by Janie Crouch
But given how pale and stiff the guy was, Shane would say he definitely did not tend to get out and enjoy the North Carolina mountains around him.
Shane and Sheriff Linenberger stood watching Deputy Hammell, the same deputy who had taken Shane and Chloe’s statements after the attempted shooting on the set, through the two-way mirror in the small interrogation room of the county sheriff’s office. Just like they had been for the past two and a half hours.
“He’s hiding something, that’s for sure,” Shane said. “And it’s damn suspicious to be in town both during the break and to have gotten ‘sick’ on the same night Alexandra’s trailer was destroyed.”
“You think he’s the guy?” the sheriff asked.
“I want him to be our guy.” Wanted to have this stalker put away behind bars. Wanted to put all this behind him as soon as possible so he could make up for the dumbass stuff he’d said to Chloe this morning.
“If Justin lawyers up, we’ll have to let him go,” the sheriff said, arms crossed over his chest. “Except for the fact that he was in the general vicinity, there’s absolutely nothing to tie him to any crime. An attorney would have him out in under five minutes. And even if he doesn’t get a lawyer, we can only hold him for twenty-four hours without some sort of charge.”
Justin had been notified that he could have counsel with him, but had declined. That either made him stupid, conceited, or innocent of wrongdoing. Shane knew he wasn’t stupid. And knew he was conceited. He just didn’t know if Justin was innocent or not.
The man could certainly talk in circles. For every question Hammell asked, Justin had three of his own plus suggestions for investigative elements that law enforcement might have missed. Some of them weren’t half bad.
The guy really was brilliant, which didn’t surprise Shane at all. Chloe wouldn’t hire someone who wasn’t.
“Mr. Poll, explain to me again why you were holed up in a cabin outside of Charlotte over the break rather than going back to Portland like you’d planned,” Hammell asked again. He hadn’t gotten a straight answer the first two times he’d asked.
Justin shrugged, then sighed out loud. “I decided it wasn’t worth the trek across the country. I just wanted to be alone and I could do that just as easily here.”
“Why did you want to be alone, Mr. Poll?”
Justin’s eyes narrowed. “Look, what is this all about? I haven’t heard anything about you pulling anyone else in for questioning. Yes, I wanted to be alone. I like to be alone. Anyone could tell you that.”
“Damn it, we’re going to lose him,” Sheriff Linenberger said. “He’s going to lawyer up.”
“Let me go in there and talk to him, John. I know I’m not law enforcement, but maybe he’d be more willing to talk to me.”
“You know you’d have no authority in there, right? You couldn’t compel him to answer anything. You’d just be friends talking. He could leave at any time.”
Shane inclined his head. “It looks like he’s close to that anyway.”
The sheriff nodded then walked with him into the interrogation room, allowing Hammell to go on a break.
“Westman.” Justin threw his arms up in the air. “What the hell is going on? Are they questioning you also?”
Shane took the seat directly across from Justin. The sheriff leaned against a side wall, out of Justin’s line of sight.
Shane decided a straight approach would be better with this man. He was too hard to deal with to waste time on pleasantries.
“We’ve got a problem, Justin. How about if you stop talking circles around everyone just because you can and we try to solve that problem together rather than waste time butting heads with each other.”
Justin sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you expect me to just come out and admit I’m the stalker? Full confession, right now, just because Mr. Navy SEAL comes in and starts putting pressure on me?”
So he wasn’t going to stop talking in circles. But that didn’t necessarily mean he was guilty. It just meant the man liked to play.
“One, trust me when I say Rangers get offended when you refer to them as Squids, but I’ll let that slide, because, once again you’re back to talking in circles. Do you like your job, Justin?”
His eyes narrowed. “Yessss.” He drew the sound out.
“Your records say you got fired from your last job for taking too much personal time. That you’re sort of sickly.”
“So?”
“So, it’s pretty interesting that those ‘sickliness’ periods — when you happen to be alone — coincide with when the stalker was known to be on the Day’s End set. If we were to look into the days you took off at your other job due to being sick, would we find some suspicious behavior there also? Maybe another stalker that just hasn’t been linked to this one yet?”
Now Justin sat up straighter. “No, you wouldn’t. I was not a stalker then. I am not the stalker now.” There was a long silence. “I love my job on Day’s End.”
Justin didn’t say anything else, but Shane could hear the “but” as loudly as if the man had yelled it.
“Tell me, Justin.” Shane put his elbows on the table and leaned towards him. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”
But he didn’t. It was a stare down in silence between the two of them. For once, Justin wasn’t talking.
And as much as Shane wanted this surly jackass to be the stalker, Shane didn’t think he was. It came back to not calling a lawyer. It would’ve been the first thing he’d done if he was guilty.
Finally, Shane stood. It didn’t do anybody any good for Shane to stay if they weren’t going to get any further info from Justin.
“I’ll leave you to him, Sheriff, to charge or release as you see fit.” Shane turned to Justin. “Every minute I waste on false leads is a minute I’m not protecting the show. Not protecting the job you claim to love so much.”
Shane turned to leave.
“Westman.” Shane stopped but didn’t look back.
