Chapter 9
As Jeff stirred the following morning, he stretched his legs out and opened his eyes to the blinding sunlight. He was still in the chair he fell to sleep in the night before, actually that morning. He looked over at the sofa and saw Leah still sleeping. He got up and yawned, stretching again. He walked into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. He grabbed a cup and poured out some of the coffee that was already made. He went to take a sip but spat it back into the cup when he realised it was stone cold.
He poured it down the sink and put a fresh pot on. He walked back into the living room and looked over at the clock. 2:49. “Jesus.” He muttered to himself.
“Huh?” came a soft moan form the sofa. Jeff looked over to see Leah’s eyes slightly open as she rubbed them.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Huh? Oh no you didn’t wake me.” She said as she tossed the blanket to her feet. She moved so she was sitting on the edge of the sofa he head in her hands. “I have a headache.” She mumbled as she staggered into the kitchen to get some aspirin.
Jeff pulled out a chair from the table and as he did he spotted a note on the top of the fruit bowl. He picked it up and read it. “Gone shopping, back soon. Matt and Molly.” He folded it up and tossed it back onto the table as he went to check on the coffee. “Matt and Molly went out, they’ll be back soon.”
“Great.” Leah mumbled as she got a glass of water and swallowed the tablets.
“You feeling better?”
“I don’t want twenty questions Jeff.”
“I asked one.” He said bluntly as he grabbed a cup and poured in the fresh coffee.
“Smart ass.” Leah said between gritted teeth. “I’m fine if you really want to know.”
“That’s all I asked.” Jeff snapped back at her as he walked from the kitchen. Leah took two deep breaths and followed him out.
“Sleep well?” she asked not saying to him what she really wanted to.
“I guess. That chair doesn’t isn’t very comfy.”
“Well, I guess I should have stayed awake and showed you up to one of the guestrooms should I? Or maybe you would have liked me to have moved of the sofa for you.” She snapped at him as she grew quickly impatient.
“You have a very short fuse don’t you?” Jeff said from the sofa as he sipped his coffee.
“Yeh and you are very good at lighting it.”
“I haven’t done anything!”
“I know but you just…you just…. oh...you piss me off big time.”
“Blunt.”
“You want me to pad it out for you? Would that make it easier for you to understand?”
“No. I don’t know why I bothered.” He said standing up placing his coffee down on the table.
“With what?”
“You, last night, this morning. I spent hours driving around looking for you and now I get this! You really are shallow aren’t you?”
“Yeh, I guess I am. I mean you don’t know me and you never will and I don’t think we need to be in each others company and longer than we have to be!!! Thank God you and Matt and Molly leave tomorrow!!! I may manage to survive that!! But any longer I think I may have to do something to your physical appearance!!!”
“Oh, that’s charming!!! Why don’t you do it know and get it over with? Huh? Not got the guts? Didn’t think so, girls like you never do!!” Jeff snapped back at her as he crossed his arms ready for another round off verbal bashing.
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN GIRLS LIKE ME????!!!!” she shouted at him, putting her hand son her hips.
“I mean you never appreciate things people do for you, you never think about other people feelings and you NEVER give a damn about anybody but yourselves!!!”
“That’s good coming from you!!!! When was the last time you…” Leah began but was interrupted by the phone ringing. She sighed and walked over to answer it.
“Hello.”
“Is this Leah Hammond?”
“Yes this is. Whom am I speaking to?”
“That doesn’t matter sweetheart. All that matters is I know who you are.”
“Who is this please?”
“Your worse nightmare sweetheart.”
“Who are you and why are you doing this?”
“I’m a great fan of yours. Don’t you appreciate a fan?”
“A fan of man? What are you talking about?”
“I watch you in the gym, wrestling with that friend of yours, Molly Holly, you’re good.”
“Thanks. Look who are you and what do you want?”
“I want YOU!!!! And I won’t stop until I’ve got you!!!”
“FUCK OFF YOU ASSHOLE!!!!” Leah screamed down the phone before she slammed it down on the hook. She turned around to Jeff who stood where he had before but this time with a worried look on his face.
“Who was that?”
