Josh's Destiny

Chapter 4

They sat in the police station, Josh's head on his chest and Destiny wide awake beside him. She understood why Josh was tired. She tried to make him as comfortable as she could, but the longer they sat there the heavier he became as he leaned on her. Finally, she shook him awake.

"Sorry to wake you, but you were becoming heavy" she said.

Josh stifled a yawn and said, "I'm so sorry, it's been a rough night." He looked at her and said softly, "For both of us."

She started to reply, but at that moment an officer walked over to her and told her and Josh to come with him. They were lead down a dingy hall with industrial green tile and very off white walls to a tiny cubicle of an office. The officer told them to sit in the hard plastic chairs and when they were seated he left, closing the door behind him.

"Now we wait in private" muttered Josh. But they did not have to wait long before a tall, skinny man in an ill-fitting beige suit came in and took the seat behind the desk.

"Hello, I'm Detective Reynolds. I'll be handling your case." He shuffled some papers and looked at them for a moment. Then he looked at Destiny.

"Miss Chapel, your apartment was broken into and you were left a threatening note, is that right?"

"Yes. Josh and I came back from Coney Island and found the door unlocked and the place was ransacked. The note was stuck to my door with a carving knife."

"And how do you fit into all this Mr. Kiszka?" the detective asked Josh consulting his notes.

"I don't really, Destiny and I were on a date and I brought her home and we discovered the place like it was."

"Umm" Detective Reynolds mused. "This your first date?"

"Yes, why do you need to know?"

"It's obvious that Miss Chapel has a stalker. And apparently he or she means business. Since you're seeing Miss Chapel, you could be in the line of fire as well."

"But I'm not, I mean not really. Like I said, this was our first date and I'll be leaving town first thing tomorrow."

Detective Reynolds stroked a non-existent beard. "You're a singer, Mr. Kiszka?"

"Yes, lead singer of Greta Van Fleet, so we won't be around long. I don't know how I can help you."

"Well, my team has gone over the crime scene with a fine tooth comb. Your stalker was quite thorough and there's not much left, Miss Chapel. Do you have some where you can stay for the time being? Two or three days, at least?"

Destiny sighed. "I suppose I could stay with my foster family. How long do I really have to be gone?"

Detective Reynolds shrugged. "I'd say at least a week. When you get back, I'd really beef up my security. But the fact is, until we catch him, I'm afraid you're under the gun."

"Can't your department do anything to protect her?" Josh asked, getting perturbed by the Detective's cavalier attitude.

"We have more pressing matters here, Mr. Kiszka. We'll do what we can, but the fact is, as I said, until we catch him, there's little we can do."

"Are we free to go?" Josh asked.

"Yes. We'll be in touch if we get any leads, Miss Chapel. And you call us if anything else happens."

Josh rose to his feet and held out his hand to Destiny. She took it and rose as well. "Thank you, Detective Reynolds." With that, Destiny and Josh left.

"Unbelievable!" Josh exclaimed as they hit the street. The sun was just coming up. Destiny looked up and down the street.

"What are you looking for?"

"I have to get over to my foster family, explain what happened, and see if I can crash for a while. And you need to get back to your hotel. We can share a cab if you like."

"And what do you plan to do after that?"

Destiny sighed. "Get on with life, what else is there to do?"

"A maniac is stalking you and you just want to go back to the way things were?"

Destiny's voice rose. "Well what would you have me do, Josh? I have to work; I have sort of a life. I've got bills to pay and now I have to start over. I'm contemplating changing jobs, but he'd just find me. Until he makes the next move I can't just hide in a hole."

Josh looked at Destiny and narrowed his eyes. "He? You know who's doing this?"

"I have an idea. I haven't seen him in months, but I don't know who else it could be."

"Why didn't you tell the cops any of this?"

Destiny looked chagrined. "I can't prove anything. And I thought he'd gone away. And what if I'm wrong and it's some other nut altogether?"

Destiny spotted a cab and hailed it. The cab pulled to the curb and Destiny got in first, then Josh. Destiny was about to give the cabbie the address when Josh suddenly gave his hotel address instead.

They rode in silence to the hotel and the cabbie pulled smoothly to the curb. Josh paid him and opened the door.

"Well, this is goodbye then" said Destiny as she extended her hand. "I'm really sorry about the last half of the date. You never should have been pulled into it."

Josh took Destiny's hand, but he grasped it hard. And pulled.

"Josh! What the hell..."

Josh pulled again and Destiny had no choice but to get out of the cab or fall in the gutter.

When Destiny was out of the cab, Josh shut the door and told the cabbie to drive on.

Destiny looked at Josh, sputtering with indignation. Before she could say a word he said, "You're staying with me. At least for tonight. We'll get some sleep, and then before I leave for the show we are going to have a long talk."

"I can't..."

"Oh yes you can." Josh pulled her into the lobby and quickly moved to the elevator. There were a few fans camped out at this early hour, but they were all sleeping propped up in their chairs. Josh pulled Destiny into the elevator as soon as it pinged and the doors opened. He pushed the penthouse and let out a deep breath.

How he was going to explain to his brothers, Danny, and Carl he didn't know but he'd think of something. How he was going to get Destiny to stay that would be harder. But the compulsion to protect her would not be denied and it occurred to Josh that the old gypsy woman had been right. He was her protector. And he knew, as sure as he stood there, he would protect her with his life.