Alex arrived at the destination fifteen minutes early and sat down in a corner booth.
"Good evening. Can I take your order?" A brunette woman approached and asked.
"A small coffee, black," Alex said.
"I'll be right back with your drink," she said. Alex glanced out the window while he waited. The waitress reappeared carrying a tray with a cup on it.
"Here's your coffee, sir," she said as she sat it on the table in front of him.
***Ding Dong***
Alex shifted his gaze when the bell above the entrance chimed. A blonde woman dressed in a peach dress shirt and a black skirt that went to her knees. She glanced over in Alex's direction and stepped up to the table he sat at.
"Mr. Alex Stephenson," she said, making sure it was him.
"Hello, Mrs. Hodges," Alex said as he rose from his seat. "Please sit down," he said. She sat down across from him and sat her purse on the seat beside her. A waiter stepped up to the table.
"May I take your order?" the young blonde asked.
"A small coffee with cream and sugar," Kara said.
Alex reached into his pocket and laid down a folded piece of paper on the table in front of Kara.
"I want to know if you have any knowledge of this," Alex said. Kara picked up the paper, unfolded it, and read through it. When she glanced up, there was recognition in her eyes.
"I overheard Thomas talking with his father the other day," Kara said. "I didn't think it was about this," she admitted.
"Also, Ginger had been getting prank calls from an unknown number," Alex said. "Is your husband behind them?" he asked.
"Yes, and I confronted him about them," Kara said, nodding her head.
Kara reached into her purse and pulled out several phones. "I found these in our guest room," she said, placing them on the table. "Will you be able to stop him?" she asked.
"I am hoping that he'll see the error of his ways without me inducing violence," Alex said. "My friend is in the hospital again because he had a mental breakdown," he explained. Kara gasped in shock.
"Is he going to be alright?" she asked.
"We're not sure," Alex said. "He might not recover this time," he said.
"All this trouble over a photo not being drawn?" Kara sighed sadly. "I'm terribly sorry for everything that's happened," she said.
Kara glanced at the clock that hung on the off-white wall beside them and scooted from the booth. "I hope that your friend gets better," she said. "I never intended for this to happen," she said, grabbing her purse.
"Thank you for helping me get the information I need," Alex said, standing up and shaking her hand. "If you need anything, just ask," he offered.
"Keep me informed on your friend's health," Kara said. They said their goodbyes and parted ways. Alex paid the bill and headed to his car. When he reached his car and started to get inside, Alex noticed Thomas standing across the street. He was standing at the entrance of an alley, watching him. When he got into his car and glanced out the rearview mirror, Thomas was gone.
"He is up to something," Alex grumbled as he buckled up and started the engine.
The plastic bag that held the notice and the phones lay on the passenger's seat while Alex drove home. On the way, he noticed a black car appear and tail him. He squinted his gray eyes to see who was driving, but the windshield was too dark. Instincts told him that it was Thomas, so he slowed his pace to see what the driver would do. The car behind him slowed and backed off. He sped up, and the driver of the other car matched his pace. The routine of cat and mouse continued for twenty minutes.
When Alex turned onto the road that led home, he noticed that the other car wasn't pursuing him. "I was wondering when you'd give up the chase," Alex thought to himself as he pulled up in front of the house.
"Uncle, you're back," Teddy said cheerfully as soon as Alex stepped through the door.
"Teddy, it's bedtime," Tabitha said, walking up to them. "Don't bother your uncle; let him rest," she advised.
"I just wanted to say goodnight," the child whined.
Alex leaned in and opened his arms wide. "Come here and give me a hug, then do as your mother says," he said. Teddy's gray eyes glistened with joy, and he smiled wide as he hugged Alex's neck.
"Goodnight, Uncle," Teddy said as he stepped away and rushed out of the living room. Sensing something was bothering her brother, Tabitha sat down beside him.
"You seem uptight; did something happen during the meeting?" she asked, concerned.
"The meeting went well," Alex said. "It's what happened after that concerns me," he admitted. It was Tabitha's turn to look concerned.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I noticed Thomas across the street watching me when I headed to my car," Alex said. "Then I was followed on the way home," he said.
The siblings turned their heads when they heard footsteps approaching from behind. There was tension in the air.
"Who followed you home?" Neil asked, frowning.
"I suspect that it was Thomas," Alex said.
"Did you see him in the other car?" Neil asked.
"No, but I did see him standing across the street just as I got into my car," Alex said. "When I started the engine, he was gone," he said. Alex changed the topic to what Thomas's wife, Kara, had given him and told him. When Alex told his father the details and handed him the phones, his father had a worried look in his eyes.
"First, we need to have the proper authorities look at the evidence," Neil said. "Then we need to get a restraining order to forbid Thomas to have any kind of contact with your friend," he said.