Steve’s shorts: The Stalker, Part One…
The Stalker
Copyright 2019, Steven M. Moore
Mary Lou stopped trying to make sense of the complicated spreadsheet to watch Raul bend over to pick up a sheet of paper that had fluttered off her desk. She sighed.
“Perdoneme por interrumpir,” he said, handing her the paper with a flourish. “La señorita quizá necesite este papelito?”
She only understood señorita, but his gentleman’s gesture was clear. “Gracias, Raul.”
“De nada.” He smiled and continued on his journey down the aisle between the cubicles.
The only thing she knew about Raul was that other women in the office admired the young man, to put it mildly. As the low-paid newbie among the staff, she was the only one his age, though.
If only I weren’t so shy, she thought. The intern and future lawyer from Columbia University had finally noticed her, and all she could say was “Gracias, Raul”!
She returned to the spreadsheet, a list of boring patent documents she’d found in the archives.
***
On her way to lunch, Mary Lou left a five-dollar bill in old Bob’s hat. Her reward was always a smile from the homeless veteran. Muttering “There but for the grace of God” phrase she always muttered when seeing hapless victim’s of society, thinking of most of her family’s entrenchment in the lower middle class, she elbowed her way up to the deli counter and ordered her usual sandwich—ham and cheese on rye with spicy mustard. The man behind the counter only had to look at her; he didn’t have to hear the order, which, considering the noise background and her tiny voice, could be difficult.As she walked back to the office, she sensed someone running behind her. She was pushed to the ground. Her deli bag went flying, but she clutched her purse. No matter. A box-cutter sliced through the bag’s strap. She grabbed at her assailant’s pants cuff, but he kicked free. The mugger was off and running.
“Mary Lou, let me help you!”
She grabbed Raul’s hand and the strong left arm lifted her to her feet, the right arm around her waist. “Did you get a good look at him?” Stupid! Now’s when you’re supposed to say, “Gracias, Raul”!
“Yes. We must go to the police.” That hand now guided her. “Come with me. The precinct is only two blocks away. I’ll describe the mugger, and you’ll tell them what he stole.”
“I should go back to work.”
“Don’t be loca. We’ll call the boss from the precinct.”
***
Raul guided her through all that needed to be done. From time to time, he also sat at a computer going through mug shots of known criminals, but he didn’t find the mugger. By the time they left the precinct, it was after four p.m.
“Thank you for all your help, Raul. You sure knew what to do.”
“I want to become a public defender. Everyone needs good legal help, even those who can’t afford a lawyer.”
“Even my mugger?”
“Irrelevant question. I couldn’t represent him. I have a personal interest in the case.”
Personal interest? “I should get back to the office now. I need to catch up after spending this afternoon with you.” Oh crap! That came out wrong.
He frowned. “Sorry about that, but it’s your civic duty to help rid the city of lowlifes.”
“You sound like a cop.”
“My father was a cop.”
Was? “But if you become a public defender, aren’t you on the other side.”
He shrugged. “I’ll walk you back to the office.”
***
Mary Lou didn’t get much more done on her spreadsheet. She spent more than an hour cancelling credit cards and so forth, referring often to the copy of the police report and the case number on it. Some even required a fax of the report. She had to ask her boss if they had a fax machine. The answer: In the corner of the copy room. The old machine took its time, though.
Around seven p.m., the emails started. The first said, “Mary Lou, you’re in trouble now. I know where you live.” The sender’s name was UberBatman, an obvious alias.
They kept coming. She looked at the police report and called the detective’s number. The call went to voicemail. Should I call 9-1-1? Is this an emergency?
She decided to go home instead. All the way there, she kept looking over her shoulder. It was especially spooky at her stop. She was like a tennis fan, going from looking down and up the stairs until she was on the street.
Her landlord let her in. She was nervous until she was in her studio apartment and bolted the door.
***
May Lou closed down her laptop when she more emails from UberBatman. What to do? Raul’s father had been a cop. Maybe he would have some good advice.
She found Raul’s number on the police report.
“Sorry, Mary Lou. My father passed away two years ago. It’s only my mother, sister, and me now. Is something wrong?”
She explained to him what was happening. “Is this just a prank?”
“Maybe a sick one, but I doubt it. He has your cellphone and documentation. If he uses any of your credit cards, we have him, but he might realize that.” There was a moment of silence. “I wonder if he saw us head for the precinct. He might be trying to intimidate you, scare you into forgetting about the case.”
“With sexual harassment?”
“Sounds like more than that. Does your building have security?”
“Double door. No doorman. I have a door lock and two security deadbolts on my apartment door.”
“If you like, I’ll come over and sleep by your door. His threats are too explicit. In the morning, we should take copies of the emails to the precinct.” She gave him her address. “I’ll buzz twice and then three times at the entrance to the building. At your door, I’ll say, ‘Por mi raza hablará mi espíritu.’”
She memorized two of the words, raza and espíritu.
***
Comments are always welcome.
Rembrandt’s Angel. “One Yard inspector had called her Miss Marple. The nickname stuck in spite of her discouraging it…. And, although she still used her maiden name, she was not a Miss, but intense romantic relationships were less important now. There was always the prospect of a fling with a younger man, of course. She wasn’t dead, after all.” Scotland Yard Inspector Esther Brookstone obsesses with recovering a Rembrandt that Nazis stole in World War II. Interpol agent Basitann van Coevorden, that younger man, tries to control that obsession and help her. The search for the painting leads them to a conspiracy that threatens Europe. Follow their adventures in this mystery/thriller from Penmore Press. Available in print and ebook format from Amazon or the publisher, or in ebook format from Smashwords and its affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.). Also available at your favorite local bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask for it). A sequel is coming soon!
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
