Chapter 13

Jordan looked around the parking lot to see who might be staring at her, but saw no one paying any particular interest in her. However, no matter how hard she tried to shake off the feeling, she couldn't get past the feeling that she was being watched.

She got into her car and drove to work by a very circuitous route. By the time she finally arrived she felt that she was no longer being observed. Walking into the building she wondered if she should tell anyone what she had felt. Would they tease her about hormones ruling her hand or tell her she was just being paranoid? Jordan had a feeling that Lilly would believe her, but the problem with that is Lilly would go overboard in her reactions. She would probably insist Woody be called and then demand that Jordan have round the clock police protection.

By the time the elevator arrived at her floor Jordan had decided not to say anything. It had probably only been her imagination anyway, she told herself. The only problem with all that was one name kept lingering in her mind…Clark Palmer.

His body hadn't been found in that plane crash, so he was somewhere out there in the world, still alive to torment her, if he had the desire to. This was his child she was carrying. He had known about the baby before he disappeared. Last, but not least, she was just one month from her due date.

If he somehow wanted to cause trouble for her and the baby this would be the time to do it.

Her work day at the morgue was as busy as ever even if she no longer ran out into the field to solve cases. These days it was all she could do to be twenty steps from a bathroom! This kid she was carrying had the bad habit of pressing hard against her bladder.

It was finally time to leave for the day and she had all but forgotten the feeling of being watched from earlier in the day. That was until she stepped out of the building on her way to her car and that feeling hit her all over again. She stopped cold and visually searched every surrounding person and then building around her to see if she could spot someone staring at her. Just like earlier in the day, she could see nothing out of the ordinary, so she slowly and carefully made her way to the car. All the way home, she kept watch in her mirror, to see if she could observe anyone tailing her. Even though she didn't spot anyone, she couldn't shake the earlier feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Over a hearty bowl of broccoli and cheese soup that Woody had made for dinner, Jordan brought up the subject. "Twice today I got the feeling that someone was watching me."

"Jordie, you're a beautiful woman! I'm not surprised when that happens, but if anyone should ever…"

"Woody! It wasn't that kind of look! I don't have a problem with guys giving me that once over, even if I have to wonder at their sanity when I look like I am trying to shoplift a basketball these days! This was more a creepy-stalker kind of feeling and I couldn't help but remember that Clark Palmer is still out there somewhere."

"You think Palmer was watching you?!" Woody exclaimed and jumped to his feet knocking his chair over in the process. He stalked back and forth across the dining area waving his hands as he demanded, "If you even thought he was around and watching you why didn't you call me right away?! Jordie you know how dangerous this guy can be! Why wouldn't you let me know about this?!"

"Woody! If you will let me, I will try and tell you why! After the first time this morning I convinced myself it was just my imagination. Then tonight when it happened again, I was on my way home and I told you as soon as I got here!"

He turned on her with a glare, his concern for her wellbeing making him react more harshly than he'd intended, "Jordan that wasn't the lead as you walked in the door! You took off your coat, kicked off your shoes, complained about your feet hurting, and then ran to the bathroom. When you got back you peeked in the pot, fussed about cheese soup, and then set the table! It wasn't until we were sitting here that you let this little gem drop!"

To be continued…