Scared. I don't think I've been fearful for my safety in quite a while....

A friend sent got in touch with me yesterday. She asked if I could come over and have a cup of coffee and stay the night. Provide her some protection from her boyfriend she's trying to get out of her life.

So I'm waiting in the car as she drops off my bag. She comes back down on her cell phone. She then says a minute and goes upstairs. Her boyfriend pulls up. He walks around for a little bit then calls me out of the car. As he's grilling me, he tells me to leave. I say no, then he threatens me. (he's 5-10 and built. I'm sure he could whip me. I'm ten years removed from a gym and a smoker)

My friend comes back down, and then all hell breaks loose. He 'talks' to her and threatens me as he strips the keys out of the car. She tries to call the cops. He takes the phone, which was mine since she forgot hers upstairs. I demand it back. He takes the power out and tells me to walk while throwing in the occasional threat about tracking me down an hurting me lots if I call the cops. So as he takes off down the street following her, i stop a passing car and call 911 form her cell phone. Why I didn't use a pay phone... in honesty, i hadn't thought of it. Also, there were two people in the car and two cars after that one. I wanted people around and focused on me, nothing gets people focused as much as impeding there travel.

After the 911 dispatcher takes a million questions, well, 5 minutes worth, I get off the phone and the samaritan leaves. So i'm left with friend, and big guy. I approach again to buy time and talk him into giving me the battery and then I'd take off. So after a miinute, he does so and I start walking. Slowly keeping my eyes peeled for the cop with is supposedly on it's way. I finally see and flag it down.

So we have an interesting conversation with the cops. He lies, she doesn't gainsay. I internally shake my head till he says something that pisses her off, and gets her to start crying. Finally, she asked repeatedly to be able to leave, after she gets him to tell the cops he'll find someonewhere else to sleep and to give her back her key. She goes upstairs and gets her phone and some money, the cops keep moron busy and we take off. He's camped out in front of her building when we get back. We sneak in, and I find her lock is busted.... she can't lock her apartment. I say let's get a hotel. She says she's sick of running, she's had to stay away repeatedly over the last couple weeks. He supposedly doesn't have a key to the building, so that's good. We get her locked fixed and he's gone the next morning when I leave for work.

Someone broke into our office Sunday night. No proof. I didn't ask, but from overheard comments and situational evidence, I believe it was him.

I've been asking friends if anyone knows a criminal lawyer so I can talk her into having a chat with the person. I'm sure she doesn't want to go that route. I wouldn't. But geez.

I'm still a little shakey.

posted by KP at 11:18 AM