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“It has been, Dennis,” Jane said. “It’s always good to see a familiar face, although I didn’t recognize you at first.”
Dennis tried to look past her at me. “Time takes its toll on all of us, doesn’t it?” He chuckled. “Now, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to have a word with my wife. I’ve been away from work for two days, and we really need to go home.”
“Have you talked to her brother?” Jane asked.
“Now why would I do that?”
Jane shrugged, doing surprisingly well at maintaining her cool. I, on the other hand, felt like my bladder was going to go at any minute. “He told me Andrea was staying here for a few weeks. She works for me right now, and I’d hate to think that my expectations were for nothing.”
Dennis’s smile disappeared, and the scowl on his face made him look like a rabid dog. “Andrea’s coming home with me, right now,” he said through clenched teeth. He attempted to smile again, but it did little to make him look less threatening.
“I suggest you call Bobby first,” Jane said.
“Get out of my way, old lady,” Dennis said. “That’s my wife. I don’t need permission to take her with me.”
“I believe you do,” Jane said. “Hank! Charlie!”
The two college kids who had recently taken up employment at Jane’s looked like twin bouncers. They appeared from behind the shelves, towering over Dennis as they approached him. One of them was actually massaging his fists, looking like a character out of a bad mobster cartoon. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been shaking to the core.
Dennis looked at Hank and Charlie, and I could see his mind contemplating whether or not he could take them. Please try, I silently prayed. Please be stupid and give them a reason to beat the shit out of you.
“It’s been nice seeing you again, Dennis,” Jane said. “But right now, I’m thinking it’d be
best you leave. Before I call the police.”
Dennis looked at Jane, then at me. “This isn’t over,” he promised.
“Get out, Dennis,” Jane snapped.
Dennis looked at Hank and Charlie again, then shrugged as if it were his decision to drop the issue and walked out of the supermarket.
I lost the feeling in my legs, and I quickly fell despite Jane’s arm around my waist. Hank and Charlie quickly came to our aid, but I held up a hand and stopped them, feeling like I would black out if anyone moved me from where I sat.
“How did he find me?” I mumbled to myself. “Bobby would never have sent him here.”
“I’m guessing he was probably on his way to the house and saw your car outside,” Jane said, quickly adjusting my sitting position so I didn’t fall over completely. “You should have told me the whole story, Andrea. I could have handled this better.”
I tried to apologize, but the breath caught in my throat. My heart continued to painfully race in my chest.
“I’m going to call Bobby,” Jane said, getting up.
I quickly grabbed her arm. “No, don’t,” I stopped her. “He’s get so mad, he’ll do something stupid.”
Jane sighed. “Honey, he needs to know.”
“I’ll call him later.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
I tried to think, but my mind was blank. All I could think about was that Dennis was in Mansfield, and I was no longer safe.
“Andy,” I finally said. “Call Andy.”
Chapter 12: Andy
“She’s fine. Just a little shaken up.”
Bobby was furious, shouting and cursing like a drunk sailor. I had to keep the phone well away from my ear just so I wouldn’t go deaf.
