Witness on the Run

“A doctor should release you.”

“I can’t wait for a doctor.” She walked around him and opened the stairwell door.

“It’s not safe to go home,” he said, following close behind her.

She gripped the railing as she climbed down the stairs, slowly, favoring her right leg. “It isn’t safe here, either.”

He stepped in front of her and blocked the door to the ground level. “What happened?” He narrowed his eyes as if trying to read her mind.

She gripped the strap of her briefcase. Besides Jenn, this stranger was the only person she could trust. “He called my hospital room.”

“Who?”

“Death Eyes.”

“How do you know it was him?”

“He identified himself.”

“How did he know you called him that?”

“I think I whispered it before I passed out. What does it matter? He’s coming for me, and I’m not waiting around to be killed!” She closed her eyes, embarrassed by her outburst.

Jake’s warm, solid hand brushed against her sleeve. “It’s okay. Take a deep breath. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, remember?”

With a sigh, she opened her eyes. “I’d like to believe you, I really would. But let’s be real. I don’t know you. Why should you help me?”

“I’ve given you my word.” He opened the door. “My car’s in the garage.”

Great, now she was going off with a strange man?

“You can drop me at Jenn’s.”

“Please stay close,” Jake said, his hand on something inside his jacket. A gun? Did he expect Death Eyes to pop out from behind a car?

She hoped by morning the fog would lift from her brain, and she’d recall exactly what happened. At this point all she could remember were flashes of memory, frightening flashes.

She glanced at her briefcase and rubbed her fingers against the smooth leather. She remembered doing this before, brushing her hand across it while holding her cell phone to her ear.

Memories echoed in her brain.

I’m ordering you a longhorn burger as we speak.

Walking toward the elevators…noticing a light from an office spilling out into the hallway…she glanced right—

“Stop!” she gasped.

“Robin?”

She struggled to breathe, gripping Jake’s jacket with trembling fingers. “I saw the light from the office. Someone was there.”

“In the Chambers Building?”

She nodded, but words couldn’t make it past her throat.

“It’s okay.” He glanced across the half-empty garage. “Let’s get you out of here.” He put his arm protectively around her shoulder and led her to a small pickup truck.

Robin couldn’t stop trembling as the memory clawed at the edge of her mind, taunting her, terrorizing her with the unknown.

A bang made her shriek.

“Shh, it’s okay. Someone just slammed a car door,” Jake said, squeezing her shoulder.

As they approached the pickup, a security officer stepped in front of them. “Ma’am, are you okay?”

“I’m…I’m, no,” she said wanting to destroy the memories circling her brain like crows over a dead animal.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to step away from the woman,” the security guard ordered.

“You don’t understand—”

“The woman obviously feels threatened by you.”

Jake released her and Robin felt utterly vulnerable all over again.

“Robin, stay close,” Jake said.

The security guard stepped between them. “Sir, please keep your distance.”

“She’s suffering from a head injury.”

“Hands on the car.”

Jake turned and placed his hands to the roof of his truck. “Robin, it’s okay.”

He was being patted down and was still trying to take care of her.

“What’s this?” The guard pulled a gun from inside Jake’s jacket and waved it in his face.

She shivered at the sight of the black steel. A chill started deep in her bones and permeated her entire body to her fingertips.

“I’m a private investigator. I have a permit for that.”

Robin had seen one of those before, black steel aimed at her…

She backed a few steps away from Jake and the guard as she fought back the memories.

A red stain spreading across the carpet…