Dangerous Games

A STALKER IN THE MAKING

Samuel closed the box when Kali came into the room, and he set it down on the bed beside him.

"I was going to tell you. You know that, right?"

"Yes. I am not mad."

"You look mad."

"I am not. This is me being worried."

"Worried?"

"Doesn't this...I don't know, scare you?"

"That some weirdo is playing an expensive game of "who sent it?""

"That this weirdo is spending so much money on you. You haven't met this guy before, but he knows work is hard for you and how stressed you are with all the gossip. He misses your eyes, your beauty."

Kali stared at the box. "How many times did you read that card."

"Is that what matters now? Listen to me. This guy can be dangerous. If he is making fantasies in his head and convincing himself that there is a relationship between the two of you. He could do something dangerous one of these days."

Kali seemed to understand where he was going. She immediately shifted from sceptical to worried. He didn't want to scare her, but it was something that they had to address.

He trusted that she told him the truth when she swore she had no idea who was sending the gifts. That meant, somewhere out there, a man was constructing a life with her in his mind. Either that or someone was trying to make her look bad by creating the illusion of a wealthy lover.

If it was the latter, then they had nothing to worry about. But if it was the former, Kali's safety could be in danger. Especially if the person had access to money.

"Come." He took her hand, and they walked to sit at the centre of the bed. "You have no idea who could be doing this?"

"No." She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. "I mean, at first, I thought your mom or Richard. You know, to make me look bad. But I haven't gone through with investigating that possibility."

"Then we will do it. Hire someone to track who sent the gifts. It's better we find out than sit in ignorance and be wrong."

"And if it's your mom?"

"Then we let her keep spending her money to create waves we will never sail in. If it's Richard, then we'll do the same. But..."

"We have to prepare for if it's neither."

"We do. I have seen things like this on television, you know? Crazies that construct stories of people in their heads and form these unhealthy obsessions. Then, they stalk and even kill the people they obsess over. This looks like that."

Kali picked up the card and read it before saying, "I hate everything about this."

"As you should."

She groaned and dropped her face into his chest. "I can't catch a break."

Samuel chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "I'll pray that it turns out to be nothing. Alright?"

"Okay. What should we do about that."

Kali pointed an accusing finger at the jewellery box on the bed. Samuel reached to pick it up, opening it again to look at the piece.

"I could give it to one of the maids again," Kali grumbled into his shirt. "They could pawn it. Make good money."

"Sounds like a good plan."

"What if tomorrow they send a car or horse or the keys to an apartment in the city where he expects me to meet him for a passionate reunion. He seems to miss me that much."