Shatter Page 10

  After walking halfway down the block, I go inside a candle store and walk up to a display in front of the window. I look out of the glass but thankfully, the creep isn’t there. I sigh a huge breath of relief before browsing for a few minutes then heading back out to the street. Just as I walk past the next store front, I look in the open doorway and see the stranger again. He’s on a cell phone and as soon as I pass him, he starts following me again. What do I do now? Do I call Katie or go into another store and ask them to call the cops? I’m hesitant to call Katie. If I let her know that someone’s following me, it will freak her out and I don’t want to upset her. As far as getting the cops involved, the creep hasn’t really done anything to me so the cops probably couldn’t do much.

  At the next intersection, the light is red and I have to wait. As soon as I stop moving, I feel my legs shake. I can’t see him behind me, but I know he’s there. Suddenly, a large group of Chinese tourists walk up. I feel safer standing amidst the crowd. When the light changes, I try to time my steps to match theirs so that I’m not separated from them. Halfway down the block, they all file into a small souvenir shop. Shit. Now I’m alone with the creep again. I continue walking until the shops start to disappear and are replaced with tall business buildings, restaurants and hotels. The streetlights become fewer and there are longer spaces of darkness on the sidewalk. Why didn’t I wait at the hospital for Katie? As I walk, I slide my phone out of my pocket. Maybe the creep will think I’m calling the cops and back off? But when I push on the screen it doesn’t light up. Damn. The battery must have died.

  Suddenly, the toe of my runner catches on a piece of raised sidewalk and I stumble, not enough to fall, but just enough that the stranger catches up. Without turning around, I quickly resume my pace. Close enough to hear him breathe, I picture him grabbing me and dragging me in between one of the dark buildings. My breathing intensifies and my hands are sweating. Up ahead is a small hotel. The entrance is right next to a restaurant. If I’m lucky, I’ll make it to the hotel safely then ask the concierge to call me a cab.

  The faster I walk, the faster he walks. My heart is beating so fast, I can’t catch my breath. I only have another minute before I reach the hotel. Please, let me make it. There’s a large gap between me and the restaurant. This is his last chance to grab me. My stomach rises into my throat. Should I start running or would that only prompt him into action, like a lion chasing a deer? Trying to slow down my spinning mind, I decide that when the stranger reaches for me, I’ll quickly jerk away and then book it for the first lit up door I see. Then, like a gift from God, a man and a woman walk out of the restaurant and up the street towards us. For the first time in blocks, I take a deep breath.

  Finally, I reach the hotel. Just before I push the door open, I look beside me and see the creep entering the restaurant. Thank God. I’m safe. I bend over and put my hands on my knees until my heart rate steadies and my breathing returns to normal. A hotel employee walks up to me and asks if I’m ok?

  “I am now, thanks,” I answer.

  I ask to use the complimentary phone and call Katie. She only lives a few blocks away so it doesn’t take long before I see her car pull up. When I leave the hotel and cross the sidewalk, I look both ways for the creep. I can’t see him anywhere. Was he actually following me or did he always have a destination in mind and I just blew the whole thing out of proportion? If he was in fact following me, wouldn’t he have passed in front of the lobby to see if I was still there? Maybe it was all in my head. I have been under a considerable amount of stress lately. Not to mention, I’ve been focusing a lot on catching violent thugs lately.

  * * *

  I jump in the passenger’s seat then lean over and give Katie a grateful peck on the cheek.

  “What’s the matter? You’re as white as a ghost,” she says.

  “Oh nothing. I guess I just got a bit cold.”

  I’m not going to divulge what I just went through. What’s the point? There’s no thug around for proof. If I told her, she might dismiss my concerns as paranoia.

  “You are not gonna believe what happened just before I got off work at the station,” she says, her eyes widening.

  It couldn’t have been more heart-pounding than what I just went through.

  “What happened?”

