Chapter 2: The Man Behind the Counter
Rick stared at the girl like she had just accused him of murder.
Then he laughed.
A fake laugh.
The kind people use when they’re trying to convince everyone, including themselves, that something isn’t true.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said.
I kept my eyes on him.
“You know him.””
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
The man outside knocked on the glass.
Three slow taps.
Everyone in the diner went silent.
The stranger smiled again.
“Rick,” he called.
“Don’t make this difficult.””
The girl grabbed my arm.
She was trembling.
I stepped closer to the window but kept my distance.
“Who is he?”” I asked Rick.
Rick looked away.
“Nobody.””
“Then why does he know your name?””
No answer.
One of the customers, an older truck driver sitting near the counter, stood up.
“Should we call the police?””
Rick immediately shook his head.
“No.””
The word came out sharp.
Too sharp.
The truck driver frowned.
“Why not?””
Rick forced a smile.
“Because this is a family issue.””
The little girl shook her head violently.
She signed to me.
“He hurts people.””
I looked at her.
“Who?””
She pointed at herself.
Then she made another sign.
Mother.
Then she touched her face and pretended to cry.
Her mother.
My chest tightened.
I turned toward Rick.
“Did you know her mother?””
Rick’s jaw clenched.
“I said I don’t know anything about this.””
The stranger outside knocked again.
This time harder.
“Open the door, Rick.””
The girl covered her ears.
She wasn’t reacting to the noise.
She was reacting to his voice.
I moved between her and the entrance.
Rick stepped toward the door.
“Don’t,” I warned.
He stopped.
For a moment, we just stared at each other.
Then he whispered:
“You don’t understand what you’re doing.””
“Actually, I think I’m starting to.””
The man outside pulled out his phone.
A second later, Rick’s phone buzzed.
He looked down.
His face changed.
I saw it.
A message.
From the man outside.
Rick quickly locked his screen.
But not before I caught one word.
“NOW.””
I pointed at his phone.
“What did he send you?””
“Nothing.””
“Show me.””
Rick shook his head.
“You need to leave this alone.””
The girl suddenly stepped forward.
She signed something.
I watched her hands carefully.
“He paid him before.””
I looked at her.
“Paid him for what?””
She pointed toward the parking lot.
Then she made the sign for door.
Then she pointed at Rick.
My blood ran cold.
“He paid Rick to let him in.””
I looked toward the locked entrance.
Then back at Rick.
“You were going to open the door.””
Rick didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
The emergency dispatcher finally picked up my call.
I whispered my location and explained what happened.
While I was speaking, the man outside leaned close to the glass.
He mouthed something.
Not to me.
To the girl.
She saw it.
And immediately started crying.
I covered the phone.
“What did he say?””
The girl looked at me.
Her hands shook.
“He said…”
She stopped.
“What?””
She looked toward the parking lot.
Then she signed:
“He found my mother.””
A chill went through me.
“What does that mean?””
Before she could answer, the diner lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then they went out.
The room fell into darkness.
Someone screamed.
A chair scraped against the floor.
I grabbed the girl’s hand.
“Stay with me.””
From somewhere near the entrance, I heard Rick whisper:
“I’m sorry.””
My phone flashlight turned on.
The beam moved across the room.
Rick was gone.
May you like
And the front door…
was slowly opening.
