Snatched

Chapter 7

I didn't know what to do. I either wait for Cynthia to hear and tell her about the flowers or call Detective Ramirez and tell him about the flowers. I decided to call the detective. "Detective Ramirez." he answered after the third ring. "Yeah, Hi, it's me Alex Hughes. Um...I got a delivery of flowers sent to me by the stalker with a note." I told him, while nervously biting my nails. "I'll head over now to take a look and possibly take the note into evidence." he replied and hung up. I waited in my living room and heard a knock at my door and got up to open, I saw that it was both Cynthia and Detective Ramirez. Cynthia gave me a look of confusion mixed with worry, probably wondering why the detective was here.

I guided Detective Ramirez into the kitchen where the vase with flowers was sitting at my table. "Did you touch the note?" He asked while putting on a pair of white gloves. "No, I just saw that it was attached to the flowers and read what it said but I didn't touch it." I said while backing up. "Good, I'm going to take the note and see if it has any fingerprints." He spoke while simultaneously putting the note in an evidence bag. I looked to see where Cynthia was and saw that she was sitting down on the couch watching TV. "Okay, do I hand you the rest of the gifts I got from the stalker too, or are you just going to take the note?" I asked, he looked up at me in surprise. "Wait, you have more gifts? How long have you been getting these gifts for?" he asked with the same surprised look. " Well, since the beginning. For months now. They are all just piling up in my hallway closet." I told him, with my arms folded and leaning my back onto my counter. "Have you opened any of them?" he asked. I nodded my head no. I started to walk down my small hallway to the door and opened it. Showing all the gifts that have been piling up.

After a while of talking and the detective taking notes, he decided to take all the gifts into evidence. Looking at the time I saw that it was eight at night, and decided to call it a day. I walked into my bedroom and saw that Cynthia was already laying in bed sleeping. I got ready in my pajamas and laid down to sleep.

Next day, I got up with a startle, I guess I forgot to set my alarm clock. I looked over and saw that Cynthia was still asleep. I shook her awake and we both started to get ready for school. We were both in too much of a rush to stop by the close by cafe like I normally would. Once in class, the day went by in a blur. Work did too. I didn't do much talking at work with Sarah, she didn't pressure me into details of what happened yesterday. At closing time, I was a bit more skeptical and I guess paranoid with what has been happening. I quickly did the money count and quick cleaning and locked the store up. I ran to my car with my pepper spray in hand. As I was starting the car, making sure that there is no one in the back seat, I locked the car and turned on my headlights. A shadow passed by in my side view. Not wanting to find out what or who it was, I put my car in reverse and sped out of there. 

A week had passed since Kate was killed, in the news they ruled it a robbery gone wrong, but the next day the detective told me it was the same person that killed Kate that was stalking me. So in conclusion, I'm being stalked by a killer, that's just great. My life was going so well. After the flowers, I didn't get any more gifts. I was glad, I was worried one of those gifts was going to end up being a bomb that ends up killing me. No matter how hard I try to recall someone with the initial D, I couldn't come up with someone. The only person who I can think of with that initial would be Dylan. But I quickly ruled it out, he may be a loner and a bit weird but he has no killer, stalker vibe to him.

All week Cynthia had been acting strange, distancing herself. I tried to ask her about it, but she just brushes it off and says she's fine. Second week passes just as quick, still no gifts and still with Cynthia keeping to herself. This time I'm going to make her tell me what's wrong. After classes on Friday, I told her to meet me at 'Petite treats'. We chose a seat in the back of the cafe. Not having an appetite we didn't order anything. We sat looking at each other for a solid two minutes. I decided to be the bigger person and speak first, "Okay, what's going on? You've been distancing yourself for the past two weeks. What's going on, are you okay? Please talk to me!" I begged. She just looks down at lap and starts playing with her fingers. Slowly she looks up with a sad look in her eyes. " I think we need to break up." She spoke up. I swear in that moment my heart broke. "Why? What did I do wrong?" I asked with tears in my eyes. "I-I can't do this anymore, I got a note too, from YOUR stalker. They threatened my life, my family's life. I can't stay with you, if they are going to be in danger and I have to constantly look over my shoulder." She said with tears streaming down her face.

"I, guess this is goodbye then?" I asked, while wiping my face with my palms. "Am I still going to see you around campus at least?" I asked, at least that would ease my broken heart just a little seeing her around school. " Not likely, I talked to my parents and we are going to my grandparents for a while. While this whole thing blows over." She replied. She got up from her seat and walked closer to me, gave me a kiss on the cheek and walked out of the cafe and out of my life.