Hidden Sanity

Renewed

But not until the man talked, “Alice! Hey! It’s me!”

She looked up to his face. She saw it was her boss. She grabbed him and said, “Let’s go. Not safe! Not safe! Someone’s behind me! He’s going to kill me!”

Jack didn’t let himself be dragged by her, instead he pulled her back to him and said “You have to stay calm, Alice.”

“Oh yes! I should stay calm because someone’s just going to kill me! Is that what you want?!”

“But no one’s behind you, Alice.”

“I’m sure. He’s just right there.” She can’t stop crying.

“It’s okay. It’s okay… I’m here with you now. You’re safe…” He hugged her, making her feel safer around his arms. Alice, without notice, hugged him back tightly. Jack felt how scared she was by her embrace. He tapped her back. “Don’t worry now… You’re okay. You’re okay…”

She was eased down to his voice. She was crying like a baby. By now, she didn’t care about her image as a secretary. She only cared about what she currently feels.

Jack could feel her whole body shaking. He said “Let’s go home now, Alice. It’s not safe around here, you said.”

“Good idea. Let’s go. Please.” She walked away hurriedly.

“Where are you going? Hey, I got a car with me. You might want to—”

“Better!” She came to him. Jack smiled. “Okay.” He brought her inside his car and drove.

While they’re on the way home, he said, “Why are you alone in the street at this time by the way?”

She stuttered when she said, “Ju-just finished my work.”

“Oh…… I guess I should adjust your schedule to daytime from now on.”

“Oh, please do.”

No one talked.

Until, Alice insisted. “I’m glad you were around at this time. If you didn’t come around, I might have just got myself killed………….. Thank you.”

“I came from a meeting, a late night meeting… It was stressful. Anyway, that’s no big deal, don’t worry. I’m glad you’re safe.”

“I shouldn’t have judged you about the meeting thing….. It just saved me.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” She looked away, faced the window, watching the fast lane.

Jack looked at her and saw her shaking. “You’re still shaking.”

“Of course! That was a terrifying moment! Be in my shoes!”

“What happened back there anyway?” He got his eyes on the road.

“A stranger called me… He said scary things to me, threatening me. He said he knows where I live and he’s going to kill me while I sleep. He scared me to death! Ah! I just don’t want to remember every detail!” She bowed her head, closed her eyes and pulled her hair on her temple.

Jack said, “Is that why you’re running carelessly?”

“He told me to run.”

“Don’t you have any weapons with you? Even just a swiss knife or a pepper spray? Seriously, girls nowadays have that in their bags because they know it’s tremendously dangerous outdoors and you don’t even have one in yours? Are you even cautious?”

“Now, I am.”

“Lessons learned. Take that from your boss.”

“I don’t care about you.” She said frankly.

Jack laughed and said “Okay then, would you like me to buy something for you? I’m kind of uncomfortable seeing you terribly shaking like that. It makes me feel sorry for you.”

“Okay, but not because you’re my boss, you could speak like that to me.”

“You always say that.” He pulled over in front of a 24/7 store to buy a drink for her. “Stay there. I’m going to buy you something.”

He went out of his car and left her inside his car. She watched him inside the store, making sure she won’t lose sight of him. But because she’s alone again, she locked the doors of his car for her safety. She just didn’t want to be alone once again. She turned off her phone, afraid to be bothered one more time by some stranger.

She looked around the interior of his car and found it very pleasing to see his car so clean. Not a single mess can be seen. He was a neat person.

But 20 minutes had passed and he was not yet coming back.

She started to worry. The thought of Jack Kinley killing guys too entered her mind and the fact that a man was chasing her to kill her, made her feel so bothered. She can’t calm herself. She began to think that it might be another killer or might be Jack Kinley this time. She worried that the killer might have just killed Jorge too because he’s after her and he doesn’t want any witness so he killed Jorge who’s with her right now.

She thought “No! Oh no…” She was forced to go out of his car to check him out even though her knees felt weak. She went to the store quickly and looked for him but he’s not there anymore. She went out of the store and saw something from a dark corner. An alley with trash all over the place. She saw a man’s foot behind a trash can and the body seemed to be sitting or lying on the ground. Her heart pounded so fast because it’s a black shoe. It looked like his boss’ shoe so she slowly came closer to it. Her imagination ate her mind up.

What if she sees Jorge’s body was chopped? What if his head was ripped off? What if she sees his body full of cuts? She was too scared to see the gross images in her mind.

She walked slowly to make sure if it was really him. She was covering her mouth, expecting to see a brutally killed man, but as she looked at it… it was really Jorge. He was looking at her and he looked alive. Alice sat down and helped him. “Oh my gosh! Sir Jorge!”

