by Olivia James
"I wanted you to discover some things for yourself. Now go on, what else did he say? Serial killers and stalkers are his whole life these days."
"He asked to read the messages, so I sent them to him. He's going to look them over and then give me his professional opinion."
"What if he says that he thinks this person is dangerous?"
Shaw pushed away her empty plate and tucked her paper napkin underneath the edge.
"I'll find out what your brother thinks tomorrow night. We're going to a movie and then dinner."
Melissa looked surprised. "You didn't ask him to tell you right away? Knowing my brother he's already read those messages."
"It's not a big deal. I can wait."
"You're cooler about this than I would ever be. I'd have to know as soon as possible."
"That's me. Cool as a cucumber."
And we all know what can happen to a cucumber. They end up in a pickle.
Hopefully, that wouldn't be me.
Luke paused the video he was watching when his boss Logan Wright exited his office to grab a cup of coffee. They were both there later than normal, and everyone else had gone home.
Logan frowned when he realized he wasn't alone. "I know why I'm here late, but what's your story? Don't you have two dogs waiting for you?"
Luke did have two Labradors - one yellow and one chocolate brown. Murphy and Dylan. Murphy was the clown of the duo, always having fun and making people laugh. Dylan was the introvert, far more shy but loyal to a fault once he was used to a human. He was also a cuddle bunny, lying next to Luke pretty much everywhere in the house. Murphy was far more independent, coming to get pats in between destroying his toys. Both of them were devoted to the other and they couldn't have been any closer.
"I do, but I stopped by and let them out midafternoon. They're good for a little while. They're probably taking a nap to rest up for a long walk when I get home."
They wouldn't let Luke forget, either. Murphy would grab the leash between his teeth and bring it to his daddy, laying it next to him on the floor.
Luke couldn't imagine loving them more than he already did. They had him wrapped around their furry paws.
Logan took a sip of his coffee and leaned down to look at Luke's screen. From experience, Luke knew it would be black with no cream or sugar. Practically industrial strength sludge. That's the way his boss liked it.
"What are you working on?"
Not anything that Luke had actually been assigned by the partners of this consulting firm - Logan Wright, Jason Anderson, and Jared Monroe. Nor had it been assigned by his direct supervisor Reed Mitchell. The fact was he wasn't too sure how it would be looked on that he was working on something else while in the office. He hadn't been here long enough to know.
Time to find out.
"This is a video of one of my sister Melissa's friends. She's a social media…shit, I don't even know what they call them. She basically gives relationship advice on her channel and is very successful at it. She even has a book deal. Her background is also psychology."
"I don't get a lot of this social media stuff, but it sounds interesting." Logan leaned closer. "She's pretty."
Yes, she was. Luke was already anticipating their date tomorrow night.
"She's my sister's friend."
Now why did I say that again? And in that tone?
Chuckling, Logan took another sip of his coffee. "Right. You've got no interest at all. That's why you're sitting at your desk after seven o'clock at night watching her videos. Unless you were wondering what to do about a messy roommate?"
That was the subject of the current video open on his laptop. He had been instantly impressed by Shaw's empathy but also her ability to define boundaries in a relationship. Being one of five kids, there hadn't been many of those boundaries in his home growing up. Not that he'd known any different, but he sure liked having a bathroom all to himself now.
"I had coffee with her earlier today," he finally admitted. "We're going out tomorrow night."
"I had a feeling she was more than an acquaintance," Logan laughed. "Where are you taking her?"
"A movie and then a casual dinner."
"Casual, huh? Good choice for a first date."
Should I even mention it? What the hell...why not?
"Logan, can you take a look at something for me? Give me your opinion? Ryan and I looked through these earlier, but I'd like your thoughts."
"Sure, I can do that."
Logan pulled up a chair and Luke opened the folder, letting his boss peruse the contents quietly. At one point, Luke even got up and went to get a can of soda. By the time he came back, Logan had closed the folder and was sitting back in the chair.
"You want my opinion?"
Luke nodded. "I do. What do you think?"
"How about I get to ask one question first? Are these messages to your new girlfriend?"
"They are," Luke admitted reluctantly, although he wasn't ready to characterize Shaw as his girlfriend. He'd let Logan's words pass however, as he didn't have a description that was much better. She was more than a friend but not yet his girlfriend. "I had to really work to get her to let me look at them. She's convinced it's not a big deal and that if she keeps ignoring them this person will eventually get fed up of not getting any attention and just go away."
Rising from the chair, Logan rubbed at his chin. "I don't think she's going to be that lucky, but then I'm a cynical old cop that lost his faith in humanity a hell of a long time ago. So take what I say with a grain of salt."
Everyone knew that Logan's gut was usually dead on the money.
"You going to look into this for her?" Logan asked. "Check it out?"
"Maybe this weekend–"
"Fuck that. If you need to take some time to look at this, I don't have any objections."
Shit, Luke hadn't expected his boss to let him investigate these messages. On company time.
"I couldn't ask you to let me do that. I can do this at night and on the weekends."
