A Step to Nowhere Read Online Free PDF Page A

messages.”
    “And what?”
    Patience was not his strong point, I remembered that. When we used to work together, when we tried to ignore each other with all our might, and yelled at each other in especially critical moments, he, always full of energy, demanded immediate answers for any questions he could possibly find. When he was doing business—he was doing business with no sentiments or hesitation. I like that about him. Unlike Jason, who needed to check something ten times before making a decision. It had never mattered to Ray what problems I had, no matter how much we hated each other (pretended to hate) he was always there, helping me if I needed it.
    “Sam, please. I’ll do anything for you.”
    “I know.”
    “What did you find?”
    “Just messages about my movements. Somebody reported to somebody my every step. Including my clothes, my purchases, and my conversation with a cashier in a store.”
    “Wait, wait. You found a schedule of your everyday activities in the stranger’s phone?”
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m saying it and my head has started to spin. I’m kind of scared. I don’t understand who it was or why. They now know that they’ve lost the phone. They might even know I found it. What does it mean?”
    “Wait, don’t panic.”
    “You should remember that I’ve always been a panic monger and an emotional wreck.”
    “I wouldn’t say you’ve been an emotional wreck. Have you noticed anyone watching you?”
    “No, never. I’m in shock. But I didn’t pay attention! How would I know if someone was following me? Why? It doesn’t make sense. I don’t own any government secrets; I’m not a spy or a millionaire. I’m just a magazine editor.”
    “Are you involved in politics?”
    “What politics? I work with show business.”
    “What about enemies? Do you have enemies? Rejected admirers?”
    I lay on my side and pulled my knees to my chest.
    “No. I mean, not that I know of. Ray, I can’t talk.”
    Suddenly, I felt physically, all the horror of the situation. I felt as if all the bones had been removed from my body and I was covered with a two-hundred pound blanket.
    “I’m coming over, right now.”
    “They could be watching the building. And I need to get to work.”
    “Sam, something weird is going on, what work? You can’t go on with your business like nothing is happening. We need to find out who these people are and what they want. It could be a stalker. These people are crazy, you don’t know what to expect.”
    Suddenly, I wanted to bring back yesterday. I wanted everything to remain the way it was. My life wasn’t that bad for me to want to change it. Dreams could stay dreams. I might have lived in an imaginary world, but I had known who was behind my back and what to expect from the next day. Now, to my horror and surprise, I understood that there was a shroud before my eyes. I was in a thick, impenetrable fog and didn’t know where to go. What should I expect from my next step? Was that what I wanted? Really?
    “I’m coming,” Ray said.
    “I prefer to come to you.”
    “Why? It could be dangerous.”
    “I want to know if they are still following me. What if they don’t know that I picked up the phone? That person ran so fast he could have missed it. I’m almost positive it was a man. Now that I know they are on my tail, that’s the first step. And second, now that I know they are watching, I probably can see a spy.”
    Ray took a pause.
    “I worry about you. It’s a very, very strange and unusual situation.”
    “I’ll call my boss and then come to your place. Do you mind?”
    “I just worry, but I can’t wait to see you. I couldn’t sleep last night.”
    I wanted to say I hadn’t slept either, but it would be a lie; plus, I couldn’t call myself sentimental. I could gush over a drooling baby or a clumsy pup, but not over a man. I also couldn’t call my boyfriends babe, hon, bunny, or tell them I loved them. Words, for me, meant