  “Well, I was wrapping my work up on my computer and I had my head down. I heard this guy’s voice hollering and screaming at the front counter. For some reason, his voice sounded familiar so I looked up and you wouldn’t believe who it was?”

  “Who?”

  “That Jim guy from the apartment building we went to. The guy that worked at the bottle depot with your dad.”

  Seriously? What was he saying?”

  “He was yelling about how he needed police protection because he is getting death threats and someone is trying to kill him.”

  “That’s so weird. Did he say who he thought was after him?”

  “Nope. He just kept saying that unless the cops protect him, he’s dead meat. Then, he staggered backwards and fell against the wall.”

  “So, he was wacked out?”

  “Yep, that’s what the cop at the counter said. He made Jim wait while they brought up his name. The cop told Jim that the information on the computer says that this isn’t the first time Jim has been in the cop station, claiming to have people after him.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “The cop told him to lay off the crack and sober up. If when he’s sober, he still feels threatened to come back.”

  “Wow. That’s crazy. Did he recognize you?”

  “No, as soon as I saw who it was, I kept my head down in my cubicle.”

  “Yeah, it’s a weird night for freaks being out, for sure.”

  “Why do you say that? Did something happen?”

  “No. Nothing at all, I’ve just seen weirdos out and about today.”

  * * *

  We order a pizza and curl up on the couch together. I tell her how my meeting with Slinky went. She’s not as trusting about him as I am. She says that I should be careful how much I believe him until I get to know him better. I think the only reason she said that is because she knows that Slinky is in to dope and other than overhearing people in the cop station, she hasn’t had a lot of experience dealing with druggies. Most people who have never been exposed to the life I have been, think that all people on the street are untrustworthy. She’s not necessarily a judgmental person. I’ve found that most people’s prejudice is born from fear.

  When we go to bed, I can hardly wait for our clothes to come off so we can press our bodies together and fall to sleep. If it wasn’t for my emotional rollercoaster of a day, I wouldn’t be so exhausted, and I would make love to her all night long. As it is, I can barely stay awake long enough to pull the blankets over us.

  * * *

  The annoying buzz of my phone wakes me. I fumble around on the floor for my jeans. Finally, I find them and reach into the pocket and get my phone. “Hello,” I say, trying to sound coherent.

  “Are you still in bed, sleepy head?” Katie says.

  “Hey, where’d you go?”

  “I snuck out really quietly this morning so I wouldn’t wake you. I figured you could use the sleep.”

  “That was sweet, although now, I can’t give you a good morning kiss.”

  “I’ll take a rain check.”

  “Deal.”

  “So, guess what news was waiting for me when I got to work? That Jim guy, the crackhead, well, the cop that works the front counter told me that his body was found behind a dumpster not far from Blood Alley early this morning. I’m not supposed to say anything, so keep it under your hat.”

  “What?” Her words stop me in my tracks.

  “Are you kidding?”

  “Pretty wild, huh? And to think, he was in here just last night, saying he was being followed.”

  My mind flashes back to the guy that I was sure was following me on Robson Street last night. If he hadn’t w
alked into that restaurant, I swear he was going to hurt me.

  “That’s crazy news. It seems odd that my dad ended up in intensive care and Jim got away, only to find out that he’s dead, just days later.”

  “You’re right. That is weird.”

  Katie tells me that she’ll check in with me later then hangs up. I stand at the kitchen counter, letting my mind wander over what could have happened to Jim. When I finally snap out of my thoughts, I look at the time. Shit! I've got to haul ass if I’m going to be on time to meet Slinky.

  I quickly grab clean clothes and then jump in the shower. When I’m dried off and dressed, I pour a quick cup of coffee, down it and head out.

  * * *

  When I hit the street, I feel the first drops of rain. As soon as I make my way past Blood Alley, the skies open up. Homeless people flock under the eaves of store fronts. I feel badly for them, down here, they’re victims of the elements, and some have no shelter at all, the street is their home.

