“But you do?”
“I do.”
“I understand.”
We eagerly await our food; the aroma fills the air, and our stomachs grumble. Finally, the plates arrive and we can’t wait to take the first bite. Rae’s dish is a delicious-looking bowl of pasta with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, while my plate is filled with perfectly cooked chicken and fluffy rice, topped with a savory sauce and some fresh herbs. We savor every bite.
Rae confides in me about the growing closeness between her and Archie. She expresses how much he has been helping her to fill the void left by Dan’s sudden disappearance.
I suggest to her that perhaps it would be wise to take things slow and be cautious.
For the past couple of days, I’ve woken up to a text message from Nate every morning asking if I was alright. Although I appreciate his concern, I’ve been ignoring him intentionally. I’m feeling overwhelmed and I need some space to sort things out. I had to run into Mike twice while at college. The last time we saw each other, we didn’t exchange a single word and the silence between us was notable.
I sit on the sofa and the sound of the TV fills the room, providing a moment of relaxation after a long day of looking at a computer screen and working.
Suddenly, the front door opens and Rae walks in, accompanied by Archie. “Hey, Tess,” she greets me with a smile. “I’m just getting changed. Archie is taking me out for dinner,” she adds, heading towards her bedroom.
I stand up and nod in agreement, “Ooo, nice,” I say.
Rae disappears into her bedroom and Archie and I are left in an awkward silence. I notice his hand tucked in his pocket and I can’t help but feel suspicious. “What?” I ask bluntly, sensing something off about him. Archie gives me an evil smirk and walks closer, whispering in my ear, “Maybe I should take you out for dinner as you’re single now.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a chill runs down my spine. I feel uneasy, unsure of how to respond.
Rae’s timely return interrupts the tension between us and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I’m all ready,” Rae announces as they both head towards the door. Suddenly, I feel compelled to say something. “Wait, Rae…” I call out.
Archie and Rae turn to face me and I feel Archie’s glare piercing me. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Nothing. You look beautiful, have a good night.”
Rae smiles and mouths Thank you. I watch them leave together, holding hands.
I have a strong suspicion that Archie is aware of something important. From the first day I met him, I felt something was amiss. I can’t shake off the feeling that he knows about Dan. What if he was the other person involved? What if he was the other stalker? The thought is weighing heavily on my mind. Maybe I am just overthinking it.
CAIN
I guide the disoriented man towards the police car and firmly secure his hands with handcuffs. I recite his rights to him, informing him that he is being arrested for being intoxicated and creating a disturbance in a public area.
He hurls an insult at me. “Pig!” he spits out.
I try my best to maintain my composure and avoid escalating the situation. I guide him towards the back of the police car and push him inside.
The drunk man hurled more verbal abuse at me from the backseat, but I chose to ignore him. My mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Tessie.
We make our way to the police station just around the corner.
I open the car door and grab him firmly, pulling him out of the vehicle. Suddenly, he spits at me, and my frustration begins to mount. I can feel my anger rising and I see nothing but red. Looking around quickly, I throw a punch at him, feeling the satisfying impact of my fist against his face. His nose instantly starts bleeding.
The man mumbles something about pressing charges, but I pay him no mind. With a firm grip on his arm, I push him towards the station.
As we walk, I explain, “Who will they believe in court—a drunk man or a respected sergeant, like myself?”
We enter the station and I feel a sense of relief as a group of officers approaches me and takes the drunk guy away from me. I turn to see Paul standing up at his desk. His expression is concerned and he nods for me to come over. I approach him hesitantly, unsure of what to expect. Without a word, he gathers some files and leads me into a small, quiet office. The room is sparsely furnished, with only a single desk and a few chairs. As we settle in, I can feel the weight of the situation beginning to sink in.
“What’s up?” He hands me a stack of files containing numerous screenshots. As he paces back and forth, he informs me that Tessie and Raquel have plans to go out tomorrow evening and the guys are in the midst of planning something.
“Do you know what they are planning?” I ask.
“No, they met up in person and discussed it. All I know is that it is planned for tomorrow night at the club.”
“I’ll have Nate and Mike watch her in the club. I will be outside the whole night, on duty.” I reply.
“Is she being monitored all the time?” Paul inquires as he adjusts his glasses.
“Yes, Nate is keeping a close watch on her tonight,” I reply softly, flicking through the paper screenshots.
“Does she know of Archie’s involvement with this website?”
“No, she is completely unaware of it; however, she does have her suspicions,” I confirm.
“That’s probably a good thing,” Paul adds, agreeing.
I contacted Nate and Mike to inform them about the website group’s plan for tomorrow. They both agree to watch Tessie while she’s in the club while I will be outside monitoring the situation as part of my duty. I mention that we are fortunate that the club has a mask event going on, so Tessie won’t be able to recognize them. During our conversation, Nate shares that Archie had visited the house and taken Raquel out. I quickly make it clear to him that our priority is solely focused on Tessie’s safety and well-being and Raquel is not part of our concern.
I instruct Nate to inform me about the ongoing situation at Raquel’s apartment. My primary concern is preventing any potential harm to Tessie, so I have asked Nate to notify me immediately if Archie returns to the apartment. I do not feel comfortable letting Tessie be alone with Archie and want to take all necessary precautions to ensure her safety. Even if I have to kidnap her and lock her away, I know she is safe with me.
TESSIE
I lay in bed as Rae texted me. She informed me that she had decided to spend the night at Archie’s.
