The Assignment

Chapter 3

Joey's invitation to stay and talk awhile didn't last very long. I was pretty uncomfortable with the whole situation and my oncoming migraine told me it was best if I just called it a night. Quite frankly, I found it too difficult to try to have a normal conversation in an unfamiliar place with a police officer I didn't know. The circumstances were too bizarre. I didn't know how to act and all I could think about was the monstrous ever-growing list of things I had to do at work and school. I had a new job to prepare for. I had exams to take and essays that were going to be overdue. I couldn't afford to be hiding out in Officer Joey's house. What was my boss going to think? What would my professors say? What if I lost my job?

I mumbled a goodnight to Joey and trekked down the hall toward his bland guest room. He could at least add a little personality to the room if he was going to have people over. Then again, I didn't know if Joey even had anyone that visited.

I laid on top of the covers for almost an hour, my mind a whirlwind. I couldn't begin to comprehend the idea that my dead aunt's boyfriend was trying to kill me over her estate. I'd heard of instances like that, but only in books or movies. It just didn't sound real. I almost couldn't bring myself to believe that it was happening to me. Although, it had taken me until just recently to wrap my mind around past things that had happened to me.

He invaded my thoughts again. I shut my eyes tight and wished that for once I could forget the things he'd done.

The sound of Joey walking up the stairs to his room brought me back to reality. The brightness coming through the crack under my door disappeared when he turned the hall light off. I reached over, tugging the string on the window to open the blinds a bit. I was too uncomfortable to sleep in complete darkness, and the moon made a good nightlight substitute.

I finally crawled under the covers, pulling them up over my head and leaving just enough of a gap to see the wall. I created my own blanket cocoon. I must have stared at the wall for another hour, drowning in my thoughts before eventually giving up on sleep.

I sat up in bed, debating whether or not to go downstairs for a drink or maybe watch TV until I got tired enough to go back to bed. I didn't want to do anything that might piss off Joey. After all, it was his house. I was an uncomfortable guest and he'd told me not to get used to this.

I couldn't tell if it was real or if my mind was playing tricks on me, but the longer I sat there, I began to hear things in the silence. I tried to write it off as the house settling, but it's hard not to think it's something more sinister when you know you're basically being hunted. I glanced out the window repeatedly, making sure no one was outside. Then I started wondering if Joey had remembered to lock all his doors.

Of course he locked the doors! He's a cop! the logical voice in my head sounded off. That didn't make me feel any safer though.

A clap of thunder signaled storms rolling in. The loud boom was enough to send me scrambling out of bed and into the hallway. On any other night, I would've welcomed a midnight thunderstorm with open arms. I'd always enjoyed the sounds of thunder and rain hitting my window. But my nerves were so shot, the littlest thing would've probably startled me out of my skin.

I tiptoed to Joey's room, not even giving it a second thought that going in there might be off limits. I figured the safest place I could be was with a cop, and that overrode all uncomfortable feelings of waking him up when I knew he was probably in his boxers.

I cringed when the bedroom door made a squeak as I opened it. I half expected Joey to jump up, gun in hand, ready to shoot. I walked to where he laid in bed, about to tap on his shoulder when his hand latched onto my arm, eliciting a shriek from me.