“Has she met your mother?”
“Once, the first time my mother came to visit, but it was briefly. I brought her to the school to see where I work and she met a handful of people. Sandra was one of them.”
“Did they hit it off?”
She frowns. “Not that I know of.”
“Your mother calls her. A lot. Can you think of a reason why?”
“She calls her?”
“Chains pulled your mother’s phone records. It’s part of being thorough, since there’s always the chance your mother is being blackmailed or something, so?—”
“You don’t have to make excuses. I understand the need to be thorough.” She starts tapping her foot. “And you’re telling me my mother calls Sandra regularly?”
“Yes.” I’m watching her the way she’d been watching me a minute ago and she doesn’t seem upset so much as confused.
“That makes no sense. She’s never mentioned it and…” Her voice trails off and her eyes sharpen. “You think this has something to do with my stalker.”
I don’t say anything, waiting to see what her first reaction was to all of this. I’d be furious if it was my father or stepmother, but I didn’t know how she would react. To my surprise, she sank onto the edge of the bed, looked up at me and held up her hands in a somewhat helpless motion.
“You think my mother is somehow behind all of this?”
“I don’t know what to think but Chains said it’s been quiet since we left Cologne, as if your stalker knows you’re away.”
“And the only people who would know that are my mother and some of the people at school, so it has to be one of them. Or Sandra.”
“That’s the most logical conclusion.”
“Well, this fucking sucks.”
Chapter 20
Shannon
I’m so damn confused.
Why would my mother be talking to Sandra or, even worse, get someone to stalk me? It doesn’t seem logical at all, despite the evidence. Ace looks uncomfortable, and while I long to tell him it’s okay, that I’m not upset with him, I am. A little.
Okay, not really, but why would my mother hire a spy to help me find my stalker if she is the stalker? Or at least the one behind me having a stalker in the first place? Which makes him a little suspect as well.
Or maybe I’m just upset and confused.
“This is ridiculous,” I tell him. “We’ve only been gone two days. I mean, the stalker didn’t do something every day, so it makes sense that she’s laying low after breaking in on Saturday.” I want so much for him to say that makes sense. “Right?”
“Babe, I’m not sure what to think either. It feels very contrived all of a sudden, but you have to tell me how far you want me to go. Chains is going to find out exactly what’s going on because this is what we do for a living. If I hadn’t been so concerned about your safety, I’d be there doing what he’s doing, instead of here, protecting you from a threat that seems nonexistent now.”
“Dammit.” I would have started pacing had there been more than three feet in any direction, so I start tapping my foot again instead. “But why? Why would she bring you here to help if she was behind it to begin with?”
“We don’t know anything,” he says gently. “My gut reaction would be for you to call Sandra. Tell her you’re checking in, ask how finals are going, etc. See how she reacts.”
“I’ll do that this afternoon, after finals are over, around three.”
“Okay.” He sinks down next to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “No matter what’s going on, we’ll figure it out together, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
“I really hope not,” I whisper sadly. “Because I don’t think I could take that kind of blow if my mother is behind this.”
“I’ll be right here. Promise.”
