~Instincts~

     I want to tell you a story about a friend of mine. She’s nobody famous and probably never would wind up on the cover of a magazine, or find her name on a list of Who’s Who—she’s just a friend who met a nice guy who turned out to be not so nice after all. The relationship went sour quickly… and then really bad things happened.
     I blame myself for the outcome, because I was the one who made sure she was introduced to Barry, my boyfriend’s next door neighbor. I was dating Ralph at the time and mentioned that I wish my friend Sarah could find a decent guy who would treat her right. She’d had so many dates that didn’t go anywhere that she was just about ready to give up. She just wanted someone who had the same interests as she did, and didn’t expect her to be perfect. In other words, she wanted a down-home kind of fellow.
     “I don’t expect a lot, Jen,” she told me one night as we sat by a cozy fire in the fireplace at her house, having a glass of wine. “I just want a guy who’s human.”
     I had to laugh at what she said.
     “Aren’t they all human?” I asked.
     “Not all of them,” Sarah replied. “Everyone I go out with either wants to paw me to death, or expects sex on the first date. I can’t tell you how many guys I’ve dated who actually said as much. They’re all creeps!”
     “I’m sure there’s a guy out there for you. You just haven’t found him yet.”
     “And from the way things are going, I probably won’t. I’m twenty-five years old. I have a college degree. I have a good job, and a great house. I’m easy on the eyes, and I even drive a new car. But none of this makes a difference. Most guys would rather date a nitwit, so they can get into her pants. If a woman is the least bit intelligent, they don’t want anything to do with her.”
     “Oh, I think you’re exaggerating.”
     “You’re right,” she said. “They don’t mind if you’re smart as long as you put out.”
     “You have to keep looking, Sarah. There’s someone for everyone.”
     That conversation was a month ago, but it was still in the back of my mind when Ralph mentioned his neighbor to me again. Even though I felt as if our relationship had run its course and I was on the verge of calling it quits, I saw no reason to let that stand in the way of setting Sarah up with someone she might like. So I suggested an accidental meeting. I would get Sarah to drop by the local bar with me for a drink after work… and surprise… my boyfriend would be there with his buddy, Barry. After that, whatever happened would be up to them.
     Early into the evening, Sarah told me that she knew right away we had planned the whole thing, but that was okay because Barry was a nice guy, and she really liked him.
     “We have so much in common,” Sarah confided to me when we were in the restroom. “He’s so handsome, too!”
     “And he has a college degree,” I joked.
     “And he comes from money,” she added. “But that doesn’t matter to me. I could care less about the money as long as he has a steady job.”
      “He’s a CPA,” I said. “You can’t get more anchored than that. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be a bore.”
     “He seems to have it all,” Sarah said. “I just hope he doesn’t turn out to be a serial killer.”
     We both laughed at the idea.
     Everything seemed to be working out. Barry and Sarah hit it off right from the beginning. They left the bar together, and then later that night, she called me.
      It was two in the morning.
      “I know it’s late, but I had to call,” Sarah said, softly as if someone might be listening. “You're not going to believe what happened.”
     “What happened?” I asked as I sat up in bed and tried to wake up. I looked over at the clock on the nightstand. “This better be good. Do you know what time it is?”
     “I know, and I’m sorry, but I had to call you,” she whispered. “Barry’s in the bathroom, so I don’t have much time.”
     “The two of you are still together?”
     “Yes, and I don’t want him to leave. He's exciting and he's not pressuring me to have sex. At least he isn't, yet. That's a good sign, don't you think? We can’t seem to stop talking. He’s interested in everything I have to say.”
     “That’s wonderful, Sarah. I’m glad that you two hit it off, but don’t you think he needs to go home? It’s late.”
     Her mood shifted.
     “I’d think you’d be happy for me. I finally find someone I can relate to, and then you go and put a damper on it.”
     “I am happy for you, Sarah. But if he likes you now, he’ll still like you in the morning. A date’s not supposed to last all night.”
     “Jealousy doesn’t become you, Jennifer.”
     “I’m not jealous—I’m sleepy. I have to get up…”
     “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
     I heard a click in my ear and then a dial tone.
     She hung up on me! I couldn’t believe it. I stared at the phone for a second and then replaced it in its cradle. Tomorrow, I’d call her and apologize for being so cranky.
     Red flags should’ve gone up.
