Chapter 70: I Wonder What’s Wrong With Them?
"First, l want to ask if you are okay?" Jane asked. Then she paused and continued, "I don't quite understand why you were alone at night? Then there's something else that seems a little odd, why is your ex-husband suddenly appearing in your life?"
Jane was aware of Cathryn and Jordan's past relationship, and his unreasonable crossness with Cathryn worried her.
"Honestly, Jane. I don't know why, but everywhere I go, he always seems to be there. Sometimes he seems so caring, and then it's as though something triggers in his mind, and he's angry with me!" Cathryn said in a low, almost inaudible voice. Cathryn was feeling guilty and somewhat relieved knowing that Jane was going to be with her when she returned to the film.
Not long after talking, Jane left and went to her business. Cathryn was supposed to rest today after she finished unpacking her things but Grace called her a minute ago requesting to meet her personally after she heard what she’d been through.
Jack, the driver, took Cathryn to the front door of Grace's office. Grace had come out when she saw the Rolls Royce and waved at her.
"It didn't take you very long at all. Do you see all the people? I wonder what's wrong with them?" Grace asked. Quite a few people were standing outside the building, they looked at them with strange expressions on their faces.
Grace got in the car with Cathryn and left. She discreetly tried to look Cathryn over to make sure she was okay. "Cathryn, are you sure you weren't hurt?" From the expression on Grace's face, it was obvious that Grace was worried about her. The incident that Cathryn went through seemed to bring back memories from Grace's past. "You know there was a time in my life when I trusted everyone, but now all I feel is doubt and insecurity."
"I know we’ve been friends quite long, but I want you to know that anytime you need to talk to someone. I will always be here." Cathryn knew Grace must have experienced something traumatic in her life, and for some reason, she felt a connection with Grace.
"Do you want to come over to my apartment? It's only a one-bedroom, but I think I did a good job decorating it. I would love to know what you think of it." Grace lived in apartment 1203 on the twelfth floor, and there were three other apartments in the building. She lived in a luxury apartment, and it was decorated in a modern interior style.
"I live alone, and I have been single for some time," Grace explained to Cathryn despite the fact they know each other's secret.
"Why Grace, you're a beautiful woman. Do you think maybe you will consider dating? I know a few men who would be interested in you." Cathryn sounded excited.
Grace replied, "I hate men, and I have no desire to date! I have never been able to find a man who has chosen a lifestyle compatible with mine. Every man I have ever dated has been so controlling and domineering, so I just gave up."
"I'm sorry to hear that, but don't give up on men completely. When you least expect, the right man will appear in your life," Cathryn urged her.
"I don't think you understand, Cathryn. I have what they call a delusional disorder. A traumatic experience from my past triggered it," explained Grace. "People with this type of illness believe they (or someone close to them) are being mistreated. I'm much better now, but there are some days when I feel like I just don't want to get out of bed."
Grace and Cathryn kept talking with each other all the way to the twelfth floor, but when Grace went to put the key in the lock, she immediately knew there was something wrong. Unexpectedly, the door suddenly opened. Grace's face instantly became pale, and then she reached out to stop Cathryn from entering. After a vigilant glance at the camera, Grace kicked the door open.
Startled by Grace's movement, Cathryn looked puzzled and asked, "What's going on?"
Cathryn looked inside the apartment, and she stepped forward and gasped in horror at the condition of Grace's place. Someone had come in and robbed her and tore the place apart.
"Don't move," said Grace in a low voice. She looked upset and took out her phone to call the police. After clearly explaining the situation to the police and telling them her address, Grace hung up the phone. Then she immediately called the property manager of the building.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Who is it," Grace called out.
"It's me, George, the property manager," he replied. George arrived before the police. He briefly looked around her apartment. "They really made a mess in here, didn't they? Let's go check out the video surveillance and see if we can find out who did this?" As they were watching the video, the police arrived.
There were two policemen sent over to investigate the incident, one of them was an older man. The other one had just graduated from the police academy and was about twenty-four-year-old. After entering Grace's home, the policemen carefully observed the room for evidence.
"Excuse me, Miss Grace, but by the condition of your apartment, it looks like a simple burglary. Take a quick look around and check and see if there's been anything missing," the policeman asked politely.
Grace quickly glanced around. "It looks like they have taken some money, and my laptop is gone. As far as I can tell, that's it," Gracee tried to sound casual, but Cathryn knew she was worried.
"Well, luckily, Miss Grace, according to the statistics, your loss is enough to put this case on file as a big one," said the police officer, then they went back to check the surveillance camera. There was a middle-aged woman in a red down-filled jacket who took the elevator to the twelfth floor holding a bag.
However, because Grace's apartment was located at the corner of the building, there was a blind spot that the camera couldn't see. So they were unable to confirm if it was the middle-aged woman who had entered Grace's home. The property manager zoomed in on the apartment to take a better look.
The younger policeman whispered something to the elderly policeman, and by the expression on his face, he seemed to come to an understanding as to what happened. Then the elderly policeman said to Grace, "This woman is a member of the gang of larceny that we've been tracking for quite some time. They are known as the Fallen Angels. They usually leave the city after committing a crime. However, as for which city they're hiding in, we haven't been able to find out."