Character Sketch

Chapter 9 - The Game

Chapter 9


The Game





Kaitlin spent a restless night. Too many names and faces swirled through her head. At one point she thought she heard pebbles clatter against her window, but when she looked no one was there.


In the morning as her mom, brother, sister and she left for mass; she found a construction paper collage lying on the landing. It looked similar to the ones she made with the children yesterday at the library. On the back in tiny block letters it read, TELL HIM TO LEAVE ME ALONE. Jake had struck a nerve. She got a manila envelope out of the apartment and slipped the collage inside with a note saying where and when they had found it. They would drop it off at the campus police after the service.


Kaitlin caught her mom giving her worried looks all through mass.


“I want you to think about coming home with me until this thing blows over,” Mrs. Moore said as they walked back to the apartment.


“I could loose a whole semester of school if I do that,” Kaitlin countered.


“I’m not leaving until the morning so there is time to think about this. I have to admit I’m afraid for you and Elizabeth. Until this maniac is found and captured neither one of you are safe.”


“Dad would want me to be proactive. He wouldn’t want me to runaway.”


“He’d want you to be safe.”


They dropped the manila envelope addressed to Sergeant Yeargin off at the campus police station with the weekend duty officer.








Jake’s right hand gripped the ball that rested in the mitt, he eyed the batter over the top of his glove, his left knee came up, he raised his right elbow and in a burst of thrust and energy hurtled the ball across the plate just above the batter’s knees.


The crowd erupted as the batter swung and missed. Jake had held the score at 6 to 4 as he struck out all three batters this final inning of the game. As he ran back to the dugout his teammates patted him on the back. Brian called out ‘High Five!’ Jake glanced up at the box seats to see Michael, Kaitlin’s brother, surrounded by a group of females. They were all yelling and waving. He recognized Kaitlin and her sister Elizabeth, but not the other three girls. He threw his hand up and pointed toward them in the box a smile flashed across his face.


It felt great to have pitched so well today especially so early in the season, but more importantly he wanted Kaitlin to be proud of him. He had given away lots of tickets to friends and girls he had dated but never had he been so invested as he was in the group that sat in the box today.


Jake entered the locker room and exchanged congratulations with the other players as he passed them on the way to his locker. He pulled off his cleats and put them in his locker with his mitt.


“Pizza at Mario’s, coach’s treat!” the trainer yelled.


“I’ve got some friends in the box seats; I’ll catch up with you guys.” Jake headed back out to the stadium. A glance at the box showed it to be empty.


He intercepted Kaitlin and clan coming down the stairs.


“Great game,” Michael shook Jake’s hand.


“You’re amazing,” a pretty blonde standing next to Kaitlin said.


“Jake, I’d like you to meet my friend Stacy Hunter. Stacy this is Jake Perry.” Kaitlin pointed to each of them in turn.


Jake eyed the blonde; blue eyes, flashy smile an obvious fan. He glanced back at Kaitlin and saw her pantomime pulling something out of her back pocket and writing on it. His little black book, she was trying to set him up.


“It’s great to meet you,” Stacy gushed.


“This is my girlfriend, Sylvia.” Michael wrapped a protective arm around a petit red head.


“I enjoyed the game,” she smiled.


“I brought my friend Judy,” Elizabeth interjected. A curly brown headed, dimpled cheeked, small, perky young woman stuck out her hand to him.


“I’m glad you all could come. Thanks for the support.” He shook hands all around.


Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaitlin back her way to the edge of the group as her friends and family all vied for the Jake’s attention. Her face shifted from a beam of sunshine to cloudy as soon as she was past the field of vision of those around her. Jake watched as she started back up toward the box.


Stacy was saying something about her brother playing baseball as Jake watched Kaitlin slowly walk up the stairs.


“Will you excuse me for a minute?” Jake took the steps two at a time. When he caught up to Kaitlin he touched her elbow to turn her around. She stood one step above him. They almost looked at each other eye to eye. He resisted the urge to kiss her, some how he knew it would frighten her and she already looked troubled.


“What’s up?” he asked.


“Wow, I like this. I’m going to have to remember this stair trick; it helps to level the playing field.” Kaitlin chuckled.


“You’re evading.”


“I came up to find my program; I think I left it under my seat in the box. Stacy’s nice, huh?”


“Kaitlin Moore, you are not trying to set me up with your friends.”


“Yes, I am. That’s what friends are for.”


“Do me a favor let me get my own dates?”


“You can’t blame a girl for trying.”


“Are you okay?”


“Why wouldn’t I be? In the past few days I’ve been pulled out of class by a police officer, cross examined, been mugged, spent the night in the hospital, got threatening notes from a mugger and now my mom wants to pull me out of college. I think life couldn’t be better.”


“Hold up a minute, you got a threatening note.”


“Sort of, you know those collages the kids were making yesterday in the library?”


“Yeah?”


