Character Sketch

Chapter 7 - Dinner Guest

Chapter 7


Dinner Guest





Katie stretched out on her bed looking out the window.  The trees across the street swayed in the wind.  The motion was almost hypnotic as the leaves twisted and fluttered.  She was supposed to be resting but her mind kept wondering about her notebook.  Was last night just a random act of violence, a simple robbery or could it have been the attacker trying to get her notebook because of something she had written in it.


She reached over to her nightstand and got a notepad and pencil.  She wrote down the names she had thought of last night.  Then she added a few more.


David Barton, biology tutor.  (He helped her with a test she was studying for.)


Rex Harris, neighbor, graduate student


Curtis Ware, clerk at the grocery store


Charlie Jenkins, student union cook


That would be a good enough list to start with.


Now what about questions she could find the answer to fairly quickly that would help eliminate some of her suspects.


When did the attacks start and how many have there been?


What do the girls that were attacked have in common?


When did the attacks take place and where?


What is the attacker’s M. O.?


What do the girls that were attacked remember about the event?


A tap on her door brought Katie out of her reverie. Michael peeked his head in her bedroom door.


“These were just delivered for you.” A vase of pink roses was clasped in his hand.


“Are you sure?”


“That’s what the delivery guy said.”


“Go put them in the kitchen. I’ll be out in a minute.”


Her mom was admiring the flowers when Katie came out of her room.


“There seems to be a card with those flowers, Mom.”  Michael chided.


“Here Katie,” she said handing Katie the card and placing the roses on the kitchen table.


“Well what does it say?”  Michael asked.


“Get well soon, from the University Varsity Baseball Team.” Katie read.


“I didn’t know you were a baseball fan, Katie.” Michael looked puzzled.


“I’ve gone to a couple of the home games and I have a player in one of my classes but I’m thinking it must be from Jake Perry.”  The corners of her mouth twitched as she suppressed a smile.  She glared at Michael to belay any wise cracks.


“They’re beautiful; you’ll have to thank this Mr. Perry when you see him.” Mom chimed in.








Jake threw his backpack on the couch in his living room.  Practice hadn’t gone well this morning.  He kept loosing his focus and was throwing wild.  His statistics class was a blur, he reread the material between classes.  He pulled out the notebook he had been doodling on. ‘How long? How many? M.O.? Names in notebook? Katie. Danger.’ There were too many questions that needed answers.  He had tried to call Katie last night and again this early this morning before practice and got no answer. He needed to find out her class and work schedule.








“Katie, are you awake?” Mom’s voice came through the door. 


“Yeah, Mom.”


“There’s a Jake on the phone.  Are you up to talking?”


“Sure, can you hand me the portable?”  She hoped her voice didn’t betray what her fluttering heart was feeling.


“Hello,” she said tentatively into the phone.


“Hi, Katie it’s Jake.  Was that your sister that answered the phone?”


“No, my mom, she came to help for a few days till I’m back on my feet.”


“Back on your feet?  What’s the matter?”


“I spent the night in the ER, but I thought you knew.”


“The Emergency Room?”


“Yeah some guy wanted my backpack really bad last night and got a little pushy,” she tried to sound lighthearted.


“I’ll be right over.” Jake hung up the phone before she could respond. 


Katie reached up and touched her hair.  She hadn’t been able to wash it yet.  The thought of brushing it made her head hurt.  She could at least get up and wash her face and brush her teeth.


“Mom.”


“Yes Katie.”


“We have company coming.”


“You invited someone over?  Honey, you need to be resting?”


“I didn’t invite him, he’s just coming.”


“Okay, I’ll straighten up, but you’ll have to talk to him out here and not in your room.”


“I know, mom.”


Katie stared at herself in the bathroom mirror; brown hair, brown eyes, regular features, nothing classic or striking.  Her grandmother had always commented that she had beautiful skin, clear and translucent.  She washed her face and lightly brushed the front of her hair.


As she brushed her teeth a thought nagged at her. Jake hadn’t known she had been at the hospital and if that was the case then he couldn’t have known to send the flowers.  A chill went through her.


Think, think Katie someone knew you were in the hospital last night, but who and how.


Adam Lester, the second string baseball pitcher, had English 201 with her. He could have sent the flowers.  It would be easy enough to verify.  She took her student directory out of the drawer in her end table.  She would ask him to take notes for her and get any assignments she missed while she was recuperating under doctor’s orders.  If he acted surprised that she had been hurt she’d know it hadn’t been him.  The alternative scared her.  The guy who stole her backpack would have read the entry in the notebook and used that information to try to frighten and confuse her.


She hung up the phone with Adam.  He agreed to take notes for her but was surprised she had been at the hospital.  Surely there were ways to trace who had sent the flowers.  She ought to tell the police.


The doorbell interrupted her thoughts.


She took another quick look in the mirror and tightened the belt of her robe around her waist.  Complete mortification swept over her, the idea of walking out into the living room in her terry cloth robe and fuzzy slippers was unthinkable. She could hear her mother introducing herself to Jake and the sound of Michael’s rumbling voice. She rummaged through her closet and grabbed navy tee shirt and gray stretch paints. It wasn’t her cutest outfit but it wasn’t pajamas either.


“Katie.” Her mom popped her head into Katie’s room.


“I’m coming, mom.”


