He’d been following me for the last ten minutes. It all started when I’d exited the parking lot of the law office and drove onto the road. He had been driving in the opposite lane, but the second he’d seen me, he immediately pulled a U-Turn to get in behind me. Now, as I flicked my turn signal for the exit off the highway, he too, almost in unison, flicked his signal on. I took the exit, and he did the same.
His LED headlights were especially blinding in my rear-view mirror, made even worse because he was riding my bumper and the fact that it was pouring rain. I glanced at my watch, 1am. I had a huge day in court tomorrow and had stayed late preparing everything….
“Maybe that’s it,” I whispered, as I stole another glance into the rearview, squinting under the brightness. This guy had been on me the second I’d left the office, which meant he must know who I am. Was he one of the thugs I’d prosecuted years back, fresh out on parole and hungry for revenge?
I squinted into the bright lights again and tried to make out some identifying features on the driver, but all I could see was a dim silhouette. I racked my brain, trying to remember if any of the guys I’d put away had recently been released. But came up empty handed.
I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I was just being paranoid. Yes… The stress from the big anti-corruption case was clearly taking its toll.
I took a right off the main road and he followed me. My stomach sank.
The big case… Now it made sense. This guy must have been hired to shut me up before the trial began. I glanced at my watch again. It’d been fifteen minutes. I was only five minutes from my house. I grabbed my phone and started to call 911 but then he blared his horn at me.
I jumped in my seat and the phone went flying. I swiped for it, but it wedged in between the passenger seat and the door. For God’s sakes…
The man kept blaring his horn at me. My heart seized with every blast.
I slammed the gas pedal and took off, desperately trying to get away from this mad man. He in turn floored it and followed after me. His car was faster than mine, and soon he was riding my bumper again despite the high speed.
I was almost home, once there, I could run inside, lock the door and call the police. My neighbor had a gun, I think, maybe… maybe…
I pulled into the neighborhood and flew past the houses, going double the speed limit. Almost there. Almost there.
I reached the cul-de-sac, and the well-lit street finally cast enough light onto my pursuers face. His face was crazed, with eyes stretched open and lips grimacing.
Finally, I reached my house. I slammed the brakes, forcing him to cut left real quick to avoid an accident, nearly colliding with a parked car. He spun out into the cul-de-sac, and his tires squealed in agony. I ripped open my car door and sprinted for the front door, howling for my family to call the police. Half the neighborhood was awake now, and heads were poking out from every door because of the commotion.
I tore the front door open, almost running right into my terrified family, who were already dialing 911.
We locked the door and looked out the window. The man staggered out of his car and ran across our lawn. My wife screamed.
I flung open the shoe closet and grabbed the only weapon I could think of, a baseball bat.
The man reached our doorstep, and I gritted my teeth.
Then, he suddenly turned away and sprinted across our lawn and back to his car before peeling out. It was all over in seconds.
Stunned, I stepped towards the front door and unlocked it. Before pulling it open. On the doorstep, was a sheaf of paper. He’d left a note.
I picked up the note and raised it up into the light. In the distance, I heard sirens approaching.
I read the note.
“It was in your backseat.”
My son suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Dad? I think there’s someone in the house.”