The One Who Watches

by Emerald O'Brien

  “I’m looking into it,” Grace said, handing him her card. “We don’t make assumptions about anything. If you can think of anything else, please let me know. Where can we find Derek?”

  “I will,” Joel said, shaking their hands. “That’d be right around the corner. I’ll write down the address.”

  As he wrote it down, Mac pursed his lips and scanned the office space. “What will you do now?”

  “With the business?” Joel handed Grace the address on a piece of paper. “Haven’t had a chance to think about it, really, but I know Tyler would want me to keep going with our plans. That’s all I’ve got right now.”

  Seems like now you’ve got 100% of the business share instead of 50%.

  They nodded goodbye, and Mac held the glass door open for her. As they got in the elevator, Mac leaned against the wall. “Good news or bad first?”

  “Bad.”

  “The mechanic called from forensics. He said the same as the firemen: the brake pad looks like it was cut, but he can’t give a definite answer on what happened or if it was on purpose. It was a new car; he hadn’t driven it more than a month, and it hadn’t been taken in for any work since he purchased it. The dealership insisted it was in certified condition when it was sold, so all signs point to foul play, but like I said—can’t be confirmed.”

  “But he did try to brake. The lights came on.” Grace sighed. “Alright, the good news?”

  “Tyler Gibbons’ cell phone records are in. Tarek’s got them waiting for us.”

  “Great.”

  “You look tired,” he said, turning to her.

  “Thanks.” She huffed and they smiled at each other. “Our time in Amherst isn’t over yet. We need to pay a visit to Derek Mann. He was suing Tyler, claiming he stole the idea for Turning Tables. Tyler got the papers served to him yesterday before he left the office. Joel says Tyler had an idea about how to prove he was the creator and owner of the app and technology associated with it. Might be why he was speeding home.”

  They stepped out of the elevator and out onto the busy street.

  “Or he wasn’t thinking clearly,” Mac said. “Getting sued is no joke. He was probably in a terrible head space when he approached that hill.”

  “Maybe that’s why he drove into the middle of the intersection. His mind was somewhere else. Maybe the brakes weren’t working, and he slid to a stop, debating whether to keep going. I want to see about Derek. They’ve been rivals since college, so there’s some motive there, but if he was suing Tyler, I don’t know why he’d want to try to kill him. Getting ownership of the work and money for it seems to be his aim.”

  “You know how I feel about your theories,” Mac said. “Let’s just go talk to him, and I’ll message Tarek to tell him we’ll be a few hours.” They reached her car, and he opened the door for her. “We’re always taking separate cars now. It’s not environmentally friendly.”

  She smirked and got in. “Have to keep it all business on the clock.”

  “We kept it all business before in the same car. I’m sure we can do it now.” She raised her brow, and he held his hands up. “Fine, fine.”

  “See you there,” she said and closed the door.

  “Hey,” he said in a muffled tone. “Where are we going?”

  “Follow me,” she mouthed and turned the key in the ignition.

  It’s about time he had to keep up with me.

  Six

  “Thanks for getting back to me.” Madigan listened to the voicemail from Raven Lockwood again as she sat in the corner booth of The Big Spoon, swallowing her last mouthful of tea. “Sorry I missed you again. I’ll be at The Big Spoon just after noon. Looking forward to meeting you, and thanks for agreeing to meet on such short notice.”

  Madigan ended the call and the owner, Terry, came by with a pot of coffee. “I know you were having tea, but coffee refills are free.” He raised the pot and wiggled it.

  “Thanks.”

  He gave her a quick pour as a bell dinged and the door swung closed behind a well-dressed woman in a red blouse and wide black dress pants. As she strode toward Madigan, her curvy hips swayed from side to side. “Madigan Knox?”

  “Ms. Lockwood,” Madigan said, gesturing to the seat across from her.

  “Call me Raven, and I’m so sorry I’m late.” Her long black braid swung over her shoulder as she set her purse on the booth seat beside her and slid in. “Oh, could I have a coffee as well, please?”