“I’m not the stalker.”
Now he turned. “So you said. But I also know two things, Justin. One, you are in fact, smart enough to be the stalker and two, you are keeping secrets.”
Justin sighed and looked over at the sheriff. “Do you have a pen and piece of paper?”
Sheriff gave him both and Justin scribbled something on the sheet, then slid it across the table. Sheriff Linenberger picked it up.
“Two names and numbers,” he said to Shane. “Who are these people?” he asked Justin.
Justin remained focused on Shane. “I’m telling you this because I’ve been writing suspense long enough to know when the final scene is coming. When something big is about to go down. So you’re right, Westman, every minute you waste on false leads is a minute longer the show is left unprotected. Something’s coming. Something bad.”
Shane took a step towards him. “You’re not the stalker.”
“I’m not the stalker. But I am an alcoholic. It’s why I got fired from my last show. And it’s where I was both over the break and when I got ‘sick’ during the writing lock-in. Those numbers won’t give you exact alibis, but the people will attest I wasn’t in any shape to do anything as meticulous as try to shoot at someone or break in to a trailer unnoticed. They were partying with me for most of the time.”
Shane looked at John, who nodded. “We’ll run them. Make sure he’s telling the truth.”
Shane didn’t have much doubt Justin was.
An hour later they had their confirmation. The contacts Justin provided could confirm that he’d been with them, and inebriated, for the times in question.
Shane left the sheriff to wrap things up with Justin and headed back to the set. He was glad Justin wasn’t the stalker — having a member of her inner team be the one trying to destroy the show would’ve devastated Chloe. It was going to hurt her enough when Justin eventually came clean about his alcohol problem.
And Chloe didn’t need to be hurt again, especially
not today. She’d already been hurt enough with Shane’s careless statement about Alexandra. He didn’t know why he’d said it, implied that he was going to allow something to happen between him and the actress. It didn’t matter if his relationship with Chloe was over or not, Shane was never going to get involved with Alexandra.
She just didn’t compare to Chloe in any way that mattered to him.
He’d itched to tell Chloe that all morning through the mess with Justin. Itched to tell her that as he drove back to the set with no more answers than he’d had when he left. He headed straight to her trailer, only to find that he’d missed her by about fifteen minutes as she’d left with Nadine.
Now he’d have to wait until she got back to apologize. To get their conversation back on track.
Shane knew Chloe’s past. Knew how hard it was for her to open up, to make the first move, to trust. He couldn’t let his own natural tendencies to pull away ruin the chance he had with someone he was so interested in. He needed to explain that he’d like to see what was happening between them, even once they caught the stalker. Shane was going to need to talk to Zac and see what the options were with Linear Tactical. Because it didn’t look like Wyoming was in his near future.
But first they had to catch this damn stalker.
Because Justin was right. Something bad was coming. And it was coming soon.
Chapter Twenty-Two
By lunch Shane was back on Alexandra detail. He half expected Alexandra to be hysterical after his absence last night and this morning. Walking over to where they were filming on an interior set, Shane found Markus standing watchfully at the door.
“Anything happen while I was gone? I expect she threw a fit.”
The older man shook his head. “She wasn’t happy, but surprisingly kept it together. I hear you have a possible suspect in custody? Nobody knew who it was.”
“Justin Poll, part of the creative team. He’s got problems, but he’s not the stalker. He’s been cleared.”
“You going to be on Alexandra duty this evening? She wants to get off the set, go to her house.”
The last thing Shane wanted to do was go to Alexandra’s house with her. Even though they wouldn’t be alone he had no interest in it, especially not after what he’d said to Chloe. But Markus also needed a break.
“Yeah, I appreciate the break last night. I can take the shift tonight.” Chloe would be gone most of the evening anyway. He would find her in the morning and they would hash this out. “I want to look back over the files. The pictures from the stalker’s attacks before I got here and the more recent ones. All the letters. I feel like we’re missing something.”
Shane was convinced of it. Call it his own psychic senses, but something was wrong. Maybe another attack was about to happen, Shane didn’t know. But he damn well wasn’t going to let anyone get to Alexandra. He didn’t have to like her to be able to protect her.
“Something bad’s coming, Markus. I can feel it.”
The older man studied Shane. “I’ve been in this business too long to ignore when someone like you gets a gut feeling. We’ll both stay at Alexandra’s house, and grab a couple other men, tonight. I can have a night off later.”
Shane nodded. “Why don’t you take a break now then. I’ll watch until she’s done.”
Markus agreed and left and Shane went inside to watch the recording. Alexandra was a talented actress for sure, but he was too busy watching the other people. Someone here, maybe even in this room, was a liar and would-be killer.
“She’s really good.” Noah, the intern, stepped up next to Shane, holding two cups of coffee. “Talented. But the show doesn’t depend on any one actor or actress. Miss Jeffries is the only one whose loss would cause the show to collapse. Even if Alexandra quit the show would still go on.”
“But she’s the title character.”
Noah shrugged. “Day is the title. If Alexandra quit, Miss Jeffries would just write another character named Day — a sister, brother, somebody. It would still be Day’s End ”
“I guess that’s true. The show must go on, right? Do you think Alexandra knows it?”