     My mother once told me that if you meet a guy who takes your breath away and then he doesn’t want to be without you—you’d better watch out. They are the kind who is insecure and possessive. I found that to be true. Every guy that I met who fit that bill usually wound up being a loser—a jealous, insecure, control freak loser.
     I would have a talk with Sarah… tomorrow. Right now, all I wanted to do was go back to sleep.
My sleep was erratic. I had a terrible dream about Barry that woke me up. I was shaking, drenched in sweat, and my stomach was tied in knots. I could still see the image of him chasing Sarah around the room, wielding a butcher knife. When he caught her, he plunged the knife deep into her chest. Blood covered her blouse as she tried to pull out the knife.
     I couldn’t go back to sleep. It was five in the morning—and I never get up that early to get ready for work—but I crawled out of bed anyway and headed to the bathroom. A shower was in order. Hopefully, I could wash off that eerie feeling I had.
     I waited until seven o’clock before I called Sarah. I figured that would be a safe time. By then she would’ve been out of bed, showered and then sitting at her kitchen table having her first cup of coffee of the day.
     The phone rang several times before someone answered it. A man spoke.
     “Hello,” he said, cheerfully. “What can I do for you?”
     “Hi, Barry," I responded. He didn't say who he was, but I wanted him to know that I knew. "May I speak with Sarah?”
     “Who’s calling?”
      “It’s me, Jen. We met at the bar last night.”
     After a short pause, he replied, “She’s busy, Jen. That’s what she told me to tell you, but the truth is, she doesn’t want to speak to you… ever.”
     There was a long silence on both ends of the phone.
     “Okay,” I said, hurt. “That’s fine with me.”
     I hung up the phone.
     I stood in the kitchen trying to sort out the situation. I was stunned by the conversation I just had with Barry, and I couldn’t believe Sarah would dismiss our friendship so easily… over a guy.
     Something had to be up, and I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I grabbed my car keys and headed out the front door. Thirty minutes later I was sitting in my car, parked across the street from Sarah’s house.
     My father, a private detective had taught me to be inconspicuous. He said to never park where someone could see you unless you wanted them to. It was a good rule to follow.
     The only car in her driveway was the Mustang that obviously belonged to Barry. He had bragged about it last night. He went on and on about what a cool car he had. I should’ve noticed then that he was arrogant, but I was too busy trying to talk up my good friend to him. What a waste of time!
     Then a thought occurred to me. Where’s Sarah’s car?
     Oh, that’s right… she always parks her car in the garage. How silly of me.
     I waited for Barry to leave, hoping I would get a chance to talk to Sarah alone, but after twenty minutes, I gave up and left. I had to get to work.
     As soon as I got to work, I called Sarah’s house. I wanted to catch her before she left for work. The phone rang several times and then her answering machine came on. I left a brief message just in case she was screening her calls. I apologized and then hung up. I waited for an hour before I dialed her number at work.
     The receptionist answered the call.
     “May I please speak to Sarah McClintock?”
     “She’s not here. May I take a message?”
     Even though Sarah worked at a large real estate firm as a secretary, there was a good chance that the woman answering the phone at the main desk might know her in passing. I would use that knowledge to my advantage.
     “When do you expect her? You see, I’m her sister and I really need to talk to her,” I lied.
     Sarah’s family lives in Oregon. I knew little about them, except the fact that she did have a sister.
     “Well… I guess she’s on her way to see you and the rest of her family. Her brother called in a little while ago with the news and said she needed to take an emergency leave,” the receptionist replied and then added, “I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s illness. I hope she gets better.”
     I was caught off-guard.
     “What… what … I… I…” I stuttered and then regained my composure. “Thanks so much for your compassion. I’m sure everything will be all right. Mom’s a strong old bird.”
     I hung up the phone.
     What brother? Sarah didn’t have a brother.
     I knew right away that something bad had happened. I just didn’t know what.
     “What have I done?” I asked out loud.
     Carl, my boss stuck his head into my office and said, “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost. Are you all right?”
     “I have to leave, Carl,” I said as I grabbed my purse. “I have a family emergency.”
     “Can’t it wait?” he asked. “We have that big meeting in… oh, never mind. If you have a problem, take care of it. I can handle everything here.”
     “Thanks,” I said as I rushed to the door.