  Terry filled the white mug in front of her before leaving.

  “I’m not usually late,” Raven muttered, grabbing the mug and taking a sip. “Oh, that’s hot. Okay, seriously, you have to excuse me. I’ve been off lately, and… well, I guess that’s what I’m here about.”

  As she stared at Madigan with prominent dark circles under her brown eyes, Madigan gave her a reassuring smile. “Grace didn’t tell me anything about this, and I know you told me a bit on your initial voice message—”

  “I blathered on, didn’t I? I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before.”

  “Full disclosure, I’m pretty new to this, too. So tell me, how can I help you?”

  “I don’t know what all your services entail,” Raven leaned in and lowered her voice, “but I’m afraid I’m being followed, and I want to know what’s going on, but more than that, I want to feel safe.”

  “Okay, tell me more about the man you believe is stalking you.” Madigan grabbed her pen and tapped it against the notebook.

  “His name is Paul Rothman. He’s about my age, mid-thirties, and he’s from Newport. He works at a tech company there—not sure which one. He went to the same university as me, and…I think he was following me around then, too. He said he saw me studying in the library. It’s like he went out of his way to watch me. He said we shared some of the same friends, and one of my friends did know him, but lost contact right after University. She said he was a nice guy, but unless he’s changed a lot since then, she didn’t know him well. He’s—off-putting.”

  “Okay, enough to make you feel unsafe?”

  Raven nodded, sipping her coffee. “I don’t know too much more because I never knew him while I was in school, and he was asking me most of the questions during the two times I’ve seen him, at the University event and on the date. Ugh, I cringe even using that word. Date. It was more like I was a piece of art he was admiring…or an animal before he began a hunt.”

  “Has anything else happened?”

  “He kept texting me afterwards, and this last week, I finally told him I wasn’t interested. Never got another text from him, but the other day, a teddy bear came to my door—no note—and no one I know sent it. I asked everyone—my parents who’re in Sudan right now visiting my father’s family—even my assistant. I didn’t tell Paul where I lived, so maybe it’s a stretch, but I also feel like I’m being watched.”

  He might have followed her home after the date…

  “That look on your face,” Raven said. “What are you thinking? Do you think I’m being silly? I mean, nothing’s happened yet.”

  “No, I think you’re paying attention to what’s been going on, and you don’t feel safe. You can’t just ignore that.”

  “Work is the only place I feel okay, so at least I can concentrate on my job.”

  “And is there a reason you feel safe there?”

  “Well, my assistant, Melanie, is usually with me. When she’s not, the building has security. You need key codes to get in, and there’s only three people who have them, besides the security company. Myself, Melanie Harvey, my assistant, and the forensic pathologist from Amherst whom I work closely with on some cases, Donovan Slade. Am I going too fast?”

  Madigan shook her head, finishing the note. “So, it’s when you’re home that you feel more vulnerable?”

  “As soon as I leave the morgue, I feel vulnerable, yeah, that’s a good word.”

  “Do you live alone?”

  “I do. Here in Tall Pines. I have a house just off Main Street. It’s
not secluded or anything, but it’s a quiet street. Not many people.”

  “Could I have the address?”

  Raven took her pen and wrote it down for her, her eyes darting to the side as she gave the pen back.

  “He’s not here…is he?” Madigan asked.

  “No, but I feel like we’re even being watched right now.”

  “What kind of security do you have at your home?”

  “Nothing right now.”

  “A dog?”

  She shook her head. “My parents live in town, too, but like I said, they’re on vacation right now. I’m feeling pretty isolated.”

  “Okay, I have a few recommendations.” Madigan set the pen on the notebook. “First is that you get a security system for your place. The sooner the better. Even if this turns out to be nothing, you’ll have peace of mind.”

  “I agree.”

