"I've been better," she admitted, some of the tension leaving her shoulders just from hearing his familiar professionalism. "And yes. I live in Nebraska now. I needed to get away.”
“I’m glad, Willow. LA can be a hard place to live, so I’m glad you got away.”
“Well, that’s why I’m calling. Leo, I think I might have another problem… well, I'm not really sure. I get the feeling that someone is watching me. It started as just a feeling, but today atthe grocery store..." She trailed off, realizing how paranoid she might sound. “Shit… I don’t actually have any proof.”
"Trust your instincts," he said immediately, his tone shifting to pure business mode. "They're usually right about these things. Tell me everything."
She outlined the past months of receiving packages that contained silk roses or a rose necklace. Nothing weird or threatening, other than the fact that they knew her address since they were sent directly to her. Then she detailed the weeks of feeling as if she were being observed during her morning routine, the increasing frequency of the feeling, and today's certainty that someone had been watching her at the store.
“It’s not constant. It’s not every day. In fact, a few weeks can go by with nothing, and then I’ll feel it. Plus, there are the hang-up phone calls that have started.”
Leo listened without interruption, occasionally asking clarifying questions that demonstrated he was taking her concerns seriously.
Then she told him about the footprints and roses underneath the office window.
"Fuck! I wish I could get out there myself," he said when she finished, "but my wife is due any day now with our first baby, so I can't leave her."
"Oh, congratulations! And of course you can’t come now," Willow said quickly. "I wouldn't ask you to do that. I just needed to talk to someone who would understand?—"
"I’ll call my boss and see what we can do. We’ve got a fuckin’ flu going through the office, but if we can’t make it, then my boss can?—”
“No, Leo. Please… I don’t think I need that. I just… I just needed some advice about a security system.”
“We do the system design and have installers we trust to put it in. But now that I think about where you are, our co-securitycompany is in Montana… closer to where you are. They would know the best installers near you," Leo said. "I'm going to talk to my boss and then call Lighthouse Security Investigations in Montana. They're good people, just like those I work with here. Former military, top-notch training, and they can get to you sooner than we can. Their boss is Logan Bishop, a former Navy SEAL. You'll get a call from him within the hour."
Relief flooded through her, calming the racing of her heart. "Thank you, Leo. I can't tell you how much this means to me."
"Just doing my job, even if it's from a distance. And Willow? Until they get there, keep your doors locked and trust your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is. If you feel threatened, call 911 and get to safety!"
After they hung up, Willow moved through her house like a woman possessed, checking every window latch and testing every lock. They hadn’t thought she’d need security when she’d moved to rural Nebraska. But now just locked doors and windows felt woefully insufficient against whatever threat might be lurking in the prairie shadows.
She finished putting away the rest of her groceries while her mind raced through possibilities and contingencies. The familiar domestic tasks helped ground her, but couldn't completely banish the anxiety that had taken root in her chest.
When her phone finally rang forty-five minutes later, displaying an unfamiliar area code, she hesitated, then answered quickly.
"Ms. Thorton? This is Logan Bishop with Lighthouse Security Investigations Montana."
His deep and steady voice carried a quiet authority that made her breathe easier for the first time since hanging up with Leo.
"Mr. Bishop, thank you so much for calling back so quickly."
"Leo Parker filled me in on your situation," Logan continued, his professional tone reassuring. "I want you to know that I'mtaking this very seriously. Before we move forward, I need to get a clear picture of what you've been experiencing. Leo mentioned you've felt like someone's been watching you. Can you walk me through the timeline?"
Willow sank into one of her kitchen chairs, grateful to have someone who could help with her concerns. Once again, she took him through the past six months of gifts. Then, she added, "Recently, I would get a feeling of being watched. I do my morning writing routine on the back porch, and I began sensing that someone was observing me. At first, I thought I was being paranoid."
"Trust me, in my line of work, paranoia often keeps people alive. What else have you noticed?"
"There have been some hang-up calls," she admitted, her voice growing steadier as Logan's serious attention validated her fears. "Not a lot, maybe four or five over the past weeks. When I answer, there's a few seconds of silence, then they disconnect. No heavy breathing or anything dramatic, just... silence. Like someone checking to see if I'll answer."
"What time of day do these calls typically come in?"
"Various times. A couple in the evening, one midmorning, one late afternoon. Never a pattern I could identify." She paused, remembering. "The caller ID always says 'unknown caller.'"
Logan's voice sharpened with interest. "That suggests someone with access to spoofing technology or multiple burner phones. What about today specifically?"
"Today was different. More intense." Willow stood and walked to her window, peering through the curtains at the empty landscape. "When I was at the grocery store in town, that feeling of being watched was overwhelming. I kept looking around, but I couldn't identify anyone suspicious. Still, I was certain someone was studying me. And then I got home.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
“What happened?”
