He got up and walked down the stairs. He pulled out his phone and looked at the photo again. The angle was from behind and to the side, like someone had taken it from across the coffee shop. The figure across from Rachel could be anyone.
Could be no one.
Derek had been watching her. Not meeting with her, but watching her.
And Mac had been so busy looking for evidence of Rachel's guilt that he'd missed the obvious: a man was stalking his girlfriend, and Mac had handed him exactly what he wanted. Doubt.
Mac grabbed his keys. He needed to get that security footage. He needed to prove Rachel was alone.
Not to convince himself; he already believed her now, with horrible, stomach-churning certainty. He needed more proof that Derek Matthews had been watching Rachel, photographing her without her knowledge, stalking her. Evidence they'd need when they went after him.
Mac sat in his truck outside Rachel's apartment building, staring at his phone. He called Jamie.
"What's up?" Jamie answered.
"I had a massive fight with Rachel. I need your help." Mac explained everything: the photo, the accusations, the fight.
Silence. Then: "Mac, you messed up."
"I know. But Jamie, I need to document this. Derek is stalking her. Rachel needs evidence for a restraining order."
"Now you're thinking." Jamie's voice turned serious. "Okay. Here's what you do. Tomorrow morning, first thing, you go to The Grind. Talk to the owner there, Harold, he’s a friend of mine, and get their security footage from that day."
"The coffee shop will have cameras?"
"Every business has cameras. You get that footage and prove Derek was stalking her, and we take it to the police if we need." Jamie paused. "This is harassment, Mac."
"Will the police take it seriously?"
"With documentation? Yeah. Especially once we add it to him approaching her at the rink, the texts he's been sending, everything." Jamie's tone hardened.
"I should have believed her immediately."
"Yeah, you should have. But you can still fix this." Jamie sighed. "Get that footage. Then you grovel and you prove you're on her side."
Mac hung up and texted Cole:
Mac:Need your help tomorrow morning. Derek showed me a photo supposedly proving Rachel met with him for coffee. Rachel says she was alone. I believe her but I need to prove he’s stalking her. Can you come to The Grind with me at 8 AM? Need witness/backup.
Cole:What did you do?
Mac:I doubted her. For about five minutes. Then I realized Derek was lying. But the damage is done.
Cole:Yeah, you screwed up good. I'll be there at 8. We'll get the footage. Then you fix this.
Mac:Thanks, man.
Mac stared at Rachel's apartment window. A light turned on. Sophie's car pulled up.
Sophie got out, saw Mac's truck, and walked over with an expression that could freeze hell.
She tapped on his window.
Mac rolled it down.
"You accused Rachel of lying," Sophie said flatly.
"I know. But Sophie, Derek had—"
