Hide and seek (by Heather)

You've accidentally dialed the wrong phone number, but the person who answers sounds familiar. Immediately he/she recognises you, but because made the call you're too embarrassed to ask who it is. Using only dialogue, figure out who the person is.

Lisa settled into her big easy chair, phone in hand, and chose Marty’s number from her recent calls list. She reached for her glass of red wine. Marty wouldn’t answer til about the seventh ring – it took him that long to finish his move, pause the game, take a swig, find the phone and answer it.

So it was a surprise when the phone was picked up on the second ring and a male voice said, “Hello?”

Lisa frowned. For one thing, it wasn’t the seventh ring. For another, it didn’t sound like Marty. “Hello?” she said uncertainly.

“Ahhh, Lisa, so glad you called! I thought it might be you. How ARE you?” the voice said. It was a confident, sexy, smoky sort of voice. Arrogant, almost. Lisa felt a tingle. She whisked the phone from her ear and peered at the number on the screen.

Damn, it didn’t say “Marty” on the screen and it was an unfamiliar number, definitely not Marty’s. Who an earth HAD she rung?

How embarrassing! Not about to admit the error, she warmed up her voice to match the one on the phone. “I’m very well, thank you. And how about yourself?”

“Oh, I’m well, very well indeed,” the sultry voice said. “I was hoping you’d return my call, and now you have. That’s a promising start.”

Lisa’s brain grasped at the clue. Okay, so this guy had called, and she must have inadvertently selected his number from the recent calls list. But who the hell WAS he? Curiosity partnered up with embarrassment.

“Well, I have indeed returned your call,” she said. “I, ah, was wondering what you had to say.”

“Oh, I’ve got lots to say to YOU,” he replied, the voice as smooth as honey. “Although I’d really like to say it in person.”

Lisa chuckled and took a sip of wine. Who WAS this guy!!? Was he for real? She couldn’t think of a clever riposte so stayed quiet.

“Lisa?” the voice persisted. “I heard you chuckle and can hear you thinking over the possibilities. I think we should explore them too. Plus I’d like to wrap my fingers in that long dark hair of yours.”

Lisa set down the wine glass abruptly, with a first flicker of concern. Where had this guy come from? What on earth was the connection? Was Marty setting this up?

She decided to play it a little safe. “Well, you know me; all attached to another guy.”

“I know,” the voice said, “but he doesn’t treat you very well. Abandoning you all night like that, leaving you for others to entertain. I really don’t think this is the man for you, Lisa.” He spoke her name like a caress.

The penny dropped. Last Saturday night at the pub. A little guy with intense eyes had come over and chatted her up while Marty was playing a game or two of pool. She was several sheets to the wind and couldn’t remember much of the conversation, but she recalled thinking that he was a little spooky. One thing for sure is she wouldn’t have given him her phone number.

“You’re making some assumptions, there, my friend,” she said, attempting cool. “And I’ve been wondering, how’d you get my number?”

“Ah, when the wolf wants his prey, there aren’t any obstacles big enough to stop him.” He paused. “Let’s just say I was resourceful. And then I thought to myself, if she doesn’t ring me back, that’s it; no more moves for me. But if she calls, well, that’s a different matter. There’s no stopping us.” The lazy voice took on a harder edge. “So let’s cut the foreplay. I’ll be right over.”

Lisa leapt from her chair, knocking the wine over in the process. “Hold on a minute,” she said. “For one thing, you don’t even know where I live.” She held her breath.

“Baby, baby, of course I do. I followed you home. Your friend stayed the night, but I thought to myself, he won’t be doing that much longer.”

Your friend stayed the night!? – Lisa tried to register the implications of that remark.

“See you in a few minutes,” the voice said, and the line dropped out.

Lisa looked at the phone, paralysed for a moment. Then she fell back into the chair.

A careless curiosity, a careless politeness – carelessness, really, if one were to tell the truth – governed her life. And now it might have placed it at risk.

She rose quickly. She locked the doors and windows and turned out the lights. She called Marty, who answered after seven long rings and finally cut through her panic to say he’d be over as soon as he could. She went into the bathroom, locked the door and settled down to wait.

But it was only moments later when the doorbell rang. She heard the doorknob rattle and a by-now familiar voice called, “Come out, come out, wherever you are. Come on, little Lisa, don’t change your mind. Let’s play.”

Lisa fumbled into her pocket for her phone, which of course wasn’t there. Carelessness.

“I’ll huff and puff and blow your door down,” the voice called.

She heard the sound of a window softly smashing.