     I’ve worked for Carl for six years and I’ve never let him down in all that time. He knew that if I said I had an emergency, it had to be true. I’ve never lied to him… and I wasn’t really lying to him now. Sarah was like the sister I never had.
     “Call me if you need anything,” Carl yelled to me as I left.
     I felt bad about deserting Carl. I knew this meeting was important, but I also knew that Sarah was in trouble. I felt it in my bones. My gut instinct of impending doom kicked in.
     I jumped in my car, put my foot to the accelerator and never let up until I reached her house.
The driveway was empty, so that meant Barry was gone. I could safely ring her doorbell without fear that he wouldn’t let me in. Besides, he was the one who blew me off on the phone last night. I never even got to talk with Sarah.
     I parked my car across the street, jumped out and then ran up to her door. I pressed the doorbell several times, but no one answered. I put my finger to it again and didn’t let up until, finally, my finger got tired. I stopped and looked around. Everything seemed in order. The grass wasn’t messed up like someone had been dragged across the yard. There was no blood anywhere.
     My mind was going a mile a minute. I peeked in the front window on both sides of the house, but didn’t see anyone. I ran around to the back and peeked through the sliding glass door.
     I almost fainted at what I saw.
     Sarah was bound and gagged, tied to a kitchen chair. She was naked from the waist down and there was blood all over her shirt. Her face was bruised and swollen as if she’d taken a terrible beating. She was squirming in her seat as if she was trying to break loose, and from the looks of the veins in her neck, she was obviously trying to scream.
     I grabbed the handle of the sliding door, but it was locked and wouldn’t budge.
     “Is he gone? Is he coming back?” I screamed as I tried to find a way to get inside.
     Sarah nodded in agreement.
     “Don’t panic,” I yelled to her. “I’ll find a way to get in.”
     I didn’t want to break the glass in the door, but I knew time was of the essence. After what he had done to Sarah, there was no doubt in my mind that Barry would kill both of us if he caught me trying to help her escape.
     Then I remembered the key Sarah kept in the shed. She had hung it on a nail on the right side of the door just in case she ever got locked out of her house again like she did last winter. It was freezing cold and she had stepped outside just long enough to get her newspaper. The wind caught the door and slammed it shut on her. She said she almost froze to death before she found a neighbor who was home, and could help her. Ever since then, she’s had a backup key hanging in the shed so she wouldn’t have to go through that ordeal again. She told me where to find the key in case I ever needed to get into her house.
     “I’ll be right back,” I yelled and then turned and ran to the shed.
     When I reached the shed, I saw the padlock.
     “What the…” I hissed. “Now how in the world can you get to the key if…”
     I glanced around, but didn’t see anything that I could use to pry off the lock.
     “Forget it,” I mumbled to myself. “I’m not wasting any more time.”
     I ran back to the house, picked up one of the metal trash cans and then dumped the contents on the ground. I gripped the rim of the can tightly, raised it above my head and then slammed it down on the glass door.
     The glass cracked. Once again I slammed the can against the glass door and this time it shattered into a million pieces. I used the can to clear off the jagged edges of glass that were left in the frame.
     I gingerly stepped past the broken shards and then ran to Sarah. I ripped the duct tape from her mouth and began untying the rope that bound her wrists behind her back.
     She cried as she tried to explain the night of terror she went through.
     “We’ll talk about it later,” I said. “We’ve got to get out of here before he comes back.”
     “Jen, he tried to kill me! He’s insane!”
     “That’s okay, Sarah. He’ll pay for what he’s done to you!”
     I was untying the rope around her ankles when I heard the creak of the front door.
     “Shhh,” I said, putting my finger to my mouth. “He’s back.”
     I freed her legs from the rope and then grabbed her by the arm, pulling her along with me.
     To this day, I’ll never understand why I didn’t run outside with Sarah when we had the chance, but I guess when you’re scared; you don’t always do the right thing.
     I opened the pantry door and dragged her inside with me. I closed the door ever so quietly.
     Barry came into the room and started screaming Sarah’s name. We heard the crunching of glass under his feet as he ran outside. He called her name several times before he came back into the house.
     Sarah and I remained silent… except for an occasional pant.
     Thank God there was a nightlight plugged into the electrical socket on the wall. Even though it dimly lit the small room, we still had enough light to be able to see a little.