  “I’d also like to follow you.” Madigan waited for a response, but Raven didn’t react. “Like tail you and survey your place.”

  “Ah, I see.”

  “I don’t know how far you want to take this, but if I can keep a watch out for you during some of the hours you’re not at work, I might be able to see if anything’s going on. If someone’s following you, they won’t expect someone else to be too. It sounds pretty simple, and it is, but I want you to know it’s an option.”

  “I understand. I’m not sure we need to go to those lengths if I have a security system installed.”

  “I suggest it because if someone is watching you, I know exactly where to find them—where you are.”

  Raven tapped her nails against her mug.

  She’s not convinced. Is it my inexperience, or something else? Maybe I can show her I could be helpful in another way.

  “Is he on Facebook?”

  “He is, but his account is pretty private.”

  “I just need a picture.”

  She gave a hint of a frown. “It’s there. It’s about the only thing there besides his company’s name.”

  “Okay, if you don’t want to proceed with surveillance, I could find out more information on him for you?”

  Raven sighed and stared past Madigan, out the window. “I don’t know. I think I’m letting my imagination run away with me.”

  I wouldn’t call a teddy bear imaginary, but maybe she doesn’t know how to decline my services without offending me.

  “I hope if you sense something’s wrong again or get any other unexpected gifts, or just if anything happens, you let me know right away, and I’ll be there, okay? A lot of women think they’re being silly or paranoid—until they realize their gut instinct was trying to tell them something. I’m here for you if you need me, and I don’t think you’re silly.”

  “Okay.” Raven smiled and sipped her coffee again. “I appreciate your time and the consultation. I should get back to work.”

  “Sure.”

  Raven set a five dollar bill on the table. “I’ve got our drinks. I appreciate you taking the time to talk.”

  “Thanks.” Madigan leaned inward. “Nice to meet you, Raven.”

  “You, too.”

  As she strode away, her braid swayed from side to side across her back, and after the bell on the diner door dinged, Madigan went over her notes.

  Paul Rothman. I’m going to do some digging into you, but first, I have a movie theater to check out.

  Seven

  Grace pressed the buzzer in the lobby of Derek Mann’s office building and stepped back to wait for a reply. Mac pushed through the first set of double doors, opening his mouth, but a voice came through the speakers.

  “Hello, this is Derek Mann speaking.”

  “Mr. Mann, I’m Detective Grace Sheppard, and I’m here to ask you some questions about Tyler Gibbons.”

  “May I ask what this is in reference to?”

  “If I could come up, or if you came down, I’d appreciate it,” Grace said. She exchanged looks with Mac and waited.

  “You can come up. Fourth floor, take a left after you get off the elevator. I’m suite 4-0-3.”

  They entered the lobby, and a man behind a small desk nodded to them as Grace pressed the button for the elevator.

  “Did you notice at Tyler’s office, there was a coffee cup with lipstick on one of the desks?” Mac asked.

  “No, I didn’t see that. Good catch. Joel said no one was there yesterday. So either Tyler’s parents and Joel lied, and he was seeing someone, or they didn’t know he was seeing someone, or it was Joel’s lady friend.”

  “Or just a business visitor they had in. Just an observation.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Mac gestured for her to get on first. She smirked and walked in, hitting the four button. “Listen, after we get back to the P.D. and check the cell records, I need to get some sleep. For the last part of your shift, could you do me a favour and look into Tyler Gibbons, Joel Wallace, and Derek Mann for me? If you find any information, I need to go over it.”

  “For sure. I’ll get their files together and take a look with whatever time I have. I’ll bring the files over tonight when I’m done.”

  “Oh, tonight, right. Can we move our dinner to tomorrow night? After I wake up, I want to go over those files.”

  “Oh, sure.” He nodded, staring at his shoes.

  He’s disappointed.

  “Hey, I wish we could do the Die Hard marathon, too, but we’ll save it for tomorrow night.”

  He nodded.

  “And,” she added, “maybe it’ll be even more fun with Madigan there.”

