Nice To Meet You (Completed)

Chapter 7

     We arrive and I see Leon hasn't left yet.  I unlock the front door and go inside looking behind me to see Jacob roll his eyes and pull off.

    I go in and see Reggie and Leon talking it up and laughing at the kitchen table.  It's probably something about me.  Reggie loves to tell embarrassing stories from high school.

    "What's up, guys."  Leaning against the kitchen cabinet I fold my arms. "I hope you're not talking shit about me, Reggie."

    She puts her hand over her heart and teases, "Now you know that's all I do."  Reggie gets up from the table and calls Bella outside to play in the sunshine drenched backyard.

    Sitting down at the table Leon's eyes follow me. "Are you feeling better?" he asks in a concerned tone.

    "I feel fine. Everything has just been overwhelming lately."  I look at my hands like they have answers for all the shit that's going down.

    Leon grabs them and clasps them in his. "I saw the photos he left for you at the shop. I shouldn't have left you."

    "It's ok. You didn't know and we were kind of caught up in the moment. Not your fault."

    He rubs his thumb against my hand. "Maybe we can...create another moment over dinner at my place?"

    My face gets hot and I feel my heart flutter. I chuckle a little. "Are you asking me out on a date Officer Artem?"

    "Leon... and yes I am, Violet the flower." He bites his lip in anticipation.

    I raise a finger, "It's a yes then. With one condition."

    "And that is?"

    "I get to help you cook."

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    A few weeks later

    It's on Wednesday at 8 o'clock in the evening I start getting ready for fourth my date with Leon.  Surprisingly, the stalker has fell back giving me a chance to breathe.

    Looking through my closet I pick out a casual black long-sleeved dress that will surely do the trick of accentuating my hourglass figure.

    I try it on in mirror.  Then I place my diamond pendant necklace around my neck.  I realize it hasn't been worn in a while.

    My jet black hair will just have to be fine resting on my shoulders.

    Thirty minutes later I hear a few knocks at the door but before I open it I take a picture of myself and send it to Reggie so she knows where I'm at.

    I grab my small purse and head toward the door.  When I open it I look up to see Leon and his jaw drops.

    "You look so lovely in that dress. I don't think I've seen anything more stunning in my life."

    As I slowly look him up and down my mouth waters.  Leon compliments what I'm wearing with a crisp white button-up, a dark navy tie, and slim dark wash jeans.

    I smile at him. "You don't look too bad yourself, officer."

    He raises up a bouquet of gorgeous violets. "They weren't in season but I know a guy." He shrugs.

    I gladly accept it as he guides me to his black Ford Mustang.
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    We spend a wonderful few hours cooking up a thirty-minute dinner.  Too busy getting distracted with...other things.  It consisted of sauteed garlic-infused shrimp with white wine and angel hair florentine pasta.

    Happy with the results finally we sit down and engage in a conversation over our beautifully cooked meal.

    Out of curiosity, I ask Leon what was his first thought when he saw me at the station.

    He grins. "I thought what is this attractive and very short woman doing here."

    I giggle, "That's cute. I thought you looked like a bit of a douche."

    Leon grabs his chest. "Aw, that hurts."  He leans closer to me so that our lips are almost touching. "I hope I changed your mind."

    Taking a bite of shrimp I assure him that my mind is in fact changed without little convincing.

    The rest of the night goes by in a flash as most good things do.

    Leon escorts me down the steps on the way to his car.  When we reach the last step he freezes as he looks over to the bushes across the street.

    My knees weaken as I see him.

    The guy in the white mask stands still and continues to watch us.

    Leon drops my hand and breaks out into a run determined to catch the stalker as he flees.

    I watch as further down the street Leon gets close enough to jump and drag him down.  He turns him over and punches him out.

    I run over to them as Leon grabs for the white mask to ultimately bring truth to who this creep is.

    He snatches it off showing an unconscious Eli.
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    Leon pulls up on the curb and we see Reggie come home as well parking in the driveway she waves at us and waits for me at the door.

    Leon grips the steering wheel in anger. "I'm gonna question him and squeeze out all the piece of shit knows. Ok? I'm sorry about tonight."

    I nod my head still in shock.

   Eli?

    "It's fine. If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have caught him. Thank you for that."  I kiss his hand and open the door making my way to Reggie.

    We go inside and I ask Reggie where's Bella. She yells from the kitchen that she's gotta be sleeping around somewhere.

    Reaching the top of the stairs and standing by my bedroom door I smell something awful.

    I quickly turn on the light then walk in looking around and under my bed.

    No Bella.

    Pulling off my dress I hope she's ok she usually greets us at the door. I reach to open my closet and when I do I immediately burst into tears.

    Looking inside the closet I scream.

    Bella hangs from the closet rod with a thick rope around her neck.  I could already tell her neck was snapped from the way it looked.

    Reggie runs up the stairs after she hears my screams and sobbing.

    "Oh my God! What the fuck!!"  She grabs me and let's me cry into her chest caressing my hair softly.

    Why Bella?

She's never done anything wrong. Why her and not me?

    I sob hard for what seems forever and eventually cradle Bella's small stiff corpse in   my arms.

    Tonight I bury her with sweet memories, lovely words, and all her favorite things.

    She deserved a lot of love and definitely not this.