The Missing Piece Book One

32. Hi There, Remember Me?

Vanessa and Hannah strutted through the mall looking like those bitches you didn't like in school, beauty, and brains. Hannah was Vanessa's "girlfriend" for the day since she had to save her from a guy in the food court.

"Girl! You're a lifesaver," Vanessa laughed.

"I just saw a friend in need don't sweat it,"

Vanessa was sweating it since Hannah gave her a nice peck on her lips which worked well against the guy trying to get her number What would Derek and Catherine think she thought

"Hey! No over thinking we could tell them later" Hannah said heading towards the Cajun restaurant, "Come on!" she called to Vanessa who was still confused as to how she knew what she was thinking.

The restaurant was buffet style, so they had a wide variety to choose from, Hannah had cajun fries and blackened chicken with a side of vegetables while Vanessa had vegetable rice, blackened chicken, plantain, and corn. They scooted over to a table with two chairs to enjoy their meal.

"I just realized, where's Cat?" Vanessa asked looking up from her food,

"She's with Cheryl, mother and daughter bonding time"

Vanessa cocked an eyebrow at her, "Mother and daughter bonding time? And I'm guessing you came up with that?"

"No, I didn't! " Hannah protested, causing Vanessa to laugh because that was so Hannah.

As they were finishing up on their meal Vanessa's phone rang,

"Hello?"

"Hello this is Officer Smith"

"Oh hello," Vanessa said recognizing the meek voice,

"Miss Nichols we have some bad news, Matthew Rodriguez is back in town, officers found multiple pictures of you and your boyfriend but no sign of him, did he contact you?"

In that moment Vanessa froze because as the officer spoke to her, directly behind Hannah was Matthew snapping a picture of her with a camera with a sinister grin on his face. Hannah mouthed "What's wrong"

"Miss. Nichols are you there?"

"He's--" Matthew watched her begin to speak and casually turned and left,

"What?" Officer Smith questioned

"He's - He's here"

"Dr.Rodriguez?"

"Yes"

"Where are you!"

***

After Vanessa finally said where she was Officer Smith and his partner arrived and searched for Matthew but as expected he was nowhere to be found they escorted Hannah home and took Vanessa to the station so she could identify the dates of the pictures taken of her.

The pictures went as far back as two months after him attacking her, Vanessa stared at the picture of herself in her sweats walking towards the gym, then a picture of Derek going towards the gym and then two more of them leaving in separate cars.

All the way up to yesterday.

As Vanessa scanned through images of her life she chest felt tight and her breathing hitched, He was watching me all this time.

"Miss Nichols?"

The tears forming in her eyes blurred her vision slightly as she looked at Officer Henderson, Smith's partner, his mouthed moved but her thoughts drowned him out,

"Did you hear what I said?"

She shook her head not only to say no but to shake her thoughts away,

"I said could you describe what he had on today?"

"Uhh" Vanessa started to think about him "His hair is longer, and he has a little stubble, his clothes looked dirty a beige jacket and black jeans that's all I remember"

"That's okay, he's getting bolder since he approached you, and we're going to assign a patrol officer to your home"

Vanessa silently nodded and the officer escorted her out of the precinct.

***

Derek was pacing again; in his usual spot by the door, Vanessa wasn't home he knew she went to the mall with Hannah, but the last time Hannah saw her she was going to the station. She told him what happened and he could only fight the urge to tear down everything in the house, That asshole is following her now he thought flashes of Vanessa floating through his mind Where the fuck is she? he raised his hands to slam them into the wall when he heard the jingling of keys, he stopped in the middle of his motion to see his girlfriend swinging open the door,

"You're okay," He said hugging her, she simply hugged back "whats wrong?" He questioned kissing the top of her head,

"He's been following us" she sobbed into his chest,

"What?" Derek confused not completely understanding "Following us"

"There are pictures hundreds of pictures of us from the last few months, he has pictures of us every moment of our lives since September" she explained watching Derek's brow wrinkle above her,

"That bastard I'm gonna fucking kill him" Derek bit out, "Come we have to go!" "GO WHERE!" Vanessa barely mustered enough energy to shout, as Derek dragged her through the door, her eyes were heavy and her body was drained and this man was pulling her outside.

"Matthew's been busy after he made an appearance at the mall he tore Danesha's house up" Derek was speeding but Vanessa didn't think to bring it up as he spoke, Matthew was attacking everyone around her and she could only think her parents and Derek were next. They were getting close to her home and the day they drove over their to check on her was a lot different compared to this, Derek actually looked like he cared a bit. They could see two police vehicles parked outside Danesha's home, the flickers of red and blue dancing as they approached.

"Miss Nichols funny running into you here" Officer Henderson chuckled but his face was serious,

"Hello Officer" Derek spoke as he saw Vanessa aimlessly staring at the house, "Is this associated with our case?"

"I'm sure of it we just need evidence, we still haven't found Rodriguez," Henderson said wiping his brow and shaking his head,

"FOUND SOMETHING!" A voice shouted from inside Danesha's home, a younger officer with gloves on came running out of the house with a evidence bag, inside of the bag was a brick with a note on it addressed to Vanessa, "Stop ignoring me Ms. Nichols" it read as he walked past Vanessa not knowing she was Ms. Nichols and Vanessa's heart sank further than it could possibly go.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?" Henderson barked at the younger man since he practically dangled it in front of her, he shouted a few more instructions at the younger man before approaching Vanessa "I'm so sorry about that"

"Its okay he didn't mean to" Vanessa could feel every bit of energy going out of her as she spoke, "Where is she?"

"Danesha?"

"Yes, where is she, is she alright?" Vanessa was so oblivious to the fact that Danesha was sitting in the back seat of the patrol car,

"I'll take you to her" Vanessa took one more look at the broken pieces of glass outside Danesha's home the damaged door and Danesha's broken belongings scattered across the law.

Vanessa joined Danesha in the backseat of the car, Danesha smiled when she saw her, there was her best friend who was always there even if she fucked up so many times,

"Hey you" she greeted the extremely tired female, "Uh you look exhausted"

"Hi, I'll be okay trust me" Vanessa forced a smile "I'm sorry for this, I brought this into your life" she apologized staring at Danesha with sleepy eyes, Danesha began to fade away before her as her eyes closed.