“Okay.”
* * *
“I got him on camera entering the building and exiting. He used Miley’s employee I.D. She failed to mention that she lost it, but I don’t think she’s in on it… I think she’s just kind of…” Jackson trails off.
“Spacey?” I finish his train of thought because he’s too nice to say what he really wants to. He nods in agreement.
We all congregated back at Second Chance Sanctuary because it was decided it would be the safest and most guarded place now that my stalker has been bold enough to make physical contact.
I’ve had too bad a day to resist. I’ll hold onto my arguments until tomorrow.
Someone picked up pizzas on the way up the mountain, andnow there are ten half-eaten pizza boxes scattered about, and what feels like twenty people piled into the main area of the bunkhouse, though the parolees are attempting to make themselves scarce per Lochlan’s orders.
“I lifted fingerprints from the doors to compare to the ones from the past incidents, and we have a better picture of this guy’s identity now from the cameras. He definitely had dark hair, but he might be dyeing it. If I had to guess, he’s around 5’11. Slim build. Ring any bells?”
“No. That could be a million people, but no one comes to mind.”
“How about you guys?” He asks Hayes and Thea. They are the two people who have known me the longest.
“I know you said he isn’t a suspect, but Arkett had dark hair. He was shorter than me. It still sounds like him,” Hayes says.
“I’ll keep him on my radar, but he hasn’t traveled to this part of the country in years.”
Hayes nods unsatisfied.
“I swear I’ve been cataloging every new face I see in town or at the library. I’m always looking for someone who doesn’t belong. I don’t know who would do this… Everyone always loved Liv, but in a normal way. She was practically Miss Congeniality our senior year of college,” Thea adds.
“Any bad attention in college?”
“No, not really. I had friends, and I dated. I flirted with everyone because it was easy and I–” I glance at Hayes. “I wasn’t ready to get hurt again.”
He hangs his head in guilt, but I keep going.
“Anyone want more than you wanted to give?”
“Not really. It was college. Everyone was flaky. They’d move on to the next hook-up within a couple of days.”
“What about grad school?”
“I went into law school right after undergrad. Thea started her master’s program. We kind of hunkered down the first year.” I don’t continue explaining, and he doesn’t seek clarification. He knows about Thea’s past.
“Did you ever go back home?”
“To the trailer park? Never. We got an off-campus apartment. I stayed there year-round. Worked for a catering company.”
“Any high school reunions?”
“Definitely not. I didn’t have friends in high school, especially not after… You know.” I glance at Hayes again, and Jackson nods.
Hayes gets up and starts pacing the open room.
“Well, if anything comes to mind, let me know right away. From here on out, you’re not to be alone. My deputies will take shifts sitting at your office and in the courtroom.” He stands. “If you’re not here at the sanctuary, one of these guys needs to be with you.”
I look around the room and realize that they’re all looking back at me. Nathan, Jesse, Lochlan, and Hayes. Thea, Callie, Natalie, and Jo. Tears sting my nose, and I have to glance away to keep them at bay.
“I don’t want to disrupt anyone’s life.”
“It’s not disrupting if we’re all choosing to help,” Callie says, sitting next to me. “It’s a terrible feeling to be targeted. Unfortunately for your stalker, you happen to be surrounded by a lot of qualified men who can and will protect you. I will protect you. Thea and Jo will.”
