~~~~~
The man stood among the pilings beneath Kris’s porch, listening in on the conversation. He smiled with satisfaction when he heard Kris brush off the incidents. He never should have tried to watch her from next door. No, the time for watching is over, he thought, he had been patient enough. It was time to make contact.
Chapter Six
The sun was just starting to kiss the horizon as Kris walked along the shoreline. Filled with satisfaction in the day’s accomplishments, she tried to still her mind and release the combination of excitement and anxiety that a new project always brought. She had spent the past few days swimming in details, research and projections for the herbal project.
Diving head first into development had also helped keep her mind off of that niggling feeling that she was being watched. There was nothing she could pinpoint, but her skin often crawled when she took her evening walks and even when she sat on the porch. Maybe I’m just over-reacting to those nightmares, she thought. They came every night, but she still couldn’t make out the features of the people in the movie. Whoever was chasing her was also still a mystery. Kris mentally shook herself to rid her mind of the dreams and the unease she felt in her home. She returned her focus to the project.
If this works like I think it will, Roni will be ecstatic, she thought. A live weekly show should be enough to pry her away from Atlanta. Live. Kris could hardly believe it. Was she crazy to think that this would work? True, Roni was magic in front of the camera. Today’s test group fell in love with her. Tomorrows demographic was much trickier; the early twenty’s crowd was notoriously hard to please. Would they even care about herbal alternatives? Maybe, if we focused on skin and hair care, instead of health. Why even pitch the health option to that group? No sense in wasting money. Kris was so intent in making mental notes to change the survey focus for tomorrow’s group, that she didn’t even notice the stranger heading towards her.
Damien worked hard to control his excitement. He had been waiting for his Beauty to show up for over an hour; she was late today. He added the annoyance to her punishment list. That made him smile. The dog he had picked up to smooth the way into their first meeting started barking at a flock of seagulls. The damn thing had been driving him crazy while he waited on the bitch, another item for the list. But now, the aggravation was paying off. Beauty was looking in their direction. It was time. He put on his most charming face as he dropped the leash.
The dog shot away from him the moment it felt the release, heading straight toward the birds and his Beauty. He started after it. What was the thing’s name? What did it matter? He thought. “Archie, come back. Stop. Heel.” Wasn’t that what one said to a dog? Of course the mutt ignored him; he had chased away the birds and was now barking at the waves.
The barking dog racing towards her broke Kris from her thoughts. He didn’t look dangerous, just determined. The sounds of seagulls protesting the intrusion came from behind her, and she knew that she was not the dog’s target. As he raced by her, she tried to grab the leash, but no luck. She glanced up to see a tall figure running towards her.
“I’m so sorry, Archie loves to chase the gulls and he got away from me. I hope he didn’t scare you.” The man was hardly out of breath, but his voice had a breathless quality. He stopped in front of Kris.
“No, it’s fine. I can’t blame him for wanting to run. Sorry I couldn’t catch him for you.” She took in the friendly, casual smile that didn’t match the purposeful energy radiating around him. Kris glanced back at the dog and saw that he was trying to catch the crabs that were quickly burrowing into the sand.
“Thanks for the effort. I think I’ll let him stay loose for a bit, if that’s okay with you. There’s no one else around to care.” Damien made a point of looking up and down the beach, then at the row of quiet houses behind the sand dunes.
“No, it’s pretty dead right now. Let him have his fun.” Kris suppressed a slight chill as she realized how vulnerable she was. That was not something she had ever worried about during her evening strolls. But she had never run into a man alone before either. “Enjoy your walk.” She said and began to move away.
Not so fast, Damien thought. “Is the beach always this private?” The least the bitch could do was carry on a polite conversation with him. He had waited too long and gone to too much trouble for this moment to let her just walk away.
Kris stopped and turned back to him. “No, there are usually a few people out and about.” She realized that this man may be her new neighbor. “Are you renting one of the cottages?”
“Not yet, I’m staying in Mt. Pleasant for the moment. Archie and I needed some exercise and I’ve been looking for a long term rental in the area, so we drove around and landed here. I like it. Do you know if any of the cottages are available?”
Kris told herself to relax. He was just a tourist, no reason to feel threatened. Besides, what kind of serial killer ran around with a dog? “Some of them might be; you can call the local real estate office and check. I don’t know the number offhand, but their office is in the strip next to the grocery store. Ask for Joan Farley, she’ll help you.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that. Damien Strong” He held out his hand, Kris took it. “Do you live around here?”
“Kris Collins. Yes, for a few months now. I should really be getting back, my friends are waiting. It was nice to meet you Damien, good luck with the rental.” Kris dropped his hand like it was hot. Her senses were suddenly on full alert. Trying to be casual, she turned and started walking away, more quickly than necessary. A small voice was telling her to run, but she ignored it.
She was heading straight for her walkway, but then realized that would be a dead giveaway. Instead, she kept walking for another half mile, and then turned to follow the public access strip to the road. As she navigated the practically deserted oceanfront street that led back towards her house, she tried to tell herself that she was being silly. He was harmless. He had said nothing inappropriate, made no wrong moves and didn’t even look at her funny. Then why was every nerve in her body tingling? And not in a good way.