Then she saw him smile.

“Wait, what is this?” She frowned.

Jack grinned and looked at her face. “Aww. So you do care…”

Alice blushed and stood up. She said “Jerk!!” She walked her way to his car.

Jorge yelled, “Hey wait!” ,then he smiled again.

Alice got in his car. She looked mad. Jack said, “You’re too predictable…” He curled his lips and got inside his car and handed her a juice. “Here… drink this. Don’t worry. It’s sealed. You don’t have to doubt it.”

Alice took it. “Thank you! And just so you know, messing with someone who was just traumatized is very wrong!”

“Sorry…”

“That’s totally not funny. For a minute I thought you’re already dead!”

Jack just smirked. At least he knew Alice really cared about him. He just didn’t talk back anymore to avoid another argument. Everything with Alice becomes a debatable conversation.

He didn’t talk the entire ride and Alice just drank the juice until the bottle was empty.

They arrived in front of the building of their apartment in a jiffy. Alice looked paler. Jorge noticed. “Alice… What’s wrong?”

“He knows where I live. What if he’s following me until now?”

Jack looked at her worried face. He ended up speechless. He didn’t know how to make her feel safe. He just ended up saying, “I’m just beside your apartment. Call me right away when you feel something strange.”

“What if you’re sleeping already? How could you friggin rescue me in that way?!”

“Then are you suggesting that I should stay inside your apartment with you?”

“No! I didn’t say something like that.”

“So what are you trying to say?” He said, raising both of his eyebrows.

She bowed down and she seemed she’s going through a very big burden in her life. So Jack spoke, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you… I’m here…”

Alice stared right into his eyes and saw the sincerity within him. She said, “Okay. I’ll trust you.”

They went down the car and proceeded up to the floor of their apartment. They stopped in front of Alice’s apartment. He said “I could join you inside. I guess you need to let the boss eat something too after treating you.”

“It was a juice, Jorge. Not a food.”

But Jack was just giving him the teasing stare. She said “A late night dinner again huh? Fine!”

She opened her door by keying the security key and then they both entered.

Alice was shocked to see her best friend, Sofia, sitting on her couch. She screamed. “Oh my goodness! Sofia! What are you doing here? You scared me!”

Sofia looked shocked too. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you brought a guy with you. It seems that I came at the wrong time!”

“Oh, no, he’s not… Ugh, Sofia. I don’t do that kind of thing. Don’t—” She sighed then continued speaking, “He’s not my boyfriend, Sofia. He’s my boss, Jorge Kione. Sir, that’s Sofia, my best friend.”

“Nice to meet you.” He spoke with his very formal posture.

She became more awkward. “Ah… Ohh…. I see. Good evening, sir.” She stood up as a sign of respect.

Alice said “What? You broke into my house? How did you know my security key?”

“Duhh… I recommended this place. I gave you the code too, so of course I have it.”

Jack talked. “This was a good place. Good choice.”

“Thank you, sir.” Sofia smiled at him.

Alice walked near Sofia and said “You didn’t tell me you’re coming! Are you staying in for the night?”

“No. I just came here to visit you. I missed you!”

“I missed you too!” and then they hugged.

Jack looked away when they did. He didn’t want to see chick flicks himself. He was surely not interested in those things. It was way too awkward.

“We…. came here to eat…… so………” Alice said while looking at Sofia’s eyes, sending signals both of them could understand.

Sofia responds, “Oh, okay. I’m just going to stay inside your room. Tell me when you’re done, okay?”

“Alright.” She replied.

Sofia got in Alice’s room and closed the door. Now, Jack and Alice were left in the living room. It was very odd between them now.

Alice managed to keep the conversation coming since Jack was already inside her house so she had to deal with it, although she really wanted him outside as of this moment because she thought that her best friend might think something else about her boss’ presence inside her apartment.

“You should be glad I have some spaghetti right now to feed you.”

“Oh pasta… I can’t say no to that.”

She prepared everything at the table just to be presentable. Jack saw that she was acting a little bit too panicky. He said “Don’t worry. I don’t expect everything to be more like fine dining. I have hands to get the pasta on the table. Just leave a plate and a fork in front of me.”

“Alright, you said that.” She could tell that he was trying to be understanding right now. Trying to be the sensitive kind of guy. She would have preferred if he’d thrown insults or something. That, she could deal with.

He sat down on the chair and wore off his coat. He hung it at the back of his chair. Alice saw his lovely arms, with his biceps.

“Alice,” he continued with his sensitive-guy tone, “I know you’re having such a hard time on me. I’m sorry.”

