Seconds after the trigger was squeezed, something heavy crashed into the back of the stalker’s legs. The impact knocked the stalker to the ground and the gun went flying. Sprawled on the frozen ground, the killer listened. It was quiet. The killer rose, ran out of the wooded park, leaving the gun behind.
Hanya couldn’t stop shaking. She lay under the front fender of her car willing herself to be still. Her heart was pounding so hard she couldn’t hear anything. She started to raise her head but stopped, whoever was out there might be waiting for her to make a move. She turned on her left side, reached into her bag and pulled out her cell.
The dial tone screamed into the silence. Then she heard a noise - approaching footsteps. She prayed for courage. She could see the shoes of the killer at the back of the car and as she watched the feet approaching the side, she was calm, ready. When your times up, that’s it.
“For God’s sake Rev. Hanya, what’s wrong?”
She looked up at John, her least favourite student, who stood towering over her. She lifted her face off the asphalt and lifted her hand. Seconds later she was on her feet, shaky feet, but she was standing.
“Can you help me back to my office? I’m feeling a bit weak.”
“Take my arm and lean into me.”
As they entered the lit hallway, he drew a sharp breath.
“Your face, it’s burnt.”
“It’s what happens to people John, when they dive onto asphalt and roll themselves to a parked car. Someone took a shot at me. I need to call the police.”
Whether the news spun him into action, or the fear of a killer out there in the dark, he had her on the second floor landing in no time flat.
Once she was seated on the small couch in her office, she asked him to put on a pot of coffee and cover her with the winter parka that was hanging on the back of the door. She was cold, shivering. Shock was setting in.
She hit the speed dial on her cell phone. She hoped to hell Kate was still at her desk. Shirley answered. Hanya told her where she was and that someone took a shot at her. Too weak to say any more, she hung up.
Her grip was so strong on the cup that the spoon rattled in the saucer. Her face burned and her bloodied knuckles pained. She saw herself hurling to the pavement, felt the impact slam through her body, and heard the sound of the bullet bouncing off the car. Six feet – no wonder I ache, six feet of rolling on asphalt. She could feel specks of gravel in her hair, on her face, in her hands.
She must have faded out for the next thing she knew, paramedics were charging through the doorway. Kate and Shirley stood over her. She burst into tears.
“Its okay, Hanya. You’re safe now”, Kate said. “No one can hurt you.
The medics are here to check you over.”
“I’m okay. I’m scraped, that’s all. I don’t need them. Send them away.” She knew she wasn’t making sense but couldn’t seem to stop the rambling. She felt a hand on her pulse; saw the machine. Vitals, they’re checking my vitals. Her body jerked at the sound made by the release catch on the stretcher.
“I’m scared Kate.”
“I know. I’ll stay with you. I’m not going anywhere except in the ambulance with you.”
She heard the instructions she gave to Shirley.
“You’re in charge. Take a statement from the student. Keep any civilians away until the crime scene is blocked off. It’s vital that both the parking lot and treed area are taped off and searched. Call Withers and ask him to rustle up a couple of extra bodies for us. Call me on my cell if anything interesting turns up.”
Hanya’s eyes were heavy. Her last thought before the voices around her faded away was that John wasn’t such a pain in the tutu after all.
As Kate entered Emergency, it was déjà vu all over again. First, Roger; now Hanya. Who’s next? Too many people she cared about were getting hurt. More than hurt, both came close to being killed. She could feel the rush of blood to her face. If she gave her thoughts free rein, she would self-destruct.
She paced outside the examining room unable to sit or stand still. For such minimal injuries, they sure were taking a long time. She didn’t feel hungry but could hear her belly rumble. She had just placed her order when Shirley called her on the cell. She ran back to the precinct, all tiredness gone.
Changing the direction of her pace, she was heading down the corridor when her cell buzzed.
“Kate, its Shirley. We have the gun, found it in the wooded area by the parking lot. I can’t understand why the perp would leave it behind, but why look a gift horse in mouth look. Crime Scene guys found the bullet twenty feet beyond Hanya’s car. Funny the shooter missed her. I wonder if it was intentional. Maybe it was a warning to back off.”
“I highly doubt that. Hanya’s still in the examining room but as soon as she’s sprung, I’ll take her statement then head for the precinct. See you there.”
“Good. I’m on my way now with the bagged gun and bullet. If you want, drop the statement off tomorrow morning. I’ll brief the night crew and they can start the ball rolling. We both need to catch some sleep.”
“Good idea. Thanks, see you tomorrow.”
Kate punched her cell.
“Susan, hi.