Logan just laughed as he headed back to his office. "We like you working at night and on the weekends too. But let me give you some advice...always err on the side of the living. Your girlfriend needs help now. So let us know what we can do to help you. Grab Ryan if you need him."
It wouldn't hurt to look a little more deeply into this. Assuming Shaw allowed him to, of course. She wasn't going to be happy, but Luke agreed with Logan. This person wasn't going to give up easily.
Luke just might need to convince him.
6
Working from home was sometimes rather isolating so Shaw made sure to leave her house and hit the gym at least three times a week. She was able to exercise and be around other human beings all at the same time. She'd never had a goal to become a hermit, but she could easily slip into that behavior if she wasn't vigilant, especially when it was cold outside or the weather sucked. It was far easier to stay home and order dinner to be delivered.
When she turned down her street the next afternoon after her workout, she had a strong urge to turn the car around and drive back the way she came. Fast.
Her mother's car was in her driveway.
What did I do in a past life to deserve this?
As far as Shaw knew, her mother and stepfather were supposed to be looking at condos today. They wanted something low maintenance and closer to town than their current home which was twenty minutes away from the nearest grocery store. They'd bought the place nine months ago because they liked their privacy. It turned out that they liked going out to dinner more.
Are they looking in my neighborhood? I might have to move.
Instantly ashamed of her thoughts, Shaw parked in her garage and took a deep breath. She loved her mother. She truly did. But...sometimes Julia Stephenson didn't make liking her all that easy. She'd been a difficult parent to please when Shaw was a child and it wasn't much better now.
Julia didn't like Shaw's career. Or her house. Or her neighborhood. Or her car. Or her fr
iends. Or her shoes, or her lipstick, or any of the other hundred decisions that Shaw had made on her own. If it wasn't what Julia would have picked? It was obviously all wrong.
When Shaw entered her home, she found her mother and stepfather sitting at her kitchen island and drinking coffee as if they lived there.
I need to get that spare key back.
"Mom, Oliver, this is a surprise."
More than you can imagine.
Her mother jumped up and gave her a hug. "We were looking at houses in the Cumberland area and decided to stop by. You weren't here but we assumed you'd be home soon."
Cumberland was twenty minutes away. Not exactly close.
"I see you made yourself at home."
Julia stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "You wouldn't have wanted us to be uncomfortable, would you? That's no way to treat a guest."
Shaw didn't point out that she wasn't a host technically, because Julia wasn't an invited guest. She didn't need to start a war with her mother. It was easier to move on to another subject.
"Did you see any condos that interested you?"
Oliver smiled and nodded. "We did. A nice three bedroom. Plenty of room if you wanted to move home."
Julia's new husband was a nice, quiet man about five years younger. Tall and wiry, he had thick brown hair that was shot with a little gray at the temples. He also had an easy smile and Shaw could see why her mother had fallen for him. He was quite the charmer.
And he'd obviously been listening to her mother because he was beating that drum again.
Move home. Not going to happen.
Should I ignore it or say something?
So far she'd just been ignoring those comments, but they hadn't gone away. As a rule she tried to avoid discussions that would upset her mother, but this was getting out of hand. Shaw was going to be thirty years old on Saturday. She'd been living on her own for years now and she had absolutely no intention of ever moving back. This was a fantasy her mother simply wouldn't let go.
"I own my home here, Oliver. I'm not sure why you would think I'd want to give it up."
"You're alone here," Julia exclaimed, retrieving a cup from the cabinet and pouring a third cup of coffee. "That cannot be healthy. You don't have anyone to look after you either. What if you get sick or hurt? You could lie here for days until someone found you."
"I text with my friends every single day. If I didn't answer they'd check on me."
"Every day?" Julia sniffed, pushing the coffee in front of Shaw. "I'm lucky to get a call once a week."
Because you make me crazy.
"You really should call your mother more," Oliver said in a reproachful tone. "She worries about you."
"You don't need to worry so much, Mom. I'm fine. Everything is fine."
"You say that but something bad could happen," her mother argued. "You need people around you that love you. Now drink your coffee."
Love me...to death.
Julia Stephenson simply didn't get it. Children were supposed to grow up and spread their wings. Make lives for themselves and become independent.
"I don't really want coffee but thank you. How about we talk about the condo that you looked at?" Shaw suggested hopefully. "What was the kitchen like? And didn't you want a big jacuzzi tub, Mom?"
Julia shrugged. "It didn't have a big bathtub, but it had a nice kitchen. Granite countertops though. I was hoping for quartz."
"We'll keep looking until we find exactly what you want, sweetheart," Oliver said with a grin, draining his cup. "If we have to look at every condo and townhouse in a five-hundred-mile radius."
Five hundred miles away? That sounded like heaven. Julia and Oliver wouldn't be dropping by unexpectedly if they lived that far.
"Now about your birthday," Julia began. "We need to make plans. That's the main reason we stopped by today."
They'd already made plans. Weeks ago.
"Did you not want to have brunch on Sunday?"
"Of course we do, but I'm your mother. Don't I get to see you on your actual birthday? You could come to our house for dinner. I'll make chicken."
