“I got some Thai. I hope that’s okay.”
“I love Thai,” she enthused grabbing out some plates and drinking glasses. Either Rose didn’t usually drink wine, or this was also part of the game. We tucked into our food, and I gave her more details about my meeting with Paul. She was genuinely excited; our game was temporarily forgotten.
“I’m so pleased, Ace! I’m not surprised though. You are a very resourceful man.”
“Yeah, I’m like a bloodhound,” I said in a low voice, watching for her reaction. She was good. She was very good. She just smiled and kept eating.
She asked me about DNA tests, and we discussed the best way to go about things. Hopefully, Paul’s wife was supportive. He didn’t have to meet Rose, but it would mean so much to her to know who her father was and that he hadn’t willingly abandoned her. I wondered if Loretta even knew who the father was or if she simply pinned it on Colin because he was the wealthiest contender.
“So, about your secret admirer Rose. I’ve started digging but can’t find anything.”
“That’s a shame. Well, keep looking and I’m sure something will show up,” she chirped.
“Your dress is beautiful.”
“Yes, I think my stalker has good taste,” she agreed.
Stalker. It was the first time she’d used the word in reference to me, but it didn’t feel insulting or accusatory. It felt cheeky.
“Today when I came home, there was a sticky note on my door. He’s very thoughtful.”
What the fuck? I hadn’t left anything on her door.
“Can I see please? It might help the investigation.” I kept my voice steady.
She rose and retrieved something from her kitchen drawer, sticking it on the coffee table before she sat down. It was a bright yellow sticky note with bold, black print on it. Whoever it was had used a heavy marker.
Rose, I know the real you.
I can see why she thought it was something from me. If it had been from me, it would have been meant in a sweet way. But the bold marker? The words? They oozed hostility. This was a threat. This wasn’t admiration or something I’d do.
I didn’t want to scare her. Now, I actually would begin investigating. The only person with the right to stalk this woman was me. Who could it be? Glenn Maxwell? He had pervert written all over him, but this was a bit obvious for asuper and the slow-and-steady stalker game seemed beyond his intelligence and patience level. There were only cameras in the parking lot, so there would be no footage of the door. I’d talk to the corrupt pervert and ask if he'd noticed anyone around the building. The writing was scratchy and in all capitals, unlike my careful script. Rose obviously hadn’t noticed or thought I was injecting a new tone into our game.
“I think you should talk to the super about the building door. It isn’t safe to leave it wedged open like that.”
“Yeah, it isn’t great, but the rent is cheap, and the drawbacks are that the place is falling apart. Nothing works here!” she said with good humor.
“Well, just make sure you always have your door locked. You could probably do with a better lock. That one is pretty flimsy.”
She eyed me with a confused look on her face. To her, I wasn’t playing along with our game, and she didn’t know what was going on. Did she think I was becoming threatening?
“I just mean that this area is a bit rough. Look out for yourself, Rose,” I clarified. I had to find this guy quickly, or I’d have to watch her carefully and let her know she was in danger. I’m sure with Rose’s history, she’d pissed a lot of people off. Who could the real stalker be? I always name my suspects, and this guy, I’d already labelled as 'The Shadow.'
Who was The Shadow? A former victim? A family member of a former victim? Rose had meddled in marriages, so she was bound to have a few enemies. Had there been others? Men who weren’t mentioned in the official reports?
Tomorrow, I’d get straight onto this. Tonight, I’d play the game and keep my sweet Zahra safe and happy.
Chapter 18: The Rose—The game
My Kalb had seemed slightly off last night. I hoped he wasn’t rethinking our game. I read my questions and mantras to myself after he left to make sure I hadn’t misinterpreted anything. This was so confusing. When I saw him off at the door, he stepped into my intimate space, which was a space I hadn’t shared with anyone for years. He didn’t touch me but stood so close I could feel the heat from his body. He smelled amazing.
Despite his strange mood last night, I set about my work happily. I usually just endured my shifts, working hard to make the time pass quickly, but today I felt like I was bursting.
“Hey Rose, we’re going out to celebrate Lyn’s birthday after work. Wanna come? The bar is walking distance,” Sarah said. She had a cheery tone and had always been nice to me.
I am capable of happy relationships.
I am capable of happy relationships.
