She relayed the change in the position of the rocking chairs. “There’s no wind today, and they wouldn’t have moved to face each other. It was just like the two chairs were set up for two people to sit and converse.”
“What else? Leo mentioned footprints?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice now shaky as she explained the shoe prints and rose petals underneath the office window.
“Escalating,” Logan muttered. Then with a clearer voice, he asked, "Did you notice any vehicles following you to or from the store?"
"I kept a sharp lookout and spied a vehicle that appeared to be following me. Of course, they could have blended into the traffic and pulled off before getting to my road."
"That's good awareness on your part," Logan said approvingly. "Have you noticed any other unusual activity around your property? Strange vehicles driving by, people walking where they shouldn't be, or anything else out of the ordinary for your area?"
Willow thought carefully. "Any tire tracks at the end of my driveway could have been from a shipping delivery van or the mailman. Or just someone turning around. Believe me, I look carefully but never see anyone there."
"Ms. Thorton, based on what you're telling me, I believe your instincts are correct. Someone could very likely be conducting surveillance on you. The combination of the hang-up calls and the feeling of being watched. But now, with the physical signs you've noticed, this person is escalating."
She felt a mixture of relief that her worries were being validated but then fear at the thought of someone invading her space. "So I'm not losing my mind."
"Definitely not. Now, I would like to inquire about your background. Leo mentioned you're a former actress, but Ineed more details about your current profile and any potential threats. Do you have any ongoing disputes, or anyone who might have a grudge against you?"
"Nothing recent that I can think of," Willow said slowly. "I left Hollywood a couple of years ago specifically to avoid this kind of attention. I live very quietly here, write novels under a pen name, and only do screenwriting work that keeps me mostly behind the scenes."
"But you're not completely anonymous. Your Oscar win for a screenplay a few years back put you back in the spotlight temporarily.”
"True, but that died down fairly quickly. I do have some persistent fans from my teen actress days, and there's a blogger who seems particularly interested in tracking former child stars, but nothing that's ever felt threatening before."
"I'll want a complete list of anyone who might have reason to focus on you, including professional contacts who know your current location," Logan said. "My operative will go through that with you tomorrow. He'll assess your current security and make recommendations for improvements. We can fast-track that with a vetted security installer in Nebraska."
"Will he be able to figure out if someone really is watching me, or if I'm just being overly cautious?"
"Trust me, if someone's conducting surveillance on you, Mr. Caspani will find the evidence. He's a former Army Delta Force—quiet, thorough, and very good at spotting things that don't belong." Logan's voice carried absolute confidence. "He'll also stay close until we get a better security system in place and identify any potential threats."
"Stay close?" Willow felt a flutter of nervousness about having a stranger in her sanctuary.
"He'll need to be on your property to assess the situation and provide protection if necessary. I know it's an invasion of yourprivacy, but given what you've described, I don't want to take any chances with your safety."
The fear in her chest outweighed her discomfort with the arrangement. "Okay. Yes, whatever you think is best. I should let you know that I have a trip to LA in a couple of days. Then I’ll be back here, and next weekend, I have to be in Kansas City for an event. Both places are known as part of my schedule.”
"Good to know. We’ll make arrangements for Mr. Caspani to accompany you to both places. And he will be there tomorrow. Until then, keep your doors locked, don't go anywhere alone if you can help it, and if anything feels wrong, call 911."
"I understand."
"Ms. Thorton, I want you to know that we're going to figure this out and keep you safe. You did the right thing reaching out for help."
"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to know help is coming."
"That's what we're here for, ma'am. Mr. Caspani will take good care of you, and we'll get to the bottom of whatever's happening out there."
As she ended the call, Willow felt the tight knot of fear in her chest begin to loosen slightly. Tomorrow, she wouldn't be facing this alone anymore. If someone were observing her, she would have professional help in dealing with it. If no one were watching, then she'd still have an updated security system in place and the peace of mind that came with knowing she'd taken every precaution.
For the first time since that morning's unsettling feeling on her porch, she allowed herself to believe that everything might actually be okay.
5
Driving the dark SUV, they maintained a careful distance as they followed her smaller SUV down the two-lane highway toward town. When she turned into the grocery store parking lot, they drove past without slowing, ball cap pulled low and black jacket zipped high despite the warm afternoon. Dark sunglasses completed the disguise, while the rental's tinted windows provided additional anonymity.
Three blocks beyond the store, they executed a careful U-turn and doubled back, parking just down the street from her house. The walk through the tall grass took less than five minutes while keeping an eye out for anyone who might notice while driving down her street.
Her house stood empty and inviting in the afternoon stillness. No neighbors were visible in this rural area where properties stretched across multiple acres. The nearest farmhouse was barely visible through the trees, too distant for casual observation.
