The Pandora Affair Read online

  “Samantha!” A guy’s voice called her from behind them. She quickly looked at Dave and he turned around watching the guy who had called her name. He had always been nice to her and gave her help in class. Not now, she thought to herself as he walked up to her and Dave. “Samantha, I am glad to have caught up to you, I wanted to know if you still needed me to tutor you. Think of something Samantha…think…think. She started to panic trying to come up with an excuse.

  “Actually, Dave had the class last year and he is going to walk me through it.” She was trying to avoid a confrontation in the hallway. Dave grabbed Samantha’s arm with such force it pinched her skin. “Let’s go, Samantha!” The teacher’s assistant just stood there watching him pull her away. She looked over her shoulder and motioned I’m sorry with her lips. Dave dragged her all the way to the parking lot and threw her into the truck and went off. “Why do you make me do this Samantha, why do you constantly make me angry?” He demanded an answer, his fierce expression scaring her immensely.

  She couldn’t think while he was yelling at her. She tried muffling his screaming by covering her ears. “He is harmless…I needed help and he offered. I didn’t think you would mind…you always want me to keep up my grades…” Her answer infuriated him even more. He took a backhand swing and smacked her in the face. She covered her face with her hands trying to protect herself from him. Dave reached across the truck and grabbed her hair, climbing across the seat. Her impulse to scream was stuck in her throat. She was too frightened to make a sound. As he climbed on top of her he grabbed her by the neck, he squeezed tightly cutting off her air supply. She thought of the only thing to say that would save her. “Stop David…I love you!”

  He was taken aback by what she’d said; she had never said it before. He loosened his grip as he just stared at her. He slowly backed up to the driver’s side. He said nothing as he roared up the engine to his truck and was silent most of the way to his house. He wanted to take her there first to get her cleaned up. When he smacked her he gave her a bloody nose. “I’m sorry, it’s just I love you so much and you make me so angry sometimes. I would never intentionally hurt you. You know that, right?” he said as he touched her face. She nodded. She cried all the way to his house. Samantha was tired of living this horrible nightmare but too scared to leave. She knew what he was capable of, and she has just seen it firsthand.

  He never left visible bruises on her before today. He knew her father would notice. He made her rehearse a lie in case her father asked her about anything. He threatened her if she told anyone. Every time she got the nerve to break up with him he promised he would change and showered her with gifts, his calls were relentless. He would stop by unannounced at her house all hours of the day and night. Her father started to get annoyed and told her to tell him he needed to more considerate. The only way to stop this behavior was to stay with him.

  Samantha sat in class after Gable let everyone go. She continued to sit in her seat because she knew Dave could not see her from where she sat. She had a scarf around her neck concealing the bruises Dave left the prior day. Samantha gathered her books and slowly walked to Gable’s desk watching the door seeing Dave come into view. Indicating to give her a minute, she waited for his approval. He gave her a slight nod mouthing hurry up. She slowly approached Gable. “Professor Gable, I…I need help…” Samantha stammered. Gable looked up at her as Samantha snatched the scarf from around her neck. Her jaw dropped.

  “My God, Samantha! Did David do this to you??” she asked as she rushed around her desk to examine her neck. They both looked over at the door but David was gone. Professor Gable picked up her telephone. “I need campus security now!” she demanded and hung up the phone. Samantha let out a small sob as she cupped her face with her hands. Gable held her and just let her cry. Campus security stormed through Gable’s door. “There is a student here by the name of David Ripley. If he comes back on campus detain him and call the police. We need to be escorted to my car,” Gable informed them.

  Samantha wrapped her scarf around her neck and followed Gable with security close behind them. Gable opened the passenger door for Samantha. She got in and shut the door behind her. There was long silence before Gable broke in. “Samantha, how long has this been going on?” “He wasn’t always like this…he used to buy me flowers and it used to be so different. It’s been getting worse over the last few months and then yesterday he almost strangled me in his truck.” She continued to cry.

  Gable drove Samantha directly to the police station to file charges and a restraining order against David. Gable called her father while the police took photographs of her neck and other bruises on her body to be used as evidence in her case. Her father met with the police before she was released. He also spoke with Gable and shook her hand before they left. Her father insisted she withdraw from school for now until they got a handle on things. David continued to avoid the police. He had no family in town so they had nowhere to search. Several weeks went by and there was no sign of him.

  Samantha felt trapped not being able to go to a lot of places in fear of running into David. She felt like he was watching everything she did. She turned off her television in her room and slid under her covers and drifted off to sleep. She woke up to a crash and her dog running in circles. She looked over in the direction it came from and saw the shadow of a man. Her heart began to race as she tried desperately to find her voice. It seemed like terror was strangling her vocal cords. She felt as though it was a bad dream, one in which you could not move or talk. Finally she found her voice. “DADDY!!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. David quickly came from the shadows of her room and put his hand over her mouth. “This isn’t over Samantha, I told you we would always be together. Did you think I was kidding?” His anger subdued by the sound of her father screaming for Samantha.

  Daddy I need you.

