Page 5 of Saving Penny
“What the hell are you screaming for?”
“It’s me. I hit the fucking lotto!”
Chapter 3
Three months later…
“Penny,I know you don’t want to hear this from me, but I think it’s time you called the police back. This is escalating. I’m afraid from you,” Tori said, her eyes full of concern.
It had been three months since that crazy morning when her life was forever changed. Changed by a lucky four dollar find, and a lucky machine that played the six numbers needed to win an almost billion dollar lottery prize.
Her life had substantially changed. There was no big fiasco of her claiming the money. Lucky enough, her state did not require that she claim it publicly, and she was able to obtain a trustworthy lawyer who assisted her in coming forward. She’d waited two weeks before claiming her winnings at the advice of the lawyer.
She had opted in for the annuity payments. She was twenty-nine years old and figured she would live twenty-six years more to be able to collect a hefty payout every year, guaranteeing that she got as much of the money she could. It wasn’t that she was being greedy. She wanted to make sure that her future children, and their children, would forever be taken care of.
With the money she had won, she planned to start her own business after traveling, paying off bills, and buying her first home. Just that morning she had turned in her resignation to Steven. She would work the next two weeks, just so she would not burn any bridges. Steven tried to get her to change her mind, but she didn’t want to let on that she had won the lottery and didn’t need the job. She knew that Lydia had some suspicions, but she hadn’t been ready to disclose it to anyone but Tori. She’d made plans to give money to people she considered friends, but first, she needed to get her life in order.
One would think that winning enough money to last a lifetime would make life easier, but in fact, it was quite the opposite.
She officially had a stalker, and she didn’t really know if it was because of the money, or just someone choosing to stalk her.
“I know.” She blew out a deep breath. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she stared at the small box on the floor between them.
First, it started with the phone calls. Random calls where the person on the other end wouldn’t say anything. The calls came at all times of the day and got annoying real fast. She had her cell phone number changed.
Whoever this person was, escalated to sending her photographs that were taken of her. She’d received a photograph of herself getting out of her car in her apartment parking lot. She immediately went to the police and filed a complaint, but the officer told her that there wasn’t much they could do since the envelope originated from a random post office around town.
But then the manila envelopes began arriving weekly with no note or letter, just pictures of her, following her every move, letting her know that he, or she, was watching her.
And now here she sat on the living room floor with a box in front of her. This was the most disturbing of all of them, and she knew it was time for her to move. She’d received her first stipend from the lottery, and now she had the means to move anywhere in the world.
In the box was a perfectly gifted, red anal plug, decorated with a satin bow. A photograph of her smiling as she was leaving her favorite coffee shop was tucked into the box with a small card with the word,‘Soon,’written in perfect calligraphy, which brought a chill down her spine.
“I’m just going to move. I have the means now and I’ll relocate. The police can’t protect me full-time, but if I leave he won’t know where I am. I’ll be safe.”
“Move where?” Tori snapped, throwing her hands in the air. “You can’t let this sick fuck win by running away. Call the police again.”
“You can come with me. I have more money than any person will ever see in their life. We can travel the world for a while, just you and me.” Penny turned to her best friend with hopeful eyes. It would be fun to share the experience of exploring the world with the one person who had always been at her side.
Tori shook her head and sighed. “That would be fun for a few months, but then what?”
“I don’t know,” Penny whispered, staring at the package. Anything right now would be better than having to look over her shoulder at all times. She didn’t want to go back to the police. With the money that she had just won, sooner or later, it would get out that she was the lotto winner. She shuddered, thinking of the media frenzy she was sure would follow. That was why she opted not to publicly accept her winnings. She had read enough on the internet to know what would have happened had she claimed it publicly.
“I knew that you wouldn’t want to go back to the police. My brother gave me a card and told me to give it to you.” Tori brandished a small business card from her purse and held it out.
“You told Tommy?” Penny’s eyes flew to her friend’s.
“You’re damn right I did. You need help, and if you’re not going to go to the police, then you need to go to someone who can protect you.” Tori stared at her, as if she would challenge her decision. She knew that Tori loved her and wanted the best for her.
Penny reached out and took the card. Imperial Knights was displayed across the pristine white card in bold lettering. She flipped the card over, and it held an address on it, but no phone number. In the corner of the card was a small symbol.
“Where did he get this from? Who are these people?” She traced the name with her fingers, still not convinced that these Knights would be able to help her.
“You know Tommy has connections from his time in the Navy. He said they would help you.” Tori’s pleading gaze met hers. She glanced back down at the card and jerked her head in a nod.
“Okay. I’ll go here, but if they can’t help me, then we do this my way.”
“From what Tommy said, that card is special. They will help you.”