Alice sat on the chair too. “Don’t worry. It’s all done. Literally, my job is done.”

Jack smiled weakly and just started eating. Alice ate too.

It was a moment of silence. They ate their food silently. Blank of thoughts and ideas to talk about.

When Jack is done, he said, “Don’t you think that man that you’re talking about lately wants something from you?”

She suddenly got up from the dining room table and picked up her plate to take to the dishwasher. She had already left the table. Alice knew she was thinking paranoid so she’s running away from that topic. Her hands were barely relaxed. She flipped on the faucet to rinse her spaghetti down the garbage disposal. She hadn’t been able to eat more than a few bites. She gritted her teeth; fighting the terrifying moment the stranger had painted in her mind, images that seemed to become more indelible with each passing hour.

She said “I want you to take a book about Jack Kinley and read it.”

Jack followed her to the kitchen and said “Alice, don’t you think this is a little drastic?”

Alice slid the glass door to the deck shut so Sofia wouldn’t hear them. They were now both inside the kitchen area, alone.

“Read it then tell me I’m being dramatic in thinking I should get myself the hell out of here!” Her voice cracked with the last word.

She couldn’t meet his gaze because tears welled in her eyes.

“Ah, Alice…” Jack walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist.

Her first impulse was to push him away, but right now she needed the hug more than she needed to be strong. She set the wet plate on the counter and leaned back against him, closing her eyes. He felt so big and warm. So protective. That was what she really wanted right now; to be protected. She didn’t want to face it all alone. She felt the hardness of his chest. She felt a stir of desire and was surprised about it.

It had been so long since she had s*x that she could barely remember what it was like.

“Alice, I don’t want to read the book,” he said softly, his breath warm in her ear. “I don’t need to know the horrid details.”

“No, you do need to know what that sick f**k did to people.”

Jack gently turned her in his arms until she faced him. She let him, because at this moment, she didn’t have the strength to fight him. To fight herself.

The faucet continued to run.

“I’ll read it if you want me to.” ,he said quietly. “But I think we’re moving too quickly here. There is no proof that Jack was the killer. None whatsoever.”

“Haven’t you heard anything I’ve said?” Her voice was meek. Desperate. “Weren’t you listening? Christine, that girl, I know her, and she’s gone and they have no idea where she is until now.”

“That doesn’t mean Kinley killed her, Alice.”

“No. You don’t see the connection. Jack knows Christine and now a stranger who seemed to be a killer knows me too! I don’t want to die next.”

“You’re not going to die, Alice. I’m not going to let him kill you.”

Alice pressed her hands to Jack’s chest and leaned her forehead against his chin. She had forgotten how good he felt.

The glass door slid open and Sofia walked into the kitchen off the deck. Alice spun around, out of Jack’s arms, and reached shakily to finish rinsing off the plate.

“Hey, you two making out?” Sofia said, walking to the far counter to get a glass of water.

Jack didn’t say anything. It was a conspiracy between him, as a visitor, and her, as a friend of Alice.

“We’re not making out.” Alice jerked open the dishwasher.

“ ‘Cause if you were, I wouldn’t be that grossed out,” she said hopefully.

“Sofia, can you excuse us? We’re talking about something.”

“Really? Talking?” It was a teasing tone. She smiled.

Jack returned to the table to grab his plate too and bring it to the dishwasher. But it was also his way to avoid the awkwardness going on.

Sofia drank the water and said, “Alright. I’m coming back now.”

Jack waited until they heard Sofia close the door.

Alice shut off the faucet and reached for a dish towel to dry her wet hands. She carried on talking, “And in case that killer hurt my best friend, I will surely kill him too.”

“You’re moving way too fast.” Jack walked to the kitchen to bring a bowl of pasta and sauce to the counter. Alice pulled out plastic storage containers and he began to dump the food into them.

Jack continued, “I mean, don’t you think you could just call the police and find out who that guy is? I’m pretty sure he’s reachable through his number.”

“I don’t know what to think!” She threw up her hands.

“You sounded like an angry lion.” He was teasing her again. She didn’t smile.

“Oh, come on. Think about it.” He pushed the leftover containers into her hands for her to put in the fridge. “If Kinley was going to kill again—which apparently he doesn’t have the ability to do since he’s already being watched by policemen after the Christine Rover’s incident—would he go after someone related to her? It doesn’t make any sense. He’s hunted by the police. He’d be bound to get caught and he knows it.”

“Ugh! I don’t know why he would do such a thing! I don’t know why he would kidnap and r**e and murder girls in the first place.” She pressed her lips tighter, closing her eyes. She should’ve known there was no use in talking to her boss about this. He was a CEO, a man of logic. Of hard facts. She had no hard facts, just a sickness in the pit of her stomach.