Damien smiled as he watched her change her mind about going straight home. Women were so stupid, he thought. Like he couldn’t find her if he wanted to. He imagined that he could still feel her soft hand holding his. The warmth spread as he continued to follow her progress. “Soon, Beauty, soon.” He whispered to the falling night.
~~~~~
Kris raced up her front steps, looking around carefully as she unlocked the door. Pegasus was waiting impatiently next to his dinner bowl, tail swishing to show his displeasure. “Sorry I’m late, boy. I’ll feed you in a minute.” Kris made sure that every window and door in the house was locked before taking care of Peg. “Mommy’s a little spooked tonight.” She was talking to herself as much as the cat. Her nerves were gradually calming down. She was home, she was safe. No reason to worry. She made herself a salad and went onto the porch. Normally, she would turn on the lamp next to the sofa, but tonight she opted for a candle. While she refused to let anyone spoil her routine, she wouldn’t shine a spotlight on herself either. What if he was still out there, watching from the beach? Don’t be ridiculous, he doesn’t know you live here, she thought. Besides, his dog would surely announce their presence.
The only sounds Kris could hear were the waves crashing closer as the tide came in and the tinkle of the wind chimes she kept on the deck. The deck. Crap, anyone could just walk up the stairs and right onto her deck. That feature had never concerned her, but now she felt utterly exposed. She wouldn’t even see them coming until they turned the corner, ten feet from the entrance to the porch. Why hadn’t she thought about his b
efore? As a woman living alone, Kris understood the importance of safety. She’d had an alarm system installed as soon as she moved in, but never gave a thought to the accessibility of the deck stairs. The screened porch was her favorite room in the house, but how much protection was a piece of screen, if someone wanted in? Yet here she sat.
She quickly got up and went inside, uncharacteristically closing and locking the glass door behind her. It didn’t take long to find the gun box stashed in the top of her bedroom closet. When she moved out of Charleston, Cassie had given her the gun as a house warming present. She had dutifully learned to load it and unload it, but she had never fired it. She didn’t even have a license. That was something she promised Cassie she would do, along with learning how to shoot, but Kris had never found the time. It wasn’t a priority. Until now. Even so, she felt better having the gun with her. She carefully loaded it, made sure that the safety was on and carried it with her to the living room. Maybe she would stay inside and watch television tonight.
Damien followed Kris’s footsteps as she went from the porch to the bedroom. It was easy to make his way back to the pilings beneath her house while she took the long way home. The damn dog wasn’t even a problem. He caught him, unclipped the leash and turned him loose. He waited impatiently for her to come back out onto the porch and read, as she did every night. This was one of his favorite parts of the day. Standing beneath her, hearing her laugh out loud at something funny, cry softly at some unknown sadness or simply breath as she turned the pages. This was their quiet time together; Damien imagined that she loved it as much as he did.
Kris never returned. Instead, he heard the muted sounds of the television. The ungrateful whore. She was ignoring him. How could she sit up there and pretend like he wasn’t waiting on her? Didn’t she realize how lucky she was that he was interested in her pathetic little life? How dare she deprive him of this time together! Damien caught himself as he started towards the stairs. Wait. Not yet. He had to make her want him as much as he wanted her. He thought that their meeting would ignite her feelings, but instead she left him standing alone on the beach. Something else she would have to pay for.
Kris got ready for bed earlier than usual. The uneasy feeling had all but dissipated as she found herself laughing at her favorite sitcoms. How did I ever live without a DVR, she thought.
Placing the gun carefully in its box, she left it open on her dresser. She could get to it easily if she needed it. What a crazy thought. She was safe. She was home. She wouldn’t need the stupid gun. She shook the thoughts from her head as she cut out the light and relaxed beneath the covers.
Chapter Seven
Kris bolted straight up in bed, sweat streaming down her arms and face. Her breathing was fast and shallow, as if she had been running for her life. The pink of early dawn peeked through the crack in the curtain as she struggled to regain control. She was home. She was safe.
The memories of the dream that plagued her for weeks now were more clear than ever. The man chasing her was still in shadow, but scenes from the movie rolling in front of her were etched in her mind. The flames were everywhere; she could see Roni screaming and Cassie fall to the floor. Her mother and father were both fighting the fiery onslaught, beating back the flames with some kind of fabric, though they had been dead for years. The faces and the surroundings were in sepia tone, but the inferno was blue and red. The horror on the screen was bad enough, but Kris knew that the worst part of the dream had yet to catch up with her. Icy fingers scraped her spine as she ran as hard as she could. No matter how fast her feet flew, she knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he caught up with her.
No wonder I’ve been so sore, Kris thought as she slid out from under what was left of the covers. She looked back at the bedding, most of which was on the floor. Taking a deep breath, she started for the bathroom. A loud caterwaul from downstairs made her jump straight up in her tracks. What in the hell was that cat doing? This is so not the morning for your hijinks, Pegasus, she thought as she detoured towards the stairs. Peg kept crying, even as she called out that she was coming. Kris found him by the kitchen door, obviously distressed.