  The slam of her father’s bedroom door gave him enough warning. He left quickly out her window just as her father broke open her door and pointed his shotgun into the room. He looked over at Samantha who was absolutely terrified. He then knew David would never leave her alone. The police had searched the area, but David eluded them. Her father was sick to his stomach knowing what he had to do.

  Wesley had his daughter pack a single suitcase, gave her a substantial amount of cash and sent her away. He gave her his point of contact, Robert Conley. As soon as she found a place to settle down she needed to contact Robert and let him know where she was in case he ever needed to get in contact with her. Conley was instructed to contact her only if her father had passed away. She had called Mr. Conley to check up on her father about three times a year. That’s how she found out he’d had a heart attack and required a caregiver.

  Robert Conley was in charge of Wesley Anderson’s estate and investments while he was alive. If he were to ever die, all his assets were left to Samantha. He also arranged for her name change from Samantha Anne Anderson to Samantha Anne Lockley. Whenever Samantha called and updated him with things going on in her life, he made sure to relay the information directly to her father. Her father was so proud that she was working with a restaurant owner and that she had all the things that were making her happy. The only thing she did not have was her father.

  Chapter 15

  Samantha wiped the tears away with the back of her hands. Tyler was just in shock over what he just heard. “Samantha, I don’t even know what to say,” was all he could manage. The only thing he had to offer was a reassuring hug. “If Robert called, it’s because my father is dead, that was my father’s rule. That was the only reason for him to contact me. I couldn’t even be there for him in the end,” she wept softly; all Tyler could think to do was just hold her close. “I have to call Robert now…” She lifted herself off the couch and disappeared into her bedroom. Samantha closed the door behind her to make her phone call. Tyler made his way back into the kitchen, carefully cleaning the shattered glass from the floor. He did a quick spot mop of the orange juice and cleared the
breakfast table. While he finished washing the last of the dishes she emerged from the bedroom, her tears were dried. Drying his hands on a cloth he joined her in the living room. He took a quick look at the clock, the day had flown by and dusk was about to grace its presence.

  “Tyler I have to leave for a few days. Will you please take care of Baby while I’m gone?” she asked him as she set the cordless phone on the charger. “Samantha maybe it’s not a good idea for you to go alone, maybe James…” he started to say. She shot him a fierce glance. “Maybe James, what? Maybe James could come and protect me from someone he doesn’t even know? If James comes to protect me, who is going to protect me from him? I don’t need the extra emotional baggage on this trip. It’s hard enough as it is. The only thing he didn’t do this morning was leave money by the bedside, Tyler. The last thing I want is to spend the next couple of my most miserable days with him.

  Tyler looked at her, showing the hurt in his eyes. He was unable to believe she would talk to him like that. She remembered he had never seen this” defensive side of her. “Tyler…I am so sorry, I didn’t mean…” She walked up, hugging him. He accepted her willingly into his arms. “I’m sorry. This is something I have to do alone,” she told him. He let out a small, curt huff and rolled his eyes around. “Of course I will watch your damn spoiled little dog. How long will you be gone?” “Long enough to take care of my father’s estate, I am leaving tomorrow morning. I am driving up and back because I have some stuff to bring here and I don’t want the airlines to lose anything,” Samantha said as she went into the kitchen to make herself an alcohol related drink. He followed her and made himself comfortable at the kitchen table. “I will pick Baby up tomorrow night after work…” He watched her do two shots of tequila before she made her usual tequila sunrise.

  “You do realize…it’s impolite not to share your tequila with a loved one?” Tyler reminded her. She huffed out a laugh. “You do realize…the man I am in love with leaves me right after I gave myself to him fully, body…heart and soul, like I was a hooker and he had a family to get home to…and I found out TODAY of all days, that my father has passed away almost a month ago and I wasn’t able to say goodbye. So I think this qualifies for a one time exception of being impolite.” She gave him the sweetest smile as she raised her glass to him.

  “So what do you think of that, smarty pants?” He rose from the chair and mixed himself a drink, raising his glass to hers. “Bottoms up!” They wandered back into the living room to finish their drinks and to chat before she had to start packing. Most of the time Samantha just stared out the living room window, realizing since her father was gone that she had no more biological family. She now had only the new family she found in L.A., which consisted of Tyler, party of one. “I better get packing, I’ve procrastinated long enough.” She was less than enthused about leaving. “You be careful, and call me as soon as you get there.” Tyler took her in his arms and gave her a much needed hug.

  Opening the door to leave, Tyler saw that James was there ready to knock. “Company, Samantha,” Tyler warned as he walked out the door. Tyler stopped right as he was passing James, warning him this wasn’t a good time. James ignored his advice, pushing past him into her apartment. Tyler shook his head. Samantha poured the remainder of her drink down the drain, deciding she needed to use her best judgment as far as James was concerned. “Samantha, we need to…” James started to say as he closed the door behind him. “You know what, James? I really don’t have time for your nonsense right now. I have to get ready to leave in the morning. Now if you will excuse me,” she said walking over to her front door and opening it for him as a suggestion to leave.

