though."
"The reservation was for one, sir. I’m quite sure of that."
Simon felt something in the waiter’s tone and stance. Seemed he knew more than he could say. He ignored it. The other person must have a reason. He took the menu from the waiter. "Thank you."
"Yes, sir. I believe you’ll find the list of specials inside the menu quite appealing."
Simon watched the waiter walk off. Head up. Rear in. Looked uncomfortable. He took the menu from the table. Looked at the outside first. No markings. No messages. He turned to the specials. A note was tucked into the menu insert.
"First, let me assure, you are fine. There’s nothing wrong with your vision or brain. However, someone has targeted you, and you are in danger. They’re watching. I’ll contact you again, soon. Be careful."
Simon stared at the note and tried to find an emotion to hold onto. His mind jumped from fear to anger to depression to relief. Someone was behind what was happening to him. Even if the person who sent him the note was more enemy than friend, he or she still knew what was happening to him. He hated that he felt like a guinea pig, but the relief that came from knowing there was a cause, and therefore a cure, outweighed everything else.
"May I take your order, sir?"
"Yeah, I’ll have the lobster. I feel pretty good today."
"Excellent choice, sir. I’ll get that right to you." The waiter picked up the menu, slipped the note into his pocket.
CHAPTER 13
Henry kept peeling the potatoes. Kelly kept asking questions.
He hoped she’d give up if he just ignored her. Didn’t harbor much hope for success, but it’s what he did when he didn’t know what else to do. Even in elementary school, he would simply ignore the bell to go to lunch or recess to avoid bullies. Teachers would tell him he had to go, but he would change the subject to school work each time, or just ignore them.
When talking to his parents didn’t get anywhere, they left him alone. It didn’t really work much after that, but Henry kept going back to it. Like a ratted out, threadbare security blanket.
"Henry, did you hear me? Where have you been the past couple of days?"
Henry figured she wasn’t going to back off. He put the peeler and the tuber in the sink and turned slowly. "What do you mean?" he hoped he could just play stupid.
"I tried calling you several times the past two days, and I couldn’t get a hold of you. I left messages, but you didn’t call me back."
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. We’ve been having reengineering meetings at work. I haven’t been in my office. I mean, I rush in to check e-mail, but then it’s right back out to the meetings.” He giggled. “I mean, why we have to be off-site at a hotel for this shit, I have no idea.” He turned the water on to wash his hands. “I’ve been coming straight home after. We’ve been wrapping up at about four.”
“And your cell?”
“Oh. Yeah. I turned the sound off on Monday. I think I forgot to flip it back on.” He walked over to his bag, a black backpack with the company logo, and pulled his phone from the side, flipping the mute switch as he did. “Oh, shit. Yeah, lots of missed calls. And messages. Sorry, baby.”
She rolled her eyes. Sighed. "Next time tell me when you’re not going to be around. I need to know how to reach you if your phones off."
"Sure. Did you need to get a hold of me?"
"No, not really. I just wanted to talk.” She pointed at him. Smiled behind the finger. “But I still need to know, for future reference."
He puffed his lower lip out. "Okay."
She laughed. "Good. Now, I’m going to go change clothes. I’ll be back in a minute."
Henry flipped the water back on and skinned the last of the potatoes.
He was glad it worked, but he hated lying. Still, he couldn’t have Kelly suspicious of him. He could feel that the danger was growing. Somehow, he knew he’d have to act soon. He needed to be able to keep track of her
"The reservation was for one, sir. I’m quite sure of that."
Simon felt something in the waiter’s tone and stance. Seemed he knew more than he could say. He ignored it. The other person must have a reason. He took the menu from the waiter. "Thank you."
"Yes, sir. I believe you’ll find the list of specials inside the menu quite appealing."
Simon watched the waiter walk off. Head up. Rear in. Looked uncomfortable. He took the menu from the table. Looked at the outside first. No markings. No messages. He turned to the specials. A note was tucked into the menu insert.
"First, let me assure, you are fine. There’s nothing wrong with your vision or brain. However, someone has targeted you, and you are in danger. They’re watching. I’ll contact you again, soon. Be careful."
Simon stared at the note and tried to find an emotion to hold onto. His mind jumped from fear to anger to depression to relief. Someone was behind what was happening to him. Even if the person who sent him the note was more enemy than friend, he or she still knew what was happening to him. He hated that he felt like a guinea pig, but the relief that came from knowing there was a cause, and therefore a cure, outweighed everything else.
"May I take your order, sir?"
"Yeah, I’ll have the lobster. I feel pretty good today."
"Excellent choice, sir. I’ll get that right to you." The waiter picked up the menu, slipped the note into his pocket.
CHAPTER 13
Henry kept peeling the potatoes. Kelly kept asking questions.
He hoped she’d give up if he just ignored her. Didn’t harbor much hope for success, but it’s what he did when he didn’t know what else to do. Even in elementary school, he would simply ignore the bell to go to lunch or recess to avoid bullies. Teachers would tell him he had to go, but he would change the subject to school work each time, or just ignore them.
When talking to his parents didn’t get anywhere, they left him alone. It didn’t really work much after that, but Henry kept going back to it. Like a ratted out, threadbare security blanket.
"Henry, did you hear me? Where have you been the past couple of days?"
Henry figured she wasn’t going to back off. He put the peeler and the tuber in the sink and turned slowly. "What do you mean?" he hoped he could just play stupid.
"I tried calling you several times the past two days, and I couldn’t get a hold of you. I left messages, but you didn’t call me back."
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. We’ve been having reengineering meetings at work. I haven’t been in my office. I mean, I rush in to check e-mail, but then it’s right back out to the meetings.” He giggled. “I mean, why we have to be off-site at a hotel for this shit, I have no idea.” He turned the water on to wash his hands. “I’ve been coming straight home after. We’ve been wrapping up at about four.”
“And your cell?”
“Oh. Yeah. I turned the sound off on Monday. I think I forgot to flip it back on.” He walked over to his bag, a black backpack with the company logo, and pulled his phone from the side, flipping the mute switch as he did. “Oh, shit. Yeah, lots of missed calls. And messages. Sorry, baby.”
She rolled her eyes. Sighed. "Next time tell me when you’re not going to be around. I need to know how to reach you if your phones off."
"Sure. Did you need to get a hold of me?"
"No, not really. I just wanted to talk.” She pointed at him. Smiled behind the finger. “But I still need to know, for future reference."
He puffed his lower lip out. "Okay."
She laughed. "Good. Now, I’m going to go change clothes. I’ll be back in a minute."
Henry flipped the water back on and skinned the last of the potatoes.
He was glad it worked, but he hated lying. Still, he couldn’t have Kelly suspicious of him. He could feel that the danger was growing. Somehow, he knew he’d have to act soon. He needed to be able to keep track of her
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