“What?” Kris stood looking at the overgrown feline with both hands on her hips. “Use the cat door if you want to go outside!” Pegasus stared back at her, and then pointedly looked at the window in the door. The wails were becoming low growls, deep in his throat. The hair on the back of Kris’s neck stood up. She slowly moved to the door and lifted the corner of the curtain.
Nothing. The pink morning glow now had shades of yellow as the sun crested the horizon, casting dim light on the driveway and the sea grass bordering the cottage. It wasn’t much, but enough to tell that no one was there. Kris debated whether or not to open the door; thought better of it and double checked the locks. She went to the kitchen window, then to the living room and the downstairs bath. Pegasus followed her around like a puppy, totally out of character.
“We’re fine, boy, there’s no one out there.” Peg looked back at the kitchen door. He wasn’t convinced. Kris started the coffee. “I may as well get the day started; no way I can get back to sleep now. What do you say to some breakfast?” Pegasus sauntered to his food bowl and settled down to wait. Kris put a bagel in the toaster, and then headed back upstairs.
Minutes later, a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other, she moved out onto the porch. The air was brisk, but the beach was peaceful. After taking a careful look around, she placed everything on the table and went back inside, leaving the door open. Having retrieved the gun from her bedroom, it lay on the bar in the kitchen. She grabbed it as she passed by. Pegasus was happily munching on his breakfast, in between glances at the kitchen door.
I’ve got to stop this, she thought, then whispered aloud, “I’m home. I’m safe.” The sounds of the birds waking up in the grass around the porch helped to calm her frazzled nerves. No wonder I’m jumpy, she thought. Getting spooked this weekend, meeting creepy Damien, followed by that crazy dream and Peg’s little hissy fit is enough to throw anyone off balance. She sipped her coffee, but left the book unopened. You need to get a grip, she told herself. Focus on the things you love about this house, this place and your life. You are home. You are safe.
The gun on the table in front of her seemed to mock the sentiment that was quickly becoming her mantra. Still, having it so close at hand made her feel better. She made a mental note to visit the practice range. She sat back, tried to relax and watched the day come to life around her.
~~~~~
Damien told himself that she was sorry for missing their date last night, and that she was making it up to him by getting up so early. He took a series of deep breaths as he felt her presence, just above him. His arousal was almost painful. She was so close. They were so close. He was so close. He would have been closer if that damn cat hadn’t heard him at the door. He knew it wasn’t time, but the temptation was almost too much. Especially after finally meeting her yesterday. She was so beautiful; he couldn’t wait to feel his arms around her. He imagined twisting her long brown hair around his hand as he tilted her face up to his. He would see passion burning in her bright green eyes, not the flash of fear that appeared as he touched her hand last night. She would want him. She was made for him.
~~~~~
Kris locked the gun back in the box, but slid it into a drawer rather than back in the closet. By the time she was dressed for work, her fear was under control. She even felt a little silly about the whole gun thing. Focusing on the day ahead, she locked the door and ran down to the car.
~~~~~
The twenty-something test group loved Roni, but had very little interest in the product she was selling
. Thanks to Kris’s insight the night before, the survey indicated a definite interest in new line of herbal skin and hair products. Kris was brimming with ideas as she left the office building. The slanting sun was hitting the front of her car at an angle that made the single rose trapped beneath the windshield wiper invisible until Kris was at the car. Looking around warily, she slowly reached for the flower, rescuing it from the wiper vise. A perfect, long stemmed red rose, not at all wilted, with thorns that ran the length of the stem sent a shiver up her spine. How could such a beautiful flower be so disturbing?
She quickly got inside the car and locked the doors. She laid the rose on the seat beside her. Digging through her purse for her cell, she decided to drive into Charleston and visit Cassie. Maybe she could help make sense of things. Kris put the phone on speaker and turned the car towards the bridge.
Where was the bitch going? Damien seethed as he ducked down behind his steering wheel as Kris passed him in the parking lot. She didn’t even smell the flower. He would just have to teach her to appreciate his gifts. Smiling at the thought, he followed her out onto the highway.
The traffic was heavy enough that Kris didn’t notice the midnight blue BMW that followed her into the city. Cassie welcomed the unexpected visit, even though it was a surprise. Kris didn’t tell her anything over the phone. The closer she came to Cassie’s house, the crazier she felt about her reaction to the rose. So it was a rose, big deal. She wasn’t particularly fond of roses, but there was nothing threatening about this flower. Maybe she had a secret admirer. Or someone placed it on the wrong car. That was it. A mistake. Some poor guy got her car mixed up with someone else’s. Still, she couldn’t ignore the timing.
Cassie was on the veranda when Kris pulled into the driveway. The blue BMW kept going, not that she noticed.
“Hey girl, this is a nice surprise.” Cassie gave her a hug. “You shouldn’t have,” she quipped as she noticed the flower.
“I didn’t,” Kris smiled at the warm greeting. She noticed the pitcher of iced tea and the plate of cookies on the wicker table. She took a deep breath and felt at ease for the first time in days.