Bounty (Leland Chapman Fanfiction - Unedited)

23

Maggie went on with her school year. She enjoyed keeping her mind busy - as she explained to Leland before, if her mind gets a chance to calm down and wander off, she starts thinking about bad things, such as her father. Therefor, whenever she found she was bored on a bad day, she got up and found a thing to do.

It was a few weeks before her birthday November 17 when she received the first text.

Hey girly.

Confused, thinking it could be Leland or Danny, she replied.

'Who are you?'

Don't worry about it. Listen, I just wanted to say that your black shirt looks amazing on you today.

That's when she figure out, it was Derek. She ignored it, blocking the number and going on with her day. A couple days later, however, she received a new text while she was home alone, from a new number.

I guess you found out who I am. I wanna talk.

'No, I'm not talking about anything with you. Leave me alone, we're done.'

Once again, she blocked the number. She went on with her schooling, not wanting to mention anything to Leland, because he'd get too worried. She mentioned it to Danny, however, because if Danny drops what he's doing and comes up to see her, it's not that big of a deal. But if Leland does that, the bounty business could slow down and stop catching fugitives. When she received another text a little over a week later, she ignored it and blocked the number.

I just want to talk to u

She had gone yet another week without getting a text. However, it didn't last much longer than that. She was in a class, listening to the teacher as she wrote down notes about everything he was saying. Her phone lit up.

Unknown number.

If u don't wanna talk on here, why don't I just stop by ur bio class? Maybe walk you home? Maybe show up in your apartment after your 9 o'clock class?

She ready it, furrowing her eyebrows. He was still typing.

I went shopping yesterday. Picked up some sweet little tools

Just gotta get them all ready and then I'll be able come on over and pay you a visit.

Maggie clutched her bag, realizing all she had was pepper spray. She knew Derek wasn't a man to make empty threats, and she was frightened. She needed to go home and call Leland. Call Danny. Call somebody. So she did. She packed up her school stuff, leaving the class and hurriedly getting in her car, checking all seats before she drove off to her apartment. Her phone kept dinging, Derek kept giving her threats.

I can't wait to see you later.

I can't wait to talk

You did me wrong. Give me a second chance.

I can change for you.

I need to see u later bc I will change for you

She made it up to her apartment, putting her bag down immediately, locking the door and holding her pepper spray and a knife as she searched it, finding nobody. She let out a breath, taking out her phone and dialing Danny.

Voicemail.

She dialed Leland. Still, voicemail. Then she tried Jake, Terry, Duane Lee, Dog, all voicemail. She sighed, shutting all her curtains, turning on all her lights before going into her bedroom. Maybe she's just paranoid? Yeah, maybe she is. Maggie calmed herself down a little bit. She put her knife and pepper spray on her desk before sitting back down, getting her schoolwork out. She began working on it, trying to keep her mind away from Derek.

But it didn't last.

It was about an hour, when she heard the doorknob wiggle. She gasped, grabbing her knife and pepper spray and leaned against the wall next to the bedroom door, listening as a key entered the lock and unlocked the door.

'Tools' that Derek had. What tools did he pick up? What could he have picked up that allowed him to unlock the door?

She heard heavy boots, and bags being placed on the kitchen counter.

Bags of what? What could they be? What kind of sickening tools does Derek have?

She listened as the boots were quiet, approaching the bedroom. She shut her eyes, a combination of stress, sleep deprivation and fear kicked in as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She's fearless, she remembered. She is fearless. Maggie gripped her pepper spray, taking a breath as the boots were inches from the doorway. As soon as she turned, her pepper spray dropped. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as she wrapped her arms around him, the two not hesitating to give one another a kiss.

"Why are you here?" Maggie asked, letting go of the hug. Leland smiled, decked out in full bounty uniform and supplies.

"Why are you here and why..." he looked at the knife on her desk, pepper spray on the floor, the tear on her cheek. "Are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," she said, wiping it. "I um..." her phone dinged a few times in a row, where she lifted it up and gave it to Leland. "I think it's Derek. The first time he texted was a few weeks ago. I blocked the number." Leland started scrolling through the texts, along with those of the different blocked numbers. "He kept coming back with a different number. Derek, when he makes a threat or a promise he goes through with it."

I'll see you tonight.

Can't wait to see u tonight.

Look pretty for me, I'll be stopping by.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Leland asked her.

"I didn't want you to fly up and drop everything. The texts just got really bad today, so I tried calling everybody but it all went to voicemail." Maggie sighed, looking at his bounty equipment. "Why...? And how did you get in here?"

"Let me answer both of those in one statement. As a bounty hunter, all I gotta do is show my badge and I can get a key anywhere." Leland sighed, finishing reading the texts and handing the phone to Maggie. "Well, when he comes to visit, I'll be here."