“I found one on the stair landing this morning. On the back it said, ‘tell him to leave me alone’, in block letters.”


“Katie.”


“It means he knows where I’m going and what I’m doing. Mom’s scared for both of us girls she wants us to come home until he’s caught.”


“Maybe it’s a good idea.”


She slugged him on the shoulder.


“I could loose a whole semester of school.”


“No need to get violent.”


“Look I didn’t want to rain on your parade. You had a fabulous game and I really enjoyed it. Keep playing like that and you’ll have every major league team beating your door down.”


“High praise indeed from someone who admits to only seeing a few games.”


“Don’t underestimate me I’m a quick study. Besides you know something is good when it looks like poetry in motion.”


“The lady may make me blush.”


“Okay enough ego stroking; let’s get back to the others.”


He rested his hand on the small of her back as they walked back down the stairs, a casual gesture but one of possession and protection. He wanted her to feel safe with him and to let her friend know where his interest lay.   


“Hey, the teams going for pizza as a little victory celebration, do you want to come? My treat,” Jake invited as they stepped into the group.


Michael groaned.


“Sorry man, our mom’s back at the apartment cooking up a big Sunday dinner. She’s scheduled to go home tomorrow,” Michael said.


“Sounds great, a home cooked meal.”


“Come with us.” Michael invited


“I really need to support the team. How about a compromise, I’ll stop by later and say goodbye to your mom?”


“Sure, we’ll save you some desert.” Elizabeth chimed in.


“It was nice to meet all of you.” Jake turned to run down the stairs.


“I could have gone,” Stacy said softly.           


Jake could feel them watch as he jogged back across the field.





The smells of dinner greeted them before they even opened the door of the apartment. Katie’s mom was a great cook and it would be good to get some home cooking instead of the usual BK, Mickey D’s, Wendy’s or Top Raman which was the normal college fare.


The table was set with their mismatched plates; they had stocked their kitchen with things they could find at garage sales. The glasses were plastic cups with fast food logos on the side and a few coffee mugs with phrases like Happy Birthday, I love Chocolate and 40 isn’t old if you’re a tree. They barely had enough silverware to go around.


Dinner made up for the lack in table setting. Mrs. Moore had slow cooked a roast; gone to the trouble of taking the plain baked potatoes and making them twice baked, filled with sour cream, chives, and cheese, seasoned just right. Tossed green salad, green beans and homemade rolls rounded out the meal.


There was only room for four around the table so Michael and Sylvia sat on the couch and Kaitlin took the rocker. Stacy moped through the first part of the meal still mumbling to herself, ‘I could have gone’, but soon got into the spirit of things as Elizabeth and Judy were recounting the game blow by blow.


They were just clearing the table when they heard a crash and a thud come from Kaitlin’s room. Michael went in to investigate telling the ladies to stay put. He walked out of Kaitlin’s bedroom with a baseball in his hand, written in block letters across the leather it read: DON’T MAKE ME DO IT.


“That’s it I’m calling 911,” said Michael.





Maple drive was cordoned off when Jake went to turn down Kaitlin’s block. Two police cars with lights flashing were parked in front of her house. He parked his jeep on the corner and sprinted past people milling about on the street. At her house a policeman stopped him before he could run up the stairs.


“My girlfriend’s up there,” he yelled at the cop.


“Name?”


“Jake Perry.”


“Wait here.”


He watched as the policeman made his way slowly up the stairs. He wanted to scream, his heart beat hard against his chest. He felt the nausea like a knot in his stomach as he tried to keep his imagination at bay.


“Anybody know a Jake Perry?”


“Yes,” he heard the chorus of voices.


The policeman waved him up and he took the steps in two bounds. The little apartment was a bevy of activity. The two girls Jake had met at the game were doing dishes, Stacy and Judy if he remembered right. Michael with Sylvia clinging to his arm was talking to Sergeant Yeargin. Elizabeth was loading books into a box; Kaitlin came out of her room carrying an arm full of clothes. His sense of relief was so strong that before he could think about it he had Kaitlin in his arms; he lifted her off the ground and buried his face in her neck. He breathed in the smell of sweet sunshine in her hair and felt a hot tear roll down his neck. He pulled his head back to look in her eyes.


“Katie are you okay?”


“Just a little shaken up and breathless.” The tears tracked down her cheeks.


Taking her point he put her down. He placed his hands on either side of her face and brushed the tears away with his thumbs. Before he could act on his urge to kiss her Kaitlin said, “Sergeant Yeargin wants to move us to the dorms tonight. It has security.”


“What happened?” He moved his hands to her shoulders.          


“We got another note.” Katie indicated with her head the clear plastic bag with a baseball in it Sergeant Yeargin held in his hand.


“You’re kidding?”


“No, he knew we were at the game.”


“What does it say?”


“It says ‘Don’t make me do it’.”


“Do what?”


“It doesn’t say.”


