What evidence does the author provide that the chef, even after a year in hiding, fears discovery

Even after a year has passed, the chef, in "The Briefcase," is paranoid he will be caught. This fear/paranoia of being found out leads him to live in a somewhat fantasy world. He creates this fantasy world for himself by only reading publications that were published about as long ago as since before he went into hiding. This is sort of an escape he provides himself in order further detach himself from reality.