     I knew it was only a matter of time before he found us, so I searched for a weapon to use in our defense. There was nothing in the pantry except a broom, a mop and five shelves of canned goods.
     I grabbed a large can of string beans and a can of sweet potatoes and handed them to Sarah.
     “As soon as he opens the door, start throwing stuff at him,” I whispered.
     Sarah was shaking so badly that she almost dropped one of the cans.
     I grabbed a couple cans of food… and waited.
     All of a sudden, the door swung opened.
     Barry, looking like a crazed maniac, yelled obscenities at us. His face was contorted as if he had gone completely mad. He smelled awful and his sweat flowed like rain.
     Before he had time to do anything, Sarah threw the can of string beans at him. The can slammed him in the head, causing him to stumble backward. Lighting quick, she threw the other can at him. Then without hesitation, she turned, grabbed another can off the shelf and threw it at him. She kept throwing cans at him until; finally, he fell to his knees.
     I stood frozen with fear and watched… still holding the two cans of vegetables in my hands.
     Barry lay motionless on the floor—his face battered and bloody.
     “Is he dead?” I asked.
     “I don’t know and I don’t care,” she replied. She took my hand and said, “Come on. I want to put on some clothes before we call the police.”
     I was still in shock over what had just happened. I let the two cans slip through my fingers and fall to the floor as I turned and followed her.
     We ran through the living room. When we reached her bedroom the scene told a tale of horror. I could see the carnage she had suffered through. The room looked as if it had been turned upside down. The bed covers were askew and there was blood on the sheets. Everything that had been on top of the dresser had been knocked to the floor. The curtains were torn and barely hanging on the rod. The clothes in her closet were lying scattered about the room and her bathroom looked like a tornado had hit it. The mirror over the sink was shattered and the shower stall door was lying in the tub. Droplets of blood were everywhere.
     “What a nightmare it must have been for you,” I said, almost crying. “I had no idea…”
     Sarah picked up a pair of jeans from the floor and slipped into them. Then she rummaged around for a blouse that didn’t have blood on it. When she found one, she striped off the one she was wearing and tossed it to the floor.
     “You can’t imagine what he did to me,” she said in between her tears as she pulled the T-shirt over her head. “Everything was fine until I said it was time for him to go home.”
     I sat down on the bed and listened to her story as she tried to come to terms with the hellish night she had suffered through. She moaned from the pain as she spoke.
     “Everything was going along just fine,” she continued. “We drank wine, talked and laughed, and then drank some more wine. He treated me like I was special. Then all of a sudden he demanded sex. I probably would've had sex with him if he hadn't demanded it of me. He said he was entitled to it. That's what he actually said.”
     “You are special,” I said, trying to make her feel better. “You just happened to find a guy who’s crazy. Not every man’s like that. Most of them are decent guys, but then there’s always that one who belongs in an institution.”
     “… or jail.”
     “Yeah… or jail.”
     We both let out a little chuckle… of fear.
     “It’s my fault,” I said, ashamed of myself.
     “It’s nobody’s fault. Barry’s a bad person. How were we to know?”
     “But…”
     Sarah gasped.
     From the look on her face, I knew something was terribly wrong. I looked up and saw Barry standing in the doorway. I cringed at the sight of him standing there, blood running down his face from an open gash on his forehead, his eyes wide with anger.
     My body shook.
     Sarah didn’t hesitate. She lunged at him with all the hatred she could muster. She beat him with her fists while trying to kick him with her bare feet.
     But that didn’t stop him. He reared back and hit her square in the face with his fist.
    She fell to the floor. She didn’t move.
     I screamed at the sight of her lying there... lifeless. My ire came to the surface, and all I could think about was killing him. I quickly scanned the room and spotted an empty wine bottle on the nightstand next to me. I reached over and grabbed the bottle by the neck just about the time he got close to me.
     He looked down at me and laughed.
     “So you think you’re going to hit me with that bottle, huh? Go ahead, try to hit me.”
     He jumped on top of me, pinned me down and started choking me.
     I tried to hit him with the bottle, but I couldn’t. He had the full weight of his body on me, his knees pinning down my arms.
     I was about to black out when I heard a gunshot. Blood splattered my face.
     Barry released his grip and fell over. He tumbled off the bed.
     I sat up, coughed and tried to catch my breath. My head ached. My vision was bleary, but there was no mistaking what I saw.