“You’re probably right,” she said suddenly. But tonight she wasn’t giving in. She just didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Tomorrow, she’d call the police to track that man down. She’d get her facts soon.

She added a tablet of dish detergent to the dishwasher, closed it up and hit the start button.

“Why don’t you go home now? Don’t worry. I’m safe. I got my best friend with me tonight.”

“But she said she’s going to be leaving soon.”

“I wouldn’t let her out of my apartment this time. Not now that a killer knows my address. He could take her too. Just trying to be safe.” She said.

He stood in the archway to the living room, looking damned fine in a pair of slacks and a gray T-shirt.

“I could stay,” he offered. He smiled at her and bit his lower lip.

She gave him a half grin. “Good try, but no. I’ve got work to do.” She passed him by and turned to go her way to her bedroom. “Set the alarm on your way out.”

“But your job is done! You just told me lately. What work are you talking about?”

“Personal stuff! Now go to your apartment and rest.” She faced back.

“Alice…” His voice sounded so gentle. It made Alice turn around to him. He was staring at her face. She said “What?”

“Nothing…  be safe.”

She was touched that Jorge was actually worried about her. He cared. She snapped out of that kind of thought and said “Set the alarm. That’s the least you could do.”

He smiled cutely and said “‘Kay. Good night.” He walked to her door but he stopped before he touched the knob. Alice wondered why.

Jack snapped his fingers and said “My coat.” He got it from the chair and showed her his charming smile then he turned on the alarm. “Bye.”

He left her apartment. She exhaled.

She finally entered her bedroom and caught Sofia standing in front of her.

“What was that Alice?!” Sofia exaggerated.

“What do you mean?” She sat at her bed and laid sideways.

“That guy was hot!! Why can’t you—Are you dating him?!”

“He’s my boss! Jesus, Sofia! Watch your words.”

“A boss and a secretary hugging each other? That is something! Aren’t you two reported in the office?” She looked so giddy.

“Hell no. That’s gross. What has happened to your mind, Sofia?”

“You have a lot of explaining to do to me, lady!”

“What should I explain?”

“Uh, duh…” She rolled her eyes. “What I saw?”

“I didn’t know what happened either. I’m so out of myself.”

“Why?” She sat beside her.

She feared to tell her about the feeling she felt lately when she’s with Jack so she opened up a different thing. She told her what happened to her lately down from the streets.

And a little later she said, “Alice, why didn’t you decide to take another route to get to the house?”

“I had to come a long way round,” she answered. “Besides, I had to hurry.”

“Next time, go to the safer path. Why are you so dumb at this?”

“I’m sorry, okay? It was my bad.”

“God! It must have been hair-raising,” said Sofia while leaning closer to Alice. “I’m glad I wasn’t with you.”

“It was! It was terrifying as one can expect.”

“But be thankful that you’re safe now because of your boss.”

“I’m not really sure if I’m safe now……. Danger is everywhere, Sofia.”

“You’re right. You make me not want to go home tonight.”

“Oh even if you’d like to, I won’t let you.”

“Thank you!”

“Yeah. And… Can we sleep now? I badly wanted to rest. Thanks for the company, Sofia.”

“You’re always welcome.”

Sofia switched off the lamp and said, “Let’s sleep!” then she lied on her bed. “And just saying, you still have to explain everything to me later when we woke up! I still haven’t forgotten that one. You can’t be too easy on me!”

Alice laughed. “Oh shut up.”

Sofia giggled and said “Yeah. Good night.”

Then they stopped conversing.

Alice was lying on her bed but she’s still wide awake. She was aware that she’s up to it for too long. Alice checked the clock beside her bed. It was 3:45 AM. She’d been in bed for more than an hour. She really needed to get some sleep, but she couldn’t relax. She couldn’t take away what the killer told her out of her mind. She couldn’t sleep. She’s afraid he’ll go to her place and kill her since it’s completely dark and he might attack at the time when she’s unconscious. It was a trauma for Alice. She can’t get herself out of it.

But when thinking about what Jorge told her, “You’re not going to die, Alice. I’m not going to let him kill you.” She felt safe and sound, keeping in mind that Jorge is just living next to her apartment. She felt secured.

Although there’s one thing that disturbed her from the thought of him, it was the things that he did to her and the fact that she let him do it. It was very odd. She blamed herself for doing those silly things. She felt embarrassed.

Nevertheless, she mostly wondered why he did those. It made her think that...

Maybe he’s not as bad as she thought he was. She was just mistaken.

It was just a wrong impression. Or wasn’t it?