She stepped out in to the living room and looked around at all the expectant faces. Michael looked mystified glancing from Katie to Jake and back to Katie. Jake’s brows furrowed with concern and Katie’s mom’s mouth twisted into half a smile.


“Hey how are you feeling?” Jake asked.


“Still got a bit of a headache and a couple of sore knees nothing to really complain about,” Katie said moving over to sit on the couch.


“Michael said something about stitches.” Jake looked over at him for confirmation.


“Just a few.” Katie pulled up her pant leg.


“Ouch,” Jake stepped forward to get a closer look and then sat on the other end of the couch.  Michael pulled up a dining table chair and Mother busied herself in the kitchen.


“Tell me what happened.”


Between Katie and Michael they recounted the events of the following evening and the hospital stay.


“That reminds me,” Katie said. “I think I need to let Sergeant Yeargin know about the roses.”


“What roses?” Jake asked.


“Why?” Michael asked.


“These were delivered this morning. Michael show Jake the card. We know you didn’t send them and the only other person I know on the team is Adam Lester, your relief pitcher.  He’s in my English 201 class.  I called him this morning and he didn’t know I had been in the hospital.”


“Maybe coach sent them.” Jake said.


“If you didn’t know I was in the hospital how would he?” Katie asked. “See I started making a list in my new Character Sketch book; any male that got more than one entry in my original notebook.  It was in my backpack.”


“You think the guy that mugged you was the campus attacker?” Michael asked.


“I’m just saying it’s a possibility and if it is, the police should know about the roses. Shouldn’t they be able to trace who bought them?”


“Surely the guy’s clever enough to cover his tracks,” Jake said.


“I still think I should report it. Michael the portable phone and a note pad are on my nightstand, will you get them for me?”


“Sure, sis.”


“I’ve made a list of the names I wrote down last night and some more I thought of this morning. Plus some questions that should help eliminate at least some if not all of the names.”


Jake pulled the paper; he had torn from his notebook, out of his pocket.


“Hey great minds think alike.” He handed the paper to Katie as Michael returned with the phone and notepad.


“Jake can you stay for dinner?” Mrs. Moore asked.


“I don’t want to intrude, ma’am.”


“You are more than welcome.” She slipped into Kaitlin’s room and came out with two pillows and a blanket.


“I think you should rest, so at least you can semi recline while you visit.” She stuffed the two pillows behind Katie’s head and tossed the blanket on her lap.


“Mother, I’m not sick.” Katie said between gritted teeth.


Jake jumped up from the couch.


“Here you stretch out I’ll get a chair from the kitchen.” He draped the blanket over her when she was settled.


“Thanks,” was all Katie could think to say.


She called Sergeant Yeargin about the roses while Jake poured over the list and Michael helped his mother in the kitchen with dinner. Officer Roberts would be picking up the card on his way into his shift later tonight.


“I guess everything’s on hold until Monday,” Katie sighed.


“Why?” Jake asked


“The enforcer is here until Sunday.” Katie nodded toward her mom.


“Well I have a few resources.  Let me see what I can find out and I’ll come back tomorrow to give you a progress report. I’ll take the list and questions and you just concentrate on getting better.”


Dinner brought Katie back to reality.  Elizabeth, the thin, cute, older, sister, showed up just as they were sitting down to dinner.  Katie sat on the couch and picked at her food while Elizabeth, Jake, Michael and her Mom laughed and talked.  Katie saw how Elizabeth’s eyes glowed every time she looked at Jake. Finally Katie lay her tray on the floor and curled up on the couch with the blanket tucked under her chin and fell miserably asleep.





Jake looked down on Katie as she slept. He brushed a lock of hair off her cheek.


“Bye sleepy head see you tomorrow.” On impulse he kissed her on the forehead. He turned around to see if anyone was watching, not that he cared, but they were busy doing dishes.


“Thanks, Mrs. M. for the dinner it was great. Tell Katie I’ll see her tomorrow.” Jake said with one hand on the doorknob.


“Bye, Jake, I’ll tell her.”





“Man he’s cute,” Elizabeth crooned after the door shut.


Mrs. Moore just smiled as she looked down on her sleeping daughter.


“Time to put you in bed.” She shook Katie’s shoulder.


Katie’s arms flew up to cover her face as she let out an anguished cry.


“Katie, it’s okay you’re at home and safe.” Katie’s mom hugged her.


Katie’s eyes flew opened, as she took in her surroundings her body relaxed.


“Oh Mom, would Dad be disappointed?” she moaned.


“Why would you say that, Katie?”


“I’m not a victim am I?”


“What are you talking about?”


“You know the kind of people that Dad used to talk about. People who are easy prey, to the devious, deceitful and dishonest.”


“Nope you are 100% your daddy’s little girl and you will rise above this and triumph as Bill Moore would expect you to. You were up all last night so off to bed with you.”


“Thanks, mom.” 


Lying in bed she realized she needed that little pep talk. She would be pro-active about this attack. She would follow the adage of her father. It doesn’t matter what happens to you, the important thing is how you react to it.  Tonight had also taught her a good lesson. A guy like Jake was completely out of her league and that was okay.  She liked playing in the minors.  Girls like her were harmless, comfortable and made great friends for guys like him.  Plus once all the drama died down she figured so would his interest in her.  She nodded off to sleep knowing her heart was safely tucked away in a secure place.