A smile played at the edges of Jake’s mouth. They were starting to sound like an Abbott and Costello routine.


“What’s so funny, I don’t see anything funny.”


“I’m sorry; I’m just so relieved that you’re okay.”


Mrs. Moore came out of Elizabeth’s bedroom carrying two suitcases and her hair disheveled.


“I found these in the bottom of your closet.” She plopped them down beside Elizabeth. It brought Elizabeth out of her reverie; she had been watching the exchange between Jake and Katie as had everyone else in the room.


“Hi, Jake.” Mrs. Moore walked over and gave him a hug.


“Hi, Mrs. Moore.”


“Can you help Kaitlin get packed?”


“Sure no problem.” Jake took the clothes from Kaitlin’s arms and laid them on the couch. He retrieved one of the suitcases from beside Elizabeth after checking the tags to see which one was Kaitlin’s. “I’ll pack these while you see what else you need to bring,” he said to Kaitlin.


By the time they were ready to leave it was decided that Michael would come and stay with Jake at his apartment. The girls and Mrs. Moore would be in the dorm with a policeman posted outside their door just for tonight. Mrs. Moore packed up the leftovers from dinner for Jake and Michael to take back to the apartment. She had served them all, even the policemen, hot fudge brownie sundaes before they left.


Jake and Michael in the jeep followed the squad cars over to the dorms. The boys hauled the suitcases and boxes up to the rooms.





Jake pulled Kaitlin aside before they could kick him out of the girl’s dorms. She leaned against the wall as he hovered over her.


“When can I see you tomorrow?”


“Michael needs to be here at 8:45am to take me to my English Lit. Class. I have Biology at 10:00 with a lab until 1:00. I usually run back to the apartment to change for work but I guess I’ll come here. I’m at the student union building by 2:30 so I can eat before I start work. I’m off work at 8:00pm and in the library to study by 8:30.”


“I’ll drop off Michael in the morning and don’t worry about breakfast I’ll bring you something. I can give Michael a break during your biology lab and then pick you up after work.”


“Jake you don’t have to do that, you’re not responsible for me.”


“Don’t fight me on this, Kaitlin. I can be every bit as stubborn as you.”


“Yes, sir.” Her voice was husky with resignation.


“Now let me share a little Perry ritual. This is something my mother did for me when I was little and afraid or starting something new, let me see you hands.”


She held her hands out to him and he took one in each of his hands. He bent down and kissed the palm of her left hand.


“This is for if you get lonely.”


Then he bent down and kissed the palm of her right hand.


“This is for if you get scared.”


Jake pulled Kaitlin toward him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her close and felt her relax against him. He kissed her forehead.


“It’s all happening too fast Jake.” The tension returned to Kaitlin’s body.


“You’re right, tomorrow will be a week since I first saw you in the library.” Jake loosened his hold on her and stepped back.


“We haven’t even formally been out on date.”


“I promise to change that.”


“No I wasn’t fishing for a date. I’m afraid our relationship is based on the damsel in distress scenario.”


“Katie.”


“Listen I don’t know what you’re feeling for me right now . . .”


“I care a lot about you.”


“It’s very flattering but there is just so much going on I’m afraid that our friendship has developed into something more because of all the drama and heightened emotions.”


“What are you saying?”


“I’m asking that we maintain just a friendship until this is all over.”


“I can do that.”


“Thanks.”


“Just friends.” they shook hands. “I’m still coming by with breakfast in the morning.”


“Sounds great, see you in the morning.”





She felt relieved as she walked back to the dorm room she had been assigned with her sister. Her hand rested on the door knob as she felt a sudden pang of sadness. She looked back down the corridor thinking of Jake’s retreating form. It was better to protect herself. It would be easy to fall into heady hopeless love with him but in the end it could never work out. Better cautious today than heartbroken tomorrow. But wasn’t the saying ‘better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all’.


“Daddy,” she said quietly to herself. “I need you.”





The light of the street lamp pooled across the sidewalk and bled out into the grass. He watched the lights in the dorm window from the shadow of a tree. His shoulder pressed against the rough bark, arms crossed, one leg bearing the weight while the other was cocked the toe of his shoe digging into the ground. He straightened as he saw the jeep drive away. The rage burned inside him and tonight she was out of his reach.


He lived at night, stalked the shadows but the darkness was also his enemy. It brought on the ache of loneliness and helplessness. The memories of hours locked in a closest, blind in the void with clothes and shoes crowding this limited area. His own warm breathe filling the space with stifling air. He would beat the rhythm of time with his head against the wall until his aunt would pound on the door, screaming at him to stop. 


Now, it was all her fault, watching, taking notes. He had kept the fires of his rage carefully banked, but now he could feel the pressure build. He threw his arms around the tree and dug his fingers into the cracks of the bark his forehead pressed against the rough wood. She would have to wait but tonight someone out in the dark would give him relief from the heat of his fury.