     Carl, my boss was standing in the doorway holding a smoking gun.
     “What are you doing here?” I asked as I got up and rushed over to Sarah. I pressed my fingers to her throat and felt a pulse. “Call an ambulance. She’s still alive.”
     The minute the words were out of my mouth, I heard sirens. Within seconds, the police burst through the front door and ran down the hall toward us.
     The room filled with policemen and EMTs.
     Sarah was stabilized and then carried out on a stretcher as I stood by Carl and watched.
     He had his arms around my shoulders.
     “I just knew something was up when you cut out of work,” he whispered. “You knew how important this deal was to my business, and I knew that someone had to be in immediate danger for you to desert me. I was afraid that someone was you, so I cancelled the meeting. I called my client from my cell phone while I followed you. I would’ve gotten here sooner, but I got caught up in traffic.”
     “How did you know where to find me if you got hung up?”
     “I remember you told me once that your friend, Sarah lived in the Colonial Park subdivision, and since I wasn't far from here, I kind of figured it out. I drove around until I found your car.”
     I looked down at Carl's waist and stared at his gun. The shiny weapon glistened in its holster. "Do you always carry that thing with you?”
     “Well … yeah. I have to protect my partner. What would I do if something happened to you?”
     “I don’t know… hey, wait a minute. Did you say partner?”
     “I sure did.”
     I was taken back by his announcement.
     “Oh, come on. Don’t act so surprised. You have to know how much you mean to my business… and me. You know how I feel about you. I know you must.”
     “But you never said anything.”
     “You have a boyfriend.”
     I looked Carl in the eyes and whispered, “Not anymore.”
     I finally realized what that funny feeling I got when I was around Carl meant… I must have had feelings for him all along, and just didn’t want to admit it.
     He kissed me gently on the lips.
     After a brief conversation with the police, Carl insisted he take me to the hospital to be checked out.
     I didn’t argue.
     When I was finally given a clean bill of health at the emergency room, Carl took me to the third floor to see Sarah.
     She was bandaged and sedated. When she spoke, her voice was barely audible.
     “No more blind dates for me.”
     “I agree.”
     “Thanks for saving my life. I’m so glad that you didn’t give up on me. I heard the message when you called, but I couldn’t do anything. I just prayed that you’d see right through Barry and trust your instincts. You could never make me so mad that I wouldn’t talk to you. I hope you know that.”
     “I do,” I said. “But I do have one question that’s been bothering me.”
     "What’s that?”
     “Why did you put a padlock on the shed?”
     She let out a tiny giggle.
      “My next door neighbor did that last week when I was at work. He called me and said that the neighborhood had a rash of break-ins and he thought I should lock up my shed. I said okay, forgetting about the spare key. I guess I’ll have to find a new place to hide it.”
     “Well, I hope your neighbor is over at your house right now putting up a new sliding glass door, because…”
     “I have someone working on that as we speak,” an older man said as he came into the room. He walked over to Sarah and took her hand. “You gave everyone in the neighborhood a scare, young lady.”
     “I’m sorry, Mr. Jenkins,” Sarah replied.
     “I figured something was wrong when I heard all the noise going on over at your house in the middle of the night. Next time, I’m coming over to check it out for myself.”
     “Please do,” Sarah said, smiling. “Oh, I guess you haven’t met my friend, Jen and her boss, Carl Watson.”
     “I’ve seen Jen many times, but never had the pleasure of being formally introduced. Nice to meet you," he said to me. He looked at Carl. "It's my pleasure to met the man who put down that dirty dog. Thank you for saving my neighbor's life... and her friend, Jen.”
     The two men shook hands.
     “Jen and I work together,” Carl explained. “Actually, we’re going to be partners, in more ways than one.”
     “Finally!” Sarah said. “I knew it was coming!”
     “Oh, you did not!”
     “Yes, I did. It was just a matter of time before you gave that louse Ralph the boot, and then see what was in front of you the whole time.”
     “I didn’t know that you didn’t like Ralph.”
     “Oh, give me a break…”
     Mr. Jenkins walked over to Carl and said, “Why don’t we go get a cup of coffee and let these two have a few minutes to themselves to hash it out?”
     “Sounds good to me.”
                                                                            

                                                                                      The End.

                                        The moral of the story is: WHAT YOU SEE is not always what you get.

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