  Finally, I see the restaurant sign and dart towards it. When I walk in, there is only one available table. A small booth sits feet away from the restroom at the back of the place. I can’t see Slinky yet, he probably got caught in the rain and is waiting out the worse of it nearby. I order a coffee and quickly sit at the table. I’m halfway through my drink when I see the front door open and a very wet Slinky walk in. I put my hand up and he spots me. After quickly speaking to the waitress. He walks to where I’m sitting.

  “Wet enough for you out there?” he says smiling.

  “Typical for this time of the year,” I smile back.

  “So, any news on your dad since yesterday?”

  “Actually, yes. He’s improving, though he’s not out of his coma yet. Thank you for asking, Slinky.”

  “See, I told you he’d be ok.”

  “I hope you’re right. There’s still a long way to go before we know for sure.”

  “Well, I found out something of interest.” he says with a look of accomplishment.

  “Oh?”

  “It’s about the guys that hurt your dad. I asked around, as I said I would. I wasn’t sure I’d hear anything back, but just this morning I did. My source tells me that the men that hurt John, work for Fournier.”

  “I knew it! I just knew that piece of shit was involved somehow,” I say.

  “Well, you were right.”

  “Did you find out why my dad was with them and what the fight was over.”

  “I’m sorry, kid. I didn’t hear about any of that.”

  I smile and shrug. “It’s ok. You did well with getting the information that you did. I’m grateful.”

  All of a sudden, I see a large man walk in. He stands for a moment at the front door and scans the restaurant. When he spots our table, his eyes focus in on Slinky and me. His face is familiar. I know him, I’m just not sure from where. Then…it hits me. It’s the same guy that I thought was following me on Robson Street last night. What in the hell is he doing here? With his back turned to the door, Slinky sees the change in my expression, “What’s wrong, kid? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “There’s a creepy guy at the door behind you. When I was walking on Robson last night, I swore he was following me. And now, he’s staring at me like he knows me.”

  Slinky casually turns and looks at the guy. “Oh shit, he says, eyes widening. I know him. He’s a heavy for Fournier. He goes by Tank, but some call him The Bone-Breaker.”

  “What? Are you kidding? But how would he know who I am?”

  “That’s easy. You’re the daughter of someone that owed Fournier a lot of money once. Not to mention, you brought cops into his bar and had one of his drug runners taken away. Then, you started asking questions about Jim, who was probably a good client of his. Dealers don’t like people poking around their circles.”

  “I guess I never thought of that.” Then, something occurs to me, “I don’t remember mentioning to Slinky about me being a P.I, or about calling to get the teen taken out of Fournier’s bar. Who knows, maybe I did tell him. But I guess right now, that’s the least of my worries.

  I watch as the brute makes his way toward our table. I feel my pulse rate speed up and my knees shake. “Slinky. He’s coming over here. What should we do?”

  “Don’t say a word. Let me do the talking,” he says, folding his hands together on the table to stop them from shaking.

  As the closer the guy gets, the more he grows in size. By the time he reaches our table, he blocks out the light behind him. While staring at me, he bends down close to Slinky’s head and says, “Why don’t you get up and come outside with me. Someone wants to have a word with you. Bring the girl.”

  Oh shit. We’re so screwed. Now what? All I can think of is what Katie told me about Jim being found behind a dumpster. There’s no way I can walk outside with that scary lout.

  “Sure, Tank. Let Fournier, I mean, your friend, know that we’ll be right out. I’ll just pay for our coffees.”

  Tank walks away slowly and exits the restaurant.

  “There’s no bloody way I’m going anywhere with that Neanderthal, especially when it’s probably Fournier that’s waiting outside.”

  “Of course you’re not, and I’m not about to let anything happen to you. This is what we’re going to do. Right beside the washrooms in the back of the restaurant is a door. It leads to a storage room. In the back of the storage room is a set of stairs. I’ll wave the waitress over and pay her. You go to the room and wait for me at the bottom of the stairwell.”

  “Are you sure this will work?”

