The eerie silence in the flower shop after the stranger's departure was suffocating. Clara leaned against the counter, trying to steady her breathing. The man's cold smile and piercing gaze had unsettled her in a way she couldn't shake. She pulled out her phone and hesitated for a moment before calling Benjamin.
"Clara?" His deep voice answered almost instantly.
"There was a man," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "He came into the shop. I don't know who he was, but something about him didn't feel right."
"What did he say?" Benjamin's tone was sharp now, laced with concern.
"He said he admired the shop and that we'd see each other again soon."
There was a pause, followed by the sound of Benjamin moving. "Stay there. I'm coming to get you."
"No, I'll come home," Clara insisted. "The shop feels too… exposed right now."
"Fine, but don't take any chances. Call me the moment you're in the car."
Clara nodded, ending the call and locking up the shop hastily. Her usual routine of watering plants and tidying up felt trivial now. She hurried to her car, scanning her surroundings nervously.
---
Benjamin's sleek black car pulled into the driveway just as Clara arrived home. He stepped out quickly, his eyes scanning her for any signs of distress.
"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling her into a protective embrace.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice muffled against his chest. "But that man… he was so strange."
Benjamin's jaw tightened. "Describe him to me."
Clara recounted the encounter as best as she could, from the man's appearance to his unsettling words. Benjamin's expression darkened with every detail.
"I don't like this," he said finally. "It's too coincidental. Evelyn mentioned a new gang on the rise, and now this man shows up at your shop?"
Clara's eyes widened. "You think he's connected to them?"
"It's possible," Benjamin admitted. "But I'll find out for sure."
He turned to Evelyn, who had just entered the room. "I need every piece of footage from the shop's vicinity. Find this man."
Evelyn nodded, already pulling out her laptop. "On it."
---
That night, Clara sat by the window, staring out into the darkness. Despite Benjamin's reassurances, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Every rustle of leaves, every shadow seemed to hold a hidden threat.
Benjamin joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You're safe here," he said softly.
"I know," Clara whispered. "But I can't help feeling like something's coming for us."
"It is," Benjamin admitted, his voice steady. "But whatever it is, I'll face it. No one will touch you, Clara."
As they sat in silence, a figure stood across the street, hidden in the shadows. Watching. Waiting.
---