The Stranger in the Shadows
1206 Words
Pamela's POV
The startling sound of ringing phones and whispered conversations filled the police station.
I felt even more humiliated as the harsh flicker of fluorescent lights which hung overhead poured down on me, making me feel like a criminal.
Two officers stood by my side as I trudged on my steps heavily.
All the way here, I tried my best to explain to them that I was innocent but everything I uttered fell to deaf ears.
My jaws clenched as I remembered the people responsible for my arrest–Adam and Molly. They plotted this evil scheme to get me out of their lives permanently.
One of the officers gestured toward a dirty wooden bench in the corner of the station.
"Sit over there." He ordered with a harsh tone.
I was fully aware of their eyes on me as I slowly sank onto the bench. Every look felt sharp and a little too monitoring.
It felt like they were scared that I'd run away and honestly, if I could, I would have escaped from here. But that would only aggravate things way out of proportion.
My eyes moistened with tears but I fought them back. I couldn't help it honestly. Crying was the only one way I could express the immense pain that was destroying me bit by bit.
"Pamela Connor." A sharp voice cut through the noise in the area, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Distracted by the voice, I lifted my head and the eyes I saw pricked a particular memory in my heart– it was faint but all I could take from it was that it was familiar.
I had initially thought the voice belonged to one of the police officers but it belonged to a six foot tall man clad in a black suit.
His brown eyes were captivating yet piercing and his black hair was a little ruffled but in a way that complimented his jaws. He looked so good–so good that I was distracted from my pain for the first time.
"Come with me," he stated in a firm but welcoming voice.
I hesitated at first as I felt uncertain about him. His presence ignited a memory in my mind, except that it was just out of reach.
The familiarity I felt around made me wonder… perhaps I had met him before but where?
"Who are you? I asked, unable to suppress the curiosity.
"Andre Thornhill,” he said while burying his hands in his pockets.
“I am here to help you, your manager contacted me."
The officer beside me nodded softly as Andre finished speaking, it seemed like he was trying to give him some special kind of respect.
My eyes darted around and the chatter in the station was now replaced with eerie silence. It seemed as if the officers knew him well.
‘He must be really important,’ I thought to myself as I directed my gaze back to Andre’s face.
"Is that fine, Miss Connor?"
I nodded in the positive.
My manager did a good thing for sending help.
With my heart racing, I got up and followed him.
My legs felt heavy but something in me felt I could trust this perfect stranger.
Heat crawled up my neck as we walked down the small hallway. I was afraid but I still felt nervous.
We soon stopped in front of a wooden door, He motioned for me to get inside as he twisted the door knob open.
"Please sit," he offered me a seat across from him.
As I sank into the chair, I lowered my head to avert Andre’s gaze as I feared I'd find myself staring into oblivion.
The crisp air in the office was a mix of cold air and cinnamon cologne.
"You don't remember me, do you?” he asked, his voice breaking the silence in the room.
Surprised by the question, I blinked.
"Have we met before?"
A faint smile tugged at his lips, "Maybe not."
The tension in the atmosphere thickened. My brows twitched as I racked my mind in search of a past meeting but I couldn't place it but the familiarity in his face was still unshaken.
Then his eyes softened as his lips parted, "You've been through a lot and as I said earlier, I’m here to help you."
"I'm Andre Thornhill, a popular state lawyer."
He extended a hand towards me for a handshake and the moment I felt his palms in mine, it felt like I had been in contact with his hands before, except I couldn't tell if it was him or he was just really similar to someone I knew.
However, his formal introduction made my profile twist in frustration.
“Look, I didnt steal anything and I have no idea why I got arrested. Adam is lying—”
"I know, and I believe you." He cut me off mid sentence.
His words were so direct and they sent a tidal wave of conviction down my spine.
Before he said that, I had no idea how much I needed to hear it, to hear that someone believed me.
"But…why are you helping me?” I asked, with my voice barely above a whisper.
His jaw tightened upon my question, "I've encountered similar cases like this so I know your husband is lying. Don't worry, he won't succeed with keeping you behind bars for no reason.”
The assurance in his words stirred calmness inside me and for the first time in a while, my shoulders weren't stiff and upright, my brows weren't pulling together in worry. Everything felt like it was under control and this made me relaxed.
His words were as if he had personally witnessed the darkness he was describing, as if someone had broken him too.
"Thank you.” I muttered, unsure of what else to say.
He straightened his shirt as he rose up, nodded and moved to the door.
"Wait." I called out with a desperate voice.
His hands were on the doorknob as he stopped, turning around to face me.
Before I could stop it, the question rushed out.
"Have we. . . met before?"
Something flickered across his face for a moment but it disappeared before I could make sense of what it was.
"Maybe, I might look like someone you used to know." He said in a low voice.
Following that, he walked out, leaving me trying to figure out who he looked like.
After an hour, the charges were mysteriously withdrawn. Adam claimed it was all a misunderstanding when he called the station.
It didn't seem credible to me at first but his objective—my public humiliation—had been accomplished.
The last thing on my mind as I stepped out into the warm afternoon air was Adam.
And then there was the lawyer, his help and comforting words that seemed to calm my storm.
Did my manager actually call him or he came on his own? I didn't know what to think any more.
Going back home felt like something that wouldn't be possible but I had to try.
Adam needed to explain what this was about. And definitely owed me an apology too.
- Writer
