Page 260 of Under Her Skin
Jess’s skin prickled and itched. The guy was the same creep that had made her feel so uncomfortable in the store all those weeks ago. She tried to reason with herself: maybe he’d been about to say hello and was shy. Then why did he walk off when Amelia had calledyou?
It wasn’t just that: his build, the shape of his body, the way he stood. He was dressed like a good old boy but that posture was too perfect, toostudied.
‘Jess?’
She’d forgotten that Mike was beside her in the car. She turned to him. ‘Sorry, I was milesaway.’
Mike nodded to Amelia. ‘You want to go sayhello?’
Jess looked across the street again, saw Amelia kiss the guy on the mouth. She looked so happy. Just go over, introduce yourself, put your fears to rest. It’s not Jules, of course, it isn’t. Amelia had seen photos of Jules, hell, the whole of America had. She shook herhead.
‘No, I think she’s busy. I just want to go grab a book or two then go home. Thatokay?’
She could tell Mike didn’t believe her. His eyes narrowed slightly, studying her, searching for anything he could help her with. She gave him a wansmile.
‘Everything’s cool, Mike, I’m just not feeling myselflately.’
Mike discreetly checked out the bookstore before nodding that it was safe. Jess got out of the car and went in. She felt a bit embarrassed at the fuss but no one in the bookstore seemed to care. They chatted with her, friendly and knowledgeable about the books she wanted. She wandered down the aisles, breathing in the smell of books and a calm settled over her. She was beingparanoid.
She was nose-deep in an art history book when it happened. The feeling. She was being watched. She looked up in time to see the retreating figure of a man disappearing around the corner of the aisle. The cap he was wearing, she recognized immediately. She threw the book down and rushed after theguy.
‘Hey…wait!’
But he was heading out of the door. She rushed after him, down thestreet.
‘Hey! Clem!’ She was screeching now but she didn’t care about the stares people on the street were giving her. She had to know.Now.
‘Clem’ didn’t turn at her call, just headed around the corner. Jess cursed to herself and anger roiled through her. ‘Hey! Jules! Come and get me, you cowardly son-of-a-bitch.’
She was almost running when two strong arms curled around her. She struggledfuriously.
‘Jess! Calm down. Calm. Down.’ Mike’s arms were too strong and she gave up and slumped. Mike wrangled her back to the car and locked thedoors.
‘What the hell do you think you were doing? You never run off like that, I just…. god.’ Mike had never raised his voice to her before and Jess suddenly came down from her frenzy and stared at him, ashamed, humbled. His face was red but his eyes were scared. The adrenaline left her body and then tears started to drop down hercheeks.
‘Oh god, Mike, I’m so sorry… I just got it into my head that…. Jesus, Mike, I don’t know what’s happening to me, I’m sosorry….’
And she began to sob in earnest. Mike patted her hand awkwardly. When the sobs turned to gasps and sniffs, he made her look athim.
‘Given everything you’ve gone through,’ he started, his voice calm, reasonable,’ It wouldn’t be a surprise if you rocked back a little. Hell, a lot. No-one should ever have to go through what you did and god knows, Mr. Storm, his mother, me, we are all here for you, Jess. But look, I think you should talk to someone. A professional.’ He sighed. ‘I’m sorry if I’m overstepping but I think sometimes it helps to hear it from someone outside your family. Did you really think that guy wasJules?’
Jess was sucking in great lungfuls of breath. ‘I don’t know, Mike. It’s like I’m losing all reason.’ She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘You’re right, though. I should seesomeone.’
Mike was quiet for a moment. ‘You want me to tell Mr. Storm aboutthis?’
Jess shook her head. ‘No, but I will. We promised nosecrets.’
At home,Jess called her doctor and made an appointment. Her brain felt like it was on a spin cycle, so much happening in such a short time. Her stomach roiled and the pain in her chest became an overwhelming, searingsadness.
Her cell phone beeped. Atext.
I miss you. I love you. I’ll be home soon. Tx.
She wanted to feel soothed,feel loved but she just felt cold and sick. She went around the house, locking all the doors and windows. She made some tea and took it to bed with her, locking her bedroom door. Blockade. Her whole body ached from tension but she felt hollow. She sat on the edge of the bed, numb. Should she report the incident to the police? What would she say? Amelia looked so happy. Embarrassment flooded through as she realized that people on the island had witnessed her breakdown, would be talking about the crazy lady. Was that all her life would be remembered for? The lady who got stabbed and wentcrazy?
But Jules was still out there. He still wanted to kill her, and she knew, he wouldn’t care if it was the last thing he did. She read the message from Theo again, trying to feel something but then she turned her phone off, put it in the drawer of the nightstand. She went over to the window, checked it was locked. When she got into bed, fully dressed, she slid her hand under the pillow, felt the cold, reassuring presence of the knife she had brought up from the kitchen. As soon as she turned out the light, the tears came and she sobbed until, exhausted, she fellasleep.
‘She’s different.’Theo’s handsome face was wan, dark circles under his eyes. ‘I really think she might besick.’
