I got an email requesting an appointment from a guy who claimed to be a newbie. In his initial contact, he included his reference information(he says she was his first and only provider so far). I have met her in person at meet and greets and even had a few phone conversations with her. Even though I wouldn't call us friends, she is definitely someone whom I trusted in the hobby. I contacted her about him , and she gives me the ok. About four days before the appontment is to take place, he contacts me and asks if we can move the date up to the following day. He will need to leave town on business sooner than he anticipated and really wants to see me before he leaves. My schedule is clear, so I agree.
Well, this WOULD be the day that I leave in plenty of time to make it to the appointment on time and run straight into a traffic jam. It's raining, and a wreck has cut off three of the four lanes on the highway. When I realize that I may not make it, I text him to let him know. He calls a few minutes later and tells me he will wait as long as he can without the Mrs. getting suspicious and to keep contact with him (I thought that he may have looked it up to be sure I wasn't lying because he was very accommodating about it). I am held up for so long that I am over an HOUR late for this appointment. But, I did as he asked and maintained contact every 15 minutes or so. About fifteen minutes away from the hotel, I called him to let him know I'd be there soon.
As I am pulling into the hotel, I notice a patrol car in the adjacent gas station parking lot. I get butterflies. But, I brush it off because it's not literally AT the hotel. As I pull further into the parking lot, I spot another one parked right in the front of the hotel. Only this car is UNMARKED. I drive right by it. I keep driving and turn the corner to park in the back of the hotel. I call him. No answer. I call again. No answer. I get a text message. Him: Where are you? Me: Please answer. We need to talk. Him: Can't answer, this is my work cell. Me: ??? We talked earlier. Him: That was the phone at my office. I can't talk to you on my work cell phone. Me: But you can text me...? And we JUST talked... Something is wrong. There are cop cars here. I don't feel right. Him: It's cool. Me: What do you MEAN it's cool??? Him: I see them. I'm outside. I don't respond. I leave the hotel by taking the back road behind it. No WAY I'm driving back by those cop cars. Him: What are you driving? Me: Away from the hotel. I left. Sorry, but you are being a bit too sketchy for me. Him: Where are you? At least meet me at a gas station so I can give you some gas money for driving all this way. Me: No thank you. I never travel unprepared. :-) Him: I would like to see you when I come back into town. Me: Sure ;-)
A week later, I called the phone number I had for him. It's disconnected. I sent him an email, and it came back that it is no longer a valid email address. It's as if he never existed. My question is this: Is this alert worthy? I don't mean in the sense of the guy in question (I think that one is pretty obvious). But, as far as the provider, she is the one who gave me the reference for him. I feel like I should report her, too. My first thought when I was driving away from that situation was, "Has ***** been BUSTED and working with the cops now?" I've head of things like that happening but didn't want to get ahead of myself. I wanted to call and ask her what was going on, but I doubt sh'd admit it if she was anyway. That's exactly what I felt happened, though. I mean, I don't have any actual PROOF that she is, but, I think people have a right to know. I also don't feel like I'm being paranoid about how the situation went down. My instincts tell me so, but maybe I'm wrong...? Opinions? What am I to do?
Well, this WOULD be the day that I leave in plenty of time to make it to the appointment on time and run straight into a traffic jam. It's raining, and a wreck has cut off three of the four lanes on the highway. When I realize that I may not make it, I text him to let him know. He calls a few minutes later and tells me he will wait as long as he can without the Mrs. getting suspicious and to keep contact with him (I thought that he may have looked it up to be sure I wasn't lying because he was very accommodating about it). I am held up for so long that I am over an HOUR late for this appointment. But, I did as he asked and maintained contact every 15 minutes or so. About fifteen minutes away from the hotel, I called him to let him know I'd be there soon.
As I am pulling into the hotel, I notice a patrol car in the adjacent gas station parking lot. I get butterflies. But, I brush it off because it's not literally AT the hotel. As I pull further into the parking lot, I spot another one parked right in the front of the hotel. Only this car is UNMARKED. I drive right by it. I keep driving and turn the corner to park in the back of the hotel. I call him. No answer. I call again. No answer. I get a text message. Him: Where are you? Me: Please answer. We need to talk. Him: Can't answer, this is my work cell. Me: ??? We talked earlier. Him: That was the phone at my office. I can't talk to you on my work cell phone. Me: But you can text me...? And we JUST talked... Something is wrong. There are cop cars here. I don't feel right. Him: It's cool. Me: What do you MEAN it's cool??? Him: I see them. I'm outside. I don't respond. I leave the hotel by taking the back road behind it. No WAY I'm driving back by those cop cars. Him: What are you driving? Me: Away from the hotel. I left. Sorry, but you are being a bit too sketchy for me. Him: Where are you? At least meet me at a gas station so I can give you some gas money for driving all this way. Me: No thank you. I never travel unprepared. :-) Him: I would like to see you when I come back into town. Me: Sure ;-)
A week later, I called the phone number I had for him. It's disconnected. I sent him an email, and it came back that it is no longer a valid email address. It's as if he never existed. My question is this: Is this alert worthy? I don't mean in the sense of the guy in question (I think that one is pretty obvious). But, as far as the provider, she is the one who gave me the reference for him. I feel like I should report her, too. My first thought when I was driving away from that situation was, "Has ***** been BUSTED and working with the cops now?" I've head of things like that happening but didn't want to get ahead of myself. I wanted to call and ask her what was going on, but I doubt sh'd admit it if she was anyway. That's exactly what I felt happened, though. I mean, I don't have any actual PROOF that she is, but, I think people have a right to know. I also don't feel like I'm being paranoid about how the situation went down. My instincts tell me so, but maybe I'm wrong...? Opinions? What am I to do?