth showing it to Jacob.

His face changes expression as he reads it.

"Stay here. I'm gonna check the whole upstairs and give the ok to come up."

He runs up the stairs and I wait awhile for him to say it's ok to check it out.

The light is on as we reach the top. When we enter the window is open letting in a bit of a draft.

Jacob looks over at me reading my face. "It was like this when I came up. He must've been in here for awhile."

Closing the window I look down into the darkness seeing nothing but the trees and fog surrounding it.

He's fast.

___________________________

Someone comes up behind me and grabs me by my throat.

"You didn't think you could get that far away from me did you?"

I gasp and awaken covered in sweat.

That was a shitty dream.

After what happened I called the police to do a checkup in and around my apartment but that still doesn't make me feel any safer.

This fucker is now in my dreams.

I look around and see Jacob knocked out on a floor pad with Bella.  Down on the other side of the sofa is Reggie drooling all over her arm.

Thinking about making myself a cup of coffee I get up and walk into the kitchen.

There comes a few raps on the door. Looking through the peephole there is Officer Artem in casual clothing.

I open the door and tell him to come in.

"Miss Slater I-"

"You can call me Violet." I take a sip of my coffee as we stand in the hallway next to the garage door.

"Ok, Violet I came to inform you that the notes came back with no fingermarks. The guy's not stupid and that's what we were hoping for. I'm sorry."

"Shit." Rubbing my forehead I feel nothing but hopeless.

"He has to slip up right? He was here! Where I lay my head at night!" I lower my voice not trying to wake everyone.

Gesturing for him to follow me I jog up the carpeted staircase.

We enter my bedroom and I remember exactly what it looked like last night before I straightened it back up.

"So, he was in your room last night you say?" Artem bends and gets on his knees to check under my bed.  "Was anything out of place?"

Propping myself on top of my dresser I watch him while he looks around.  "Well uh some of my clothes in the closet were scrambled, my notebook and my designs we're flipped through, my bed was moved around also."

What the hell was this guy doing in here last night?

"I'm sure they checked out for fingermarks and such. I wish I had more to work with or I'd be able to find this guy." Artem scratches his head with a puzzled look.

"We'll just have to wait and see. I won't dare sleep in this room again until he's caught."

"Good choice. He's likely to come back."