Counting slowly to ten, Shaw took a steadying breath and reminded herself that she gave relationship advice for a living. She might want to take some herself.
"I already told you that I have plans on Saturday, Mom. We're going to have brunch on Sunday and then go shopping, right? It's going to be a great day."
Julia's lips pressed together. "I suppose you'll be spending Saturday with your friends."
Her mother made it sound like Shaw was planning to spend the day with Hannibal Lecter. Eating internal organs with a glass of craft beer.
"Part of it. I have other things to do as well for work."
Normally that would be Julia's cue to scoff at Shaw's idea of work. Her mother actively hated her social media career and was constantly pushing her to go back to school for her doctorate. Shaw wasn't against the idea for the future, but right now she was happy.
Instead of deriding her videos, her mother mumbled something under her breath. Oliver, bless him, kept mostly quiet for all of this. He didn't have much to say, that was for sure, which was lucky as Julia liked to be the one doing the talking. In that aspect they definitely made a great couple.
"Let me know if you change your mind. Or if your friends cancel on you at the last minute."
"I will, Mom."
It wasn't probable but there was a slim chance both Melissa and Taylor could come down with the flu. But in that case Shaw would probably have it too, along with their entire yoga class.
"Did I mention to you that Sandra's son Gerald is back in town?" Julia asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "He's single again. Maybe you should give him a call."
It wasn't a surprise that Gerald was single. He was a horrible human being, or at least he was the last time Shaw had seen him. He was rude, pompous, and generally unpleasant. He thought he knew everything about everything when in actuality he didn't know squat. He also thought that personal hygiene was a Madison Avenue conspiracy. Time to change the subject. Again.
"Let's talk about that kitchen that you saw today. What color were the cabinets?"
With a mother like Julia, Shaw didn't need a stalker or an online troll.
She already had one.
Luke didn't know why he was nervous. This wasn't his first date with Shaw,
after all. They'd both agreed that they liked each other enough to go on a second date, so she was into him. But he still wasn't calm.
It was supposed to be a casual date - a movie and then some pizza. Nothing elaborate, which they'd both heartily agreed to. Eating at some fancy restaurant with a snooty waiter wasn't their idea of fun. He was lucky that Shaw felt the same as he did. She'd even made a face when he'd suggested the elegant French place on the west side of town. It had been her idea - and a fabulous one - to grab a pizza and a movie. The film would give them something to talk about while eating the pizza if the conversation lagged.
Luke didn't anticipate that though. They hadn't had any issues at the coffee shop.
Wiping his damp palms on the denim of his jeans, he rang Shaw's doorbell and waited. For the first time in a while he was excited about spending time with a woman. He'd been thinking about her pretty much all the time since they'd met. He wanted to know more about her, her childhood, her hopes, and dreams.
Tonight he'd settle for finding out what pizza toppings she liked.
The door flew open and...Shaw looked amazing. He'd noticed that she was an incredibly attractive woman before but tonight she looked especially beautiful. Her chin length blonde hair was shiny and held back on one side with a small gold barrette. Her blue eyes were rimmed with a smoky liner and her lashes were ridiculously long and thick. She had paired a bright red sweater with dark blue jeans that made her legs look amazing. He had to remind himself to breathe before he could speak.
"Hi."
Real eloquent. He was no poet.
"Hi," she replied with a smil
e. "Let me get my coat and purse, okay?"
Shaw shrugged into her coat and Luke stepped forward to lend a hand as he'd been taught by his mother. She'd always drilled manners into her five children, although he had to admit that most of it hadn't really stuck until he was an adult.
Locking the door behind her, she slung her purse over her shoulder to follow him but then abruptly stopped. He followed her gaze to the house across the street. The neighbor was standing at the large picture window.
Watching.
Luke's gut immediately tightened. He didn't like this at all.
"Does he do that a lot?"
"Maybe once or twice," Shaw replied. He could hear the reluctance in her voice. "He's home quite a bit when he’s not traveling, but he's really quite friendly."
"I'm friendly but I don't watch my neighbors like that." Luke scowled at the figure outlined by the lamp. "He isn't even moving or pretending he was checking the weather. He's just standing there watching us. More specifically...you. What's his name?"
"James. James Hornsby. You're going to check him out, aren't you? That's why you wanted to know his name."
"Yes, just to be safe. Someone is bothering you, Shaw. You need to be careful."
"But they're doing it online," she protested, allowing him to lead her to his vehicle and help her into the passenger seat. "James lives across the street."
"But he knows what you do?"
"Well...yes."
"So he could create profiles and send you threatening messages a hell of lot more easily than by leaving notes on your car window?"
Sighing heavily, she nodded. "I suppose you're right."
"I'm just going to check out his background. No big deal."
Luke had already planned to do it, but now Hornsby was at the top of his list. He closed Shaw's door and went around to slide into the driver's seat.
"How about we forget all about possible stalkers tonight and just enjoy the evening?" he said, wanting to diffuse the tension that had sprung up between them. He didn't want this to be about anything bad. "Deal?"