Chapter 12: THE MAN IN THE ALLEY

MIA

The meeting ran late.

I checked my phone as I left the building and it was Nine forty-seven. The last train from this part of the city left at ten-fifteen and I had no idea where the nearest station was.

I pulled up maps and started walking. The nearest station was three blocks north, then east and it would take me fifteen minutes if I moved fast.

The neighborhood was an unfamiliar industrial area so it was very busy during the day but dead quiet at night. All the stores had been shut with metal gates while the loading docks and streets that were filled with delivery trucks were now deserted.

My brain told me that I could have called a car and waited for it to come but fifteen minutes seemed manageable because I also needed to get my steps in and I didn't want to spend that money when the station was just here.

Ten minutes in, I realized I'd made a mistake.

I was a young woman, with no self defense training or tools, walking alone in an unfamiliar location. Good going Mia, this just screams “kidnape me!”

I started hearing footsteps half a block behind me. At first I told myself it was nothing. Maybe someone else had stayed back too late and was either walking home or trying to catch the train like me.

But when I sped up, they sped up too. When I slowed, so did they.

My heart kicked into overdrive.

I turned left into what looked like a shortcut between buildings which had an alley that would take me to the next street over which was closer to the station and would hopefully have more people around.

The footsteps followed.

I picked up my pace, hand gripping my camera bag strap so hard my fingers hurt. Every horror story I'd ever heard played in my head on repeat.

The alley was longer than it looked and barely lit as the streetlights barely flickered. The footsteps were getting closer. My breath came out in puffs in front of me as I started hyperventilating.

No, please.

I was about to drop everything and spring towards the light at the end, screaming at the top of my lungs, when I saw him.

Dante.

He was standing at the end of the alley like he had been waiting for me. That was when I also noticed that the footsteps had stopped at some point but I didn't hear it over the pounding in my ears.

I didn't look back or stop as I walked as fast as I could toward him with my heart trying to break out of my chest.

When I reached him he caught me. His arms wrapping around my shoulders, pulling me into his warm comforting side.

"You're okay," he said quietly. "I've got you."

From my head to my toes were shaking like a leaf. I tried to speak but couldn't as the fear gripped my throat.

"Someone was—"

"I know. They're gone now."

I looked back and just like he said, the alley was empty. Not even a shadow.

"Did you see them?"

"No. But I heard them stop when they saw me." His hand was firm on my back in a protective way. "Come on. Let's get you home."

We walked to the station in silence but he didn't let go of me the entire time. His arm stayed around my shoulders and his body stayed between me and the street like he was shielding me from something I couldn't see.

I wanted to ask him how he had known I was there at that exact time but I was tired and instead, I let him guide me into the train, pressed against his side the whole rise home because I was too relieved at the fact that I was safe to wonder why I'd needed saving in the first place.

He walked me to my door even though his apartment was right across the hall.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I think so."

"That was stupid. Walking alone in that neighborhood at night."

"I know."

"You could have called me and I would have come to get you."

I almost said I didn't think of it and the whole thing happened too fast but I stopped. Remembering the questions I had from earlier.

"How did you know where I was?" I blurted.

He didn't hesitate. "I didn't. I was on my way back from a meeting and saw you turn into the alley and thought I'd catch up."

"A meeting at ten PM?"

“Yes, my client's dinner ran late." He touched my face gently. The same way he had during the photo session. "I'm glad I was there."

"Me too."

"Get some sleep and text me if you need anything."

He left and I went inside, locking my door behind me and stood in my dark apartment trying to process what had just happened.

Something was off. I hadn't imagined that person following me. That terror wasn't something I could force. But why did it seem like the footsteps stopped and only then did he come?

Or was my mind just altering things because of my paranoia? I wasn't even sure any more.

He was there right when I needed him, just like he always was.

I got ready for bed on autopilot. Brushed my teeth, changed into pajamas and set my alarm.

My phone buzzed as I was climbing into bed from the unknown number.

I took a deep breath then opened it. “You're welcome, he won't bother you again. Sleep well.”

I stared at the message.

The stalker was claiming credit for what had just happened or they were claiming credit for Dante being there.

I wasn't sure. Did they take care of the person or did he run because of Dante or… was he Dante?

I locked my phone and put it face down on the nightstand and tried to sleep and not to think about the timing.

But my brain wouldn't let it go.

His explanation was too big of a coincidence because I didn't even know that place well enough to have a specific route. He never mentioned needing to go there today and neither did I.

I shook my head. “No, Mia. He went there for business and just happened to run into you. That's all.”

But my brain kept playing it over and over again. The footsteps stopped even before he appeared, so there’s no way they would have seen him and ran away if they had already stopped following me before he appeared.

I rolled onto my side and stared at the wall and tried to find an explanation that made sense.

That Dante always knew where I was because he was the one following me.