“I think Alexandra is playing a dangerous game.” Noah’s eyes were narrowed as he looked at the woman getting makeup retouched for the final scene she’d be filming today.
“Dangerous?”
Noah gave a self-depreciating smile. “Dangerous isn’t the right word. Risky is better. With her career, you know. If she demands too much they might decide she’s not worth it.”
“Fire Alexandra Adams?” Shane shook his head. “I don’t think they’ll do that if they have any other choice.”
“But like you said, the show would go on without her. It wouldn’t stop. Wouldn’t change anything.” Noah held up a cup of coffee. “I’ve learned to carry an extra one when I’m sent to get coffee. Would you like it?”
Shane took it. “Sure, thanks.”
“Got to get this over before they dock my pay.” Noah gave a little salute and walked the coffee cup over to the director. The older man said something to him, then Noah slipped out the other door. Chloe was right, that kid never stopped working.
An hour later they were finished shooting. Shane and Markus waited until Alexandra was ready then escorted her to the car. Markus drove, and Shane sat in back keeping an even more careful than usual eye out for possible trouble.
“So you’re back with me tonight?” Alexandra asked.
“I’m back on your security detail. And yes, I’ll be staying at your house tonight along with Markus and four other members of the team.”
“Okay.” Shane didn’t know why Alexandra was so calm when he’d just told her they’d doubled the security at her house, but he wasn’t going to question his good fortune. Nobody needed or wanted a hysterical Alexandra.
The other team members had completely swept Alexandra’s two-story cabin by the time they arrived. After a brief meeting, they agreed three men would be inside, two outside and one on break. They had a couple hours before it got dark.
Shane couldn’t shake his bad feeling.
Catering had made sandwiches and salads to bring with them, which they’d be eating in shifts, always making sure someone had a close eye on the house.
“I’m going to eat first,” he told Markus. “We’ll give the newer guys their break during graveyard hours.” Markus agreed and headed outside. The late night watch shifts were hard for everyone, particularly to younger guards with less experience. Shane and Markus would take those.
Those shifts were also when someone was most likely to try to attack the house.
Shane got his food and sat down at Alexandra’s kitchen table. He also wanted to look over the files again. Couldn’t shake the feeling that he was missing something.
“Mind if I join you?” Alexandra had showered and changed into yoga pants and a black sweater. She had no makeup on and her hair hung damp on her shoulders. It was the best Shane had ever seen her look.
And she still didn’t hold a candle to Chloe.
“I’m going over some of the files. Trying to figure out what I’m missing. I’m here to work, Alexandra. That’s all.”
“I really do wish you would call me Lexi. So few people do. And I obviously know you’re with Chloe now. There could be no doubt of that after yesterday’s scene at the catering hall.”
Shane looked at the woman, so much more human-looking now, makeup free, no fancy clothes, no entourage. She was still beautiful, but studying her closer he could see tension pulling at her eyes, bracketing her mouth. Alexandra Adams wasn’t as calm as she appeared to be. Frightened probably.
“Lexi, then, and you’re welcome to sit with me. But yes, Chloe and I are together.” He hoped for the long haul. He just had to convince Chloe of that. But first he would be concentrating on keeping Alexandra safe through the night.
Shane got out the case files and laid them on the table as Alexandra went into the kitchen warming herself up something in the oven.
He looked at all the early photos of what the stalker had left. It started with letters.
Day’s End is evil. The evil must be eliminated.
Day’s End is evil. Evil must burn.
The evil of Day’s End will be brought down.
All basically the same theme, printed in the same plain block font. Nothing unusual about the paper or ink used for the notes.
Next he’d escalated to notes attached to weapons. Knives. Hunting knives of different sizes. That was when everyone started taking it all a little bit more seriously. It was one thing to get a letter left on the set. Quite another to get one attached to a deadly weapon.
But still the theme had remained the same. The evil of Day’s End. How it needed to be eradicated.
When the next knife had been covered in blood, that’s when Shane had been brought in.
Then the stalker had really upped his game, but in a much more subtle form:
The scuba diving and hydraulics accident.
The hot tub building blowing up.
The shooter that had almost killed him and Chloe both.
After that, the sheer amount of security had to make it difficult for the stalker. Everyone was watching everyone else. Hell, there were so many hidden cameras around the set Shane couldn’t even remember exactly where they all were.
So, what? The stalker had taken a step back? De-escalated? Because both the attack on Alexandra’s trailer and the letter she’d received the next day seemed to be a step backwards, or at least sideways, for this stalker.
That didn’t feel right.
Finding a dead body in the trailer, like Shane had half-expected when he heard Alexandra’s scream, that would’ve been a logical next step for this maniac.
Shane sat back in his chair. As morbid as it sounded, that was what was bugging him about the last few days.
Someone should be dead. Killing was the next step for the Day’s End stalker. It was what he’d been moving towards from the beginning. It should’ve been a race to see if they could catch him before he killed someone. The security had made it damn difficult to do so, especially if he hadn’t wanted to get caught.