Through the Eyes of Prendle

Chapter 2: Stalking Is A Crime

Staying true to the promise she had made herself, Prendle called into work the next day, saying she would be late before she even got out of bed. She told the front desk manager to take care of things while she was gone, and she could be reached on her cell phone if anything went wrong. She got up, showered, brushed her teeth, and fixed breakfast. She sat down and ate, then cleared the dishes. She got ready as if she was on her way to the hotel. Once she had her keys, she walked out the door. It was only a little after 7 am. Perfect timing.

Prendle got into her car and drove down the road until she reached her intended destination. She parked a few car lengths away, hoping no one would notice her sitting there. It would have been highly embarrassing if someone was alerted to her presence and possibly dangerous. She watched the quaint little house she had been inside last night with keen interest. She knew Arielle had to be at work at 8 am, so she figured she would be leaving the house soon. All she had to do was see the clothes she was wearing, and as long as it wasn't the outfit Arielle had on in her vision, she would go away and not bother her. She didn't want to seem like some creepy stalker, but if following her was what it took to save her from death, then it was what she would do.

Ten or fifteen minutes passed before the front door opened. Prendle had begun to get bored, fiddling with the contents of her purse and twirling her keys to pass the time. If she returned tomorrow, she would be sure she brought her music player to keep her company. It wasn't until she looked up that she saw Richard standing on the porch. She sat up straight so she could get a better view. Arielle was walking to her car. She had stopped to say something to her husband that resulted in a flirtatious smile from both of them. Ew, Prendle thought. She noticed Arielle was wearing a purple business suit and a pretty orange blouse. She sighed, relieved. It wasn't the outfit from her vision. Arielle was safe for the day.

Prendle waited until she pulled out, and Richard went inside the house before she started her car and pulled out of her parking place. From there, she headed on to work. Southlyn Hotel was still in one piece when Prendle arrived, so no sweat. She worked the whole day, just like any other day. When it was time for her to go home, she stopped to get a coffee from the local donut shop, and Prendle went home for a night of movie-watching and relaxation. After that, she brushed her teeth and got ready for bed, her worries put to rest.

For the next six days, Prendle's routine remained the same. She got up in the morning, got ready for work, staked out Arielle's house until she left, and then went about her day as if nothing had changed. The very next Friday, though, things took a turn. The day had finally come.

Prendle had gotten up earlier than usual that morning so she could go and get a cup of coffee before her morning "stakeout." She parked in the same spot as always and sipped on her coffee. She didn't notice anything different about Arielle's house this morning, not until a strange man came out of the house. She sat up to try and get a better look at him, but she couldn't tell much about the man other than he had a beard and was wearing an official-looking suit. He was talking to Richard about something. Arielle came out a few minutes later, looking tired and worried. Prendle's heart sank. Had she missed something? Had Arielle's attack already happened? Her brain was about to fire off another question when the stranger looked toward her. His eyes widened a little, but she couldn't tell what he was looking at. He turned and said a few words to Richard and Arielle, and all three looked in the same direction. Richard and Arielle nodded, and the man said something else to them before he descended the stairs to the concrete walkway.

Prendle put her coffee down in her cup holder. Her curiosity was about to get the best of her. Who was that man? Was he just a friend or someone more important? Did he have something to do with Arielle's demise? She sighed. The more she thought about it, the more it worried her. She watched Arielle walk down the stairs to join the other man while Richard waved goodbye from the porch. Prendle deducted he was a bank executive or something. She kept her eyes on them. The man walked Arielle to her car. Prendle had almost forgotten to notice her clothes until she sat in the vehicle. A lump formed in her throat when she saw the pink business suit and purple shirt. It was the ensemble she'd been wearing in her vision.