  “Have you got another plan you want to try?”

  I shake my head.

  “Then go, now!”

  As soon as I stand up, I feel weak, and my legs are shaky. I quickly walk toward the washroom and find the storage room. Opening the door, I see stacks of restaurant supplies on tall wooden shelves, and I maneuver around a shop vac in the middle of the floor. Just as Slinky said there would be, there’s a small staircase at the back of the room. As I stand and wait for him, every second feels like an hour. How did Slinky know about the back way out of this place? Has he needed to make a quick get-away out of here before? I’m so anxious that when the storeroom door opens, I just about jump out of my skin.

  Slinky walks in and closes the door behind him. As he walks toward me, he points at the stairwell and motions for me to walk up. As quietly as I can, I walk quickly up each step. When I reach the landing one floor up, there’s a door with the word EXIT stenciled on it. I turn and see Slinky only two thirds of the way up the staircase. Please hurry. If that freak, Tank goes into the restaurant and sees we’re not there, he’s going to start looking.

  Finally, Slinky makes it to the landing. He’s so out of breath, he bends over and takes a second before speaking, “Ok. I’m ready. Let’s go,” he says, opening the door. We step out on to a metal grate. There’s nowhere to go, except down a rusty fire escape beneath us.

  “Slinky, it’s a long way down,” I say, staring down the ladder to a narrow back alley. “Not only that but it looks like the ladder is unsafe,” I add, taking note of at Slinky’s thin, weak frame.

  “I can’t do it, kid. Not at my age. But you can.”

  “I’m not leaving you here. That big creep will find you and who knows what will happen to you. Let’s do this together.”

  “Don’t be foolish. What could Fournier possibly do to an old man like me? I’ve lived through pretty much everything already. I’m not afraid for me. I’m afraid for you. Now go.”

  I take out a pen from the inside of my jacket pocket and grab Slinky’s hand then quickly write down my cell number. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?” I ask worriedly.

  “I promise I’ll be fine. I’ll just tell Fournier that you got away.”

  I hope he’s right. I would feel terrible if something happens to Slinky after he helped me.

  “Go,” he says, in a strong voice.

  I begin my descent, looking up at Slink
y as he watches me. When I’m about halfway down, he opens the door and disappears inside. The last rung is slippery and some ways from the ground. I count to three and let go of the ladder, dropping hard on the pavement below. I look up the long narrow alleyway. There’s garbage and drug paraphernalia strewn all over the ground. Watching where I step, I make my way to the street, praying I don’t see the black Lincoln drive up. Walking as fast as I can, I turn the corner on to a road with passing traffic and breathe a huge sigh of relief. If Fournier and his men did see me right now, I could create a commotion, and I don’t think he wants that kind of attention. Feeling a bit safer, I walk up the sidewalk. On the side of the road in front of me is a Ford 350 pick-up. Its massive size is making it so I can’t see any cars that may be in front of it.

  As I keep walking, I look up and I notice a familiar sign, the Chinese restaurant that I just escaped from is literally two doors up ahead. Sonofabitch! I don’t know what to do. Even though I don’t see Tank anywhere, I don’t want to push my luck and pass the eatery. I decide to cross the road when the traffic dissipates. I walk up to the back of the red truck. I’ll use the vehicle as a cover until I can boot it across the street. Peering from behind the tailgate, I notice a long black car parked in front of it. No way. It’s Fournier. Again, my breathing grows shallow and the same shaking in my legs returns. I quickly duck down so my head isn’t visible.

  The traffic on the street is lessening. I wait for my chance to run. Crouching down and readying my legs, I’m just about to bolt when I hear a recognizable voice, Slinky’s. I peek my head up over the truck box and see Slinky leaving the restaurant. He’s on his cell phone. He walks to the back door of the car and Tank jumps out of driver’s side, walks around and holds the back door open for Slinky. Once inside, Tank shuts the door and gets back in the driver’s seat. Two seconds later, the car peels away.