Sunlight poured through the uncurtained window in the front of Cassie's little trailer. She grunted and picked her head up from the half empty box she'd passed out on.
"I knew I should have thrown a sheet over that." She groaned and stood up stretching her back until it hurt.
She looked around and spied her little battery-powered clock. How could she possibly have slept through most of the day? It was already well after noon.
Maybe she'd ridden too long last night. Yes that had to be it. The road always took more out of her than she liked to admit.
Cassie yawned and, looking around at the stacks of boxes and piles of books and papers, grabbed her helmet, and walked out the front door.
The sun was hot overhead. Texas heat sure wasn't much like New Mexico and it was nothing like Detroit. Just another detail to get used to, she thought and unhooked the buckle on her saddlebag to find her sunglasses.
"What the hell?" She mumbled when tossed back the lid. There was an envelope with her name on it sitting neatly on top of her things.
Anxiety set in. With sweating palms she tore open the letter and started reading.
Casey,
You can't hide forever. I know where you
are. See you soon.
"Jesus not again…" She muttered and stuffed the paper back into the envelope before climbing onto her bike and kicking over the engine.
"I'm not playing this game anymore…" She growled and gunned the throttle, tearing out down her dirt driveway and out onto the main road.
Cassie rode for miles, trying desperately to think of what to do. She had no one in this state. No one knew she was here. At least she thought no one knew. Apparently the one person she never wanted to find her again had.
She ground her teeth as she blew a red light. This was the last thing she needed. So many years she'd been hiding, moving city to city, state to state. No…not anymore. Finally, Cassie had found a place she liked. Maybe even some day, she could find herself loving Texas. The huge skies and endless stretches of unmarred country left her feeling peaceful and smiling when ever she looked out her little windows. He was not taking this place away from her too. Oh no, this was the last stand.
Taking a deep breath, Cassie pulled a sharp left and headed toward town. There had to be a sheriff or constable or something there. He wasn't going to intimidate her again. Cassie didn't care how he threatened her this time, it was done; she was done.
Suddenly, she felt relieved. Her decision was made and she found herself smiling. She was almost giddy. She knew what was going to happen.
Once upon a time, Cassie had promised herself she would never get the police involved, but there didn't seem to be much left to do. He'd followed her across four states and easily a dozen cities. Here she was, twenty-five years old and running for her life. It had to stop. It was going to stop.
The brunette turned another corner and saw the big sign with the star on it hanging above the door. Steering her bike up to the curb out front she cut the engine and pulled off her helmet before walking up to the door.
Hesitating, she took a deep shuddering breath and pushed inside. The artificial cold of the air conditioning took her breath away but she recovered and took a moment to take in her surroundings. She had to chuckle. The office reminded her more of something akin to Andy Griffith than a modern police department. There was a small waiting area with a few wooden chairs and a half wall blocking people from a small empty wooden desk with a telephone, a computer, and what looked to be a HAM radio setup. Just beyond the desk, was a battered wooden door with a wired glass window. Cassie assumed it led to the cells, if a place this small even had cells.
"Can I help ya ma'am?" A voice asked, shaking her out of her revelry. She had taken a seat and lost herself in the dust particles floating in the afternoon sunlight filtering between the blinds.
"Oh…um…yes, I think." She stammered and got to her feet to meet the uniformed man now standing in the doorway. "I…think I have a stalker." She blushed saying the words. It sounded so preposterous when she said it out loud.
"Ah, and what makes you think this?" The officer asked walking over to the half wall and opening a section she hadn't realized was a small swinging door. "Did you want to come sit down?" Cassie nodded and hurried past the man to a single chair in front of the desk.
"Well…" She started after he'd taken a seat. "I don't really know where to begin." That was an understatement. How could she put down into words everything he'd done to her over the years? How could she say that one person had forced her out of home after home? She was at a loss.
"Why don't we start with the most recent incident, ma'am?" He offered kindly and pulled out a pencil and a pad of yellow legal paper.
"Um…I found this in my saddle bag this morning." She handed him the slightly crumpled envelope she'd mashed into the inside pocket of her vest.
"Mm-hmmm." He said as he read the short typed note. "And this isn't the first of its kind?" He asked glancing up at her over it.
"This is the first time there has been a note. Other times, there have been more…subtle signs." As if finding her dog gutted and hanging in front of her front door was subtle.
"Have all of these happenings occurred here in Texas, Ms…"
"Light, Cassandra Light." She answered him.
"Ms. Light… Okay, let me see what I can find…" He muttered as he punched the keys on his computer. He made a slight clicking sound and looked up at her. "Well, I don't see any prior complaints in our data base, Ms. Light. Do you have a maiden name? Perhaps I could look under that."
"No, Light is my maiden name. I…uh…haven't really reported anything until now." She said, feeling guilty for some reason.
"How long have you suspected you were being followed, Ms. Light?" He said, his tone changing slightly.
"I…" Cassie began then sighed heavily and ran a hand over her face. "You know what, I'm probably being paranoid. I'm sorry; I think I'm wasting your time." She said standing up too quickly and nearly toppling the small, framed picture on the edge of the desk. "I'm sorry."
"Ma'am?" The officer asked cautiously. "If you think you're being watched, it'd probably be best to make a report. That way, if another incident occurs we already have something in our files. If we build a file we can have this person prosecuted more easily, if it comes to that."
"Uh… No…thank you. I…I think I should be going." She stuttered, her agitation visible in her face.
"Well, if it's all the same to you, ma'am, I'll just make a note of this letter for my records. I'll only be a minute." He stood and took her letter with him back through the old door.
Cassie took a deep shuddering breath and began pacing the little lobby. Why had she come here? What did she think these people could do for her? They certainly hadn't done anything to help her mother. She'd thought the police in Detroit could help her but where was she now?
"Okay Ms. Light…I went ahead and made a copy of this letter. I'm going to make a file under your name just in case anything should happen." His blue eyes were searching her face for something. She didn't know what.
"Yes…thank you." She mumbled and took her envelope from him jamming it back into her vest pocket.
"Do you have a number where we could contact you?" He asked.
"No, I just got to town a couple of weeks ago. I haven't gotten around to having a phone put in." She lied. Cassie only hoped the officer hadn't seen her cell phone hooked to her belt under her vest.
"Ah…" He said nodding his head. "We don't get a lot of strange people out here so, if anything out of the ordinary goes on, we take it pretty seriously. If something does come up, I'm sure I'll see you around town." He smiled and held out a hand for her to shake.
"Yeah, I'm sure I'll see you." She said absently taking his hand in her clammy one.
"Have a nice day young lady." He said finally and moved to open the half door for her.
"Uh huh, you too." She managed quickly and nearly bolted out the door.
