window to look out. She made it there just in time to see Lee backing his truck out of her drive. Then she understood: he had stayed there the entire night; stayed there making sure that nothing happened to her. Or did he stay there to make sure that Elan didn’t come back? She pondered it for a moment, and then decided that Lee was just keeping his promise.
As she made coffee, Randi wondered how she felt about that. She’d always been independent, always taken care of herself. Was there something a little controlling about what Lee had done, or did he know more than he was letting on about what Joe was capable of? The fact that he had done it without telling her made Randi believe it was simply his way of being protective, and she had to admit, it was a little more concrete than, “Call me if you get spooked.”
Randi yawned as she made coffee, and then realized it was Wednesday, so she needed to think about working with the kids in the running program. She turned on the radio to get the weather report while looking for a couple of books on stretching and weight conditioning. It might be nice, she thought, to make some photocopies of a few things to hand out. She leafed through the books, putting sticky notes in to mark the places, while simultaneously eating a bowl of instant oatmeal. Next she got her running clothes together and threw them in her gym bag, and tucked the books in on top. It was going to be warm, so she put on a colorful, cotton peasant skirt and a simple V-neck t-shirt. Sandals and her white lab coat finished the outfit, and then she grabbed a ribbon to tie her hair back. Satisfied, she grabbed her gym bag, keys and purse and headed out the door, remembering to turn off the radio at the last minute.
As Randi stepped out her front door, though, her pleasant morning suddenly shifted. Someone had scrawled in red spray paint down the side of her truck, “Dr. Bitch.” She sucked a breath in and looked at her watch; it had only been a little more than an hour since Lee left. How could she have not heard someone drive up? Then a weird thought crossed her mind; maybe Lee had done it—maybe he wanted her to be scared, wanted her to come to him instead of Elan. She shook herself, trying to tell herself that was a ridiculous idea. But why didn’t he tell her he was going to spend the night in her drive? And why hadn’t she heard anyone else around? Sure the radio was on, but it wasn’t that loud.
The paint was fresh, still dripping, when Randi kneeled down to get a closer look. It had to have been after Lee left, but it was possible he’d driven away, only to sneak back on foot. She looked around, but couldn’t see any distinct footprints in the gravel. Standing up, Randi expelled a breath. Why was she trying to blame Lee? Was it because she had this idea of him now as some kind of criminal? It had to have been Joe, part of his plan to intimidate her. He was proving that he could get close without her knowing. All the way into the hospital, though, she kept replaying Lee’s silent presence and departure outside her door.
Lozen was just getting out of her car as Randi pulled into the parking lot. It was hard to miss the words ‘Dr. Bitch’ in huge capital letters down the side of Randi’s truck. She waited for Randi to park.
Randi tried to joke, “Apparently I’ve gained a fan club.”
Lozen shook her head, “That’s gotta be Joe’s work. Are you okay?”
After all the craziness, Randi realized that what she needed was a woman friend, someone that wasn’t Lee or Elan that she could be honest with about everything going on.
“To tell the truth, Lozen, I’m pretty rattled. Joe came
As she made coffee, Randi wondered how she felt about that. She’d always been independent, always taken care of herself. Was there something a little controlling about what Lee had done, or did he know more than he was letting on about what Joe was capable of? The fact that he had done it without telling her made Randi believe it was simply his way of being protective, and she had to admit, it was a little more concrete than, “Call me if you get spooked.”
Randi yawned as she made coffee, and then realized it was Wednesday, so she needed to think about working with the kids in the running program. She turned on the radio to get the weather report while looking for a couple of books on stretching and weight conditioning. It might be nice, she thought, to make some photocopies of a few things to hand out. She leafed through the books, putting sticky notes in to mark the places, while simultaneously eating a bowl of instant oatmeal. Next she got her running clothes together and threw them in her gym bag, and tucked the books in on top. It was going to be warm, so she put on a colorful, cotton peasant skirt and a simple V-neck t-shirt. Sandals and her white lab coat finished the outfit, and then she grabbed a ribbon to tie her hair back. Satisfied, she grabbed her gym bag, keys and purse and headed out the door, remembering to turn off the radio at the last minute.
As Randi stepped out her front door, though, her pleasant morning suddenly shifted. Someone had scrawled in red spray paint down the side of her truck, “Dr. Bitch.” She sucked a breath in and looked at her watch; it had only been a little more than an hour since Lee left. How could she have not heard someone drive up? Then a weird thought crossed her mind; maybe Lee had done it—maybe he wanted her to be scared, wanted her to come to him instead of Elan. She shook herself, trying to tell herself that was a ridiculous idea. But why didn’t he tell her he was going to spend the night in her drive? And why hadn’t she heard anyone else around? Sure the radio was on, but it wasn’t that loud.
The paint was fresh, still dripping, when Randi kneeled down to get a closer look. It had to have been after Lee left, but it was possible he’d driven away, only to sneak back on foot. She looked around, but couldn’t see any distinct footprints in the gravel. Standing up, Randi expelled a breath. Why was she trying to blame Lee? Was it because she had this idea of him now as some kind of criminal? It had to have been Joe, part of his plan to intimidate her. He was proving that he could get close without her knowing. All the way into the hospital, though, she kept replaying Lee’s silent presence and departure outside her door.
Lozen was just getting out of her car as Randi pulled into the parking lot. It was hard to miss the words ‘Dr. Bitch’ in huge capital letters down the side of Randi’s truck. She waited for Randi to park.
Randi tried to joke, “Apparently I’ve gained a fan club.”
Lozen shook her head, “That’s gotta be Joe’s work. Are you okay?”
After all the craziness, Randi realized that what she needed was a woman friend, someone that wasn’t Lee or Elan that she could be honest with about everything going on.
“To tell the truth, Lozen, I’m pretty rattled. Joe came
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