  “Madigan’s coming, too?” He furrowed his brow and craned his neck back.

  “Remember how I said I wanted you two to get to know each other? No time like the present, right?”

  “I wanted you all to myself,” he said, “but you know, I’m actually looking forward to this. You talk about her so much, and I know how much she means to you.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they got out, turning left.

  “Good,” Grace said.

  A tall, thin man wearing a plaid shirt and thin-framed glasses scurried around a cluttered office space behind a glass door at the end of the hallway, running past it with take out containers and again with nothing. Again with a large, empty bottle of soda, and again with nothing, stopping as they caught his eye. He opened the door, and they walked through into a small space filled with boxes, papers, and one computer station.

  “Derek Mann,” she said, shaking his hand. “I’m Detective Sheppard, and this is Officer MacIntyre.”

  “Excuse the mess,” he said, in a higher-pitched voice than Grace had expected. “Now, listen, I don’t know what Tyler told you, but this is a matter for our lawyers, not the police. Could you—” He tripped over a cord, catching himself on the edge of a desk. “Could you tell me why you’re here?”

  He doesn’t know—or he’s doing a great job of making it look that way, but he’s flustered.

  “I need to ask you some questions about your relation to Tyler Gibbons.”

  “Whatever he says I did, I didn’t. He’s the one who stole my idea and claimed it as his own. I have proof of concept, and my application for a patent, which I happen to know for a fact was sent in before his, and he’s always done this. Look, I don’t know how this matter involves you, and I called my lawyer while you were on your way up. He’ll be here soon, and we can explain anything you want to know. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  Grace exchanged a look with Mac.

  We don’t have much time.

  “You went to college with Tyler Gibbons. Is that what you mean, that he’s always done this? Even in college?”

  Derek folded his arms over his chest. “In the beginning, I thought we were friends, Tyler and I. Not his goofy partner, Joel, but I came to understand that aside from a bit of intelligence on Tyler’s part, there wasn’t much difference between the two. We’d discuss new programs and advancements in technology, class assignments, and I only realized at the end of the first semes
ter, he’d been taking my ideas and running with them. He’d turn in something similar to me, and finally, our professor, Mr. Redding, confronted me about it. He thought I was the one copying Tyler.” He shook his head and bit his lip, staring past them at the door.

  “How’d you convince him otherwise?” Mac asked.

  “I showed my work. Problem was, Tyler could, too. Like I said, he wasn’t stupid—he just acts that way. Plays this part, and I don’t know why, but he denied it to Redding. Redding believed me, but he only gave Tyler a warning. As far as I know, our projects were different after that, because he never brought it up again. He didn’t pay as much attention to Tyler in second semester, and Redding made sure to spend time with his most promising students. I plan on contacting him as a witness. If you need to talk to someone, you should speak to him.”

  “How do you know Tyler’s work wasn’t as good as yours?” Mac asked.

  “Class presentations, mostly. He always had some flashy idea that had basically already been done, but he put his spin on it. His sidekick Joel flunked out of the program, you know that?” He said he did well. Even mentioned graduation. “And he’s getting all the credit for Turning Tables, as they call it.” Derek scoffed. “You’d understand why I’m so upset if you saw them in college. Running around like they owned the place. They didn’t get the memo we weren’t in high school anymore. They didn’t take it seriously at all. Everything was a joke to them, especially Joel, and now he’s known for my concept.”

  “That has to be infuriating,” Grace said. “So you decided to pursue legal action?”

  “I knew that’s what this was about. My lawyer told me they’d been served, and the next day, you show up.”

  “Did you see him?” Grace asked. “After he’d been served?”

  “No, but I’d have loved to see the stupid look on their faces. He sent you instead of coming to confront me himself. Typical.”

  “Where were you last night?” Grace asked.

  He frowned. “I’ve been here all night. Listen, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll wait until my lawyer gets here to finish this conversation.”