“Just some ass playing a sick joke. Probably kids with nothing better to do.”
“You don’t look like it was nothing.”
“I’m is nothing, I’m fine.”
“Ok.”
As Matt and Molly walked from the car they grabbed Leah’s post and Molly let them in. She dumped it on the table and looked at Jeff who sat watching a film. “Where’s Leah?” Molly stopped when she realised that Leah was then coming down the stairs.
“Hey.” She said as she finished buckling her belt. “You two ok?”
“We’re fine. You?” Matt asked her.
“Good thanks.”
“Here’s your post.” He said as he handed the bundle.
“Thanks.”
“Did you pick a film up?” Jeff asked as he flipped the TV off.
“No, should we have?” Matt replied.
“I was just thinking that we could all stay in a watch a film, have an early night ready to leave tomorrow morning.”
“I guess we could.” He said as he placed a hand on the small of Molly’s back. “Leah, are you still going to be coming with us?”
“I haven’t cancelled the interview, but I was going to yesterday but…” she trailed off.
“So are you going to come with us?” Molly asked as she brushed a piece of hair of Leah’s face. Leah looked at her, then to Matt and finally Jeff, who nodded at her as if signing a mutual agreement. She smiled at him and then at Molly.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” she said pausing interrupting before Molly could reply. “Don’t answer that!” she joked.
“So what are we going to do then? Tonight I mean.” Jeff asked them.
“I think we should get a film out and stuff ourselves silly all night.” Leah suggested.
“Ok, fine by me, you Mol?” Matt replied and answered.
“Sure. Jeff?”
“Great.”
“Well, we’ll go and grab a couple of films. You two wanna come with us?” Molly asked Leah and Jeff.
“No. I’ll stay here and tidy and stuff.” Leah answered as she pointed to the mess that had piled up in the corner.
“Jeff?”
“Yeh, I’ll come with you.”
As they left Leah looked at the post in her hand. She looked through it and pulled out an odd red envelope. The address was typed and the postmark was local. She put the rest on the table and opened it. The writing was like one of those letters from horror movies. The lettering cut out from a magazines and newspapers.
She read it out loud. “You will pay for what you did to me. You’re in to deep with no way out!” she smiled as the words left her lips. She sighed and lay in down on the table. “KIDS!!!” she shouted as she walked into the kitchen.
“I forgot my wallet.” Jeff said as they reached the end of the street. “I’ll be back in a sec, you guys go on, and I’ll catch you up.”
“Ok.” Matt replied as Jeff jogged of in the direction of the house.
When he reached it he knocked on the door and Leah opened it and let him in. He walked to the table and looked for his wallet but it wasn’t there. “Leah, did you move my wallet?” he asked as she walked out of the kitchen.
“Yeh. It’s on your pile of stuff over here.” She said as walked over to the pile of Jeff’s stuff that had been left there she grabbed it and walked over to where he stood, reading the letter. She tried to grab it but he caught her hand before she could. “Jeff, that’s private.” She said as she tried to free her hand.
“Private my ass!! This is a threat. You do realise that don’t you?”
“Its just kids!! Jesus Jeff, don’t take it so seriously!”
“Don’t take it seriously?!”
“Yes, no give it here!!!!” Leah demanded as Jeff released her hand, she grabbed the letter and screwed it up but Jeff grabbed the ball from her.
“Don’t you remember a certain phone call this morning?”
“Yeh, it’s a coincidence Jeff. Get over it.”
“Look, this could be serious and I know you think it’s kids but maybe…. maybe you should ask a cop or something.”
“Jeff, I appreciate your concern but it’s nothing to worry about. If it is, I can handle it. Ok?” she asked pleading to him with her eyes.
“Ok. But at least just tell Molly.”
“NO!” Leah snapped. “She doesn’t need to know.”
“But she’s your best mate.”
“I know that Jeff. But she would only worry and there is NOTHING for her to worry about. Is there?”
“If you say so, but I say you’re mad.”
“Here.” Leah said handing him his wallet.
“Thanks, but I can’t be bothered. You wanna watch the re-run of tough enough?”
“Sure, nothing else to do.”
back to Chapter 8
