Page 99 of Under His Protection
I relieve Haley of her backpack and open the door. “What was that all about?”
“She wanted to know why I moved out of the dorm.”
Just as we step outside the building, Mark Hoffman runs up behind us.
“Haley, wait!”
She ignores him and keeps walking toward her next class.
“Haley!” He jogs after her. “Will you wait a minute?”
When he catches up to her, I step between them, creating a buffer zone.
“I’ve got to get to class,” she says, not bothering to look at him as she charges ahead.
Mark stops in his tracks and yells, “What’s he doing here? He’s not a student. He’s trespassing, Haley! I’m going to report him to campus police.”
“You do that,” Haley calls back as she continues to the liberal arts building. “One to three years,” Haley mutters to herself. “I hope he gets the maximum sentence.”
I have a gut feeling Mark isn’t our culprit. He’s way too visible to be a stalker. “It might not be Mark,” I remind her. “He might just be an ass.”
“He should go to jail on principle alone.”
* * *
Her next class is history, with her friends. Hopefully she’ll be able to relax a bit in here. Jasmine will be beside her, as good a protector as any. Plus, Jason will be in the room, too.
I feel a bit at a disadvantage as I’m not carrying my gun. I couldn’t even bring one with me and leave it in the truck, because technically that would be on campus, and that would violate the law.
Jason and I sit in the back and converse via text messages while the professor plays some clips from a documentary.
Jason – How’s she holding up?
Me – As well as can be expected. She’s anxious. I hope we get the guy tonight.
Jason – If you need more manpower, I’d be happy to volunteer.
Me – I think we have all the people we need. Plus, local police will be there.
Jason – Good luck. I hope it goes to plan and you catch this asshole.
* * *
After history class, the five of us go to the cafeteria for lunch. I’m not surprised when Haley just picks at her food. She has no appetite. She keeps checking the time as if she’s counting the hours until six o’clock.
When it’s time for her last class of the day—that chemistry lab—we head over to the sciences building.
Haley’s anxiety must be catching, because as we approach her classroom, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.Is the stalker watching us right now? I glance around but don’t see anyone looking our way.
Part of me wishes he’d make some kind of move here and now because then I’d be justified in dealing with him myself. I would love to get my hands on this guy.
Chapter 29 – Haley
“Here we are,” I say when we reach my chemistry lab. I stop in my tracks a few feet from the door. “I feel sick to my stomach.”
Philip runs his hand up and down my back as we linger in the hallway. “I’ll be right here,” he says. “You know what to do if you need me.”
“Dandelion,” I say, forcing myself to smile when I don’t feel like it.