  “No!” slamming it shut again. “I have something to tell you and I am not leaving until I say it… and where in the hell are you going?” His demand for an answer caused her to completely lose her temper “What right do you have to demand answers from me, when you ran out on me this morning? You’re my boss, James, not my father, not my boyfriend and sure as hell not my husband! I am leaving tomorrow morning for a few days. I am sure you can survive on your own. You’ve done it long before I came into the picture and you will survive long after I’m gone. Now get out!” He stood quiet for a second recollecting what she just told him. James wondered if he pushed her over the edge with his irrational behavior.

  “What do you mean long after you’re gone? What’s going on Samantha? Are you in some kind of trouble?” She heard in his voice his genuine concern about her well-being. “You gave up your rights up as a concerned boyfriend the second you treated me like dirt and walked out my front door this morning!!” Samantha shoved him out her door with all her might and slammed it in his face.

  “I told you.” Tyler shook his head. “What the hell just happened and what the hell is her problem?” James demanded in a confused tone. “Well I would say right now you’re about 50% of her problem,” Tyler replied. “What’s the other 50%?” His demand was harsh. Tyler looked at him contemplating telling him what Samantha had confided in him. He knew she was in love with James, maybe the only way he would understand what is going on with her was if he explained it.

  “Come on over to my place and I’ll fix us a drink.” James cocked an eyebrow at his invitation. “Oh please, don’t flatter yourself!” Tyler rolled his eyes strolling down the corridor to his apartment. “Do you want answers or not?” Tyler was slightly annoyed. James wanted an answer and it was obvious that Samantha wasn’t about to give him one. He followed Tyler to see if he could make sense of everything that just happened. He had never seen Samantha so hostile before. Tyler handed him a beer and offered him a seat and began the story of Samantha’s past exactly as she told him.

  Chapter 16

  Samantha got out a suitcase and started neatly packing clothes she would need for her trip. Along with her make-up bag she also packed some razors and women’s toiletries. Baby lay on her bed watching her. She screened every phone call. Every time the phone rang she ran to check for any urgent messages from Robert Conley. What she was really hoping for was that he would call and tell her it was all just a huge mistake and her father was fine. As she started to walk back into the bedroom the phone rang. She hurried back as the machine picked up. There was a noise on the machine that she could not decipher. It almost sounded like someone breathing. She picked up the phone, thinking it was James trying to get her attention. “Hello??…Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?” She looked at the phone like it was haunted, slowly setting it back on the hook. If it were James, he would have said something. Chills traveled down her spine, in the most unpleasant way. Goose bumps covered her from wrists to ankles.

  She made sure her front door was locked and bolted. As she entered the bedroom she noticed Baby’s ears were cocked back and she was running in circles trying to bark. “What the hell is wrong with her?” Samantha thought, impulsively moving to the side, careful not to trip over her. Baby hastily bolted from the bedroom and continued her silent bark. Samantha walked into her closet, slipping out of her clothes and into her robe. She needed a shower before she went to bed. She didn’t want to leave too late tomorrow morning since Mr. Conley was expecting her by nightfall. She walked into the bathroom closing the door behind her so Baby would not join her.

  Looking at herself in the mirror, her heart skipped a beat and she was unable to breathe. She froze. Her eyes widened. She quickly turned around. “Alex, you scared me half to death…what the hell…” “Hey Baby, miss me?” Her face lost color; she was white as a ghost. “Dave…” She managed to mutter. With no hesitation she instinctively swung open the door, pushing it against him as hard as she could, knocking him into the tub. She was unable to find her voice. She made it as far as the hallway when he suddenly imprisoned her in his arms. She kicked and thrashed, knocking over the vase filled with the flowers that James had given her just the night before. It shattered against the tile.

  Samantha pressed her feet against the wall and pushed as hard as she could, slamming Dave against the
far wall. He let her loose as the wind was knocked from his lungs. Samantha dropped to the floor on the shattered glass and a large piece cut into her hand. Dave leaned over her, just as she found her voice and began to scream. He covered her nose and mouth with a white cloth soaked with chloroform. She tried to fight him off, but quickly lost consciousness and went limp in his arms. The gash on her hand left a trail of blood to the bedroom. He carried her to the bed and laid her down. He took the time to wrap her hand in a towel to stop the bleeding.

  He threw her suitcase together quickly, knowing he did not have much time before she would be missed. He grabbed some clothes for her along with a pair of tennis shoes and threw them on top of the things she had already packed. He set the suitcase on the floor. He wrapped Samantha in her sheets and bedspread. He gently lifted her over his shoulder holding on to her with his arm. He picked up her suitcase with his other hand and left through the gate in the backyard where his van was waiting. He quickly put her in the back of the van. Overlooking her purse on the dresser, he closed her sliding glass door exiting through the wrought iron gate. Dave locked it with his set of skeleton maintenance keys, which opened every door in her apartment. It’s why he had insisted on changing her locks; he did not have one before. He jumped in the van and started out, intending to get as far away as possible.