“Be careful, okay?”
“You bet.”
Frowning, Tuck said, “Maybe we oughta come with you. I can grab the forty-four, and...”
“No, that’s all right. Thanks anyway. Just stay put.”
Chapter Twenty-One
EVE
Eve Chaney stepped outside, slid the door shut, then walked toward the pool.
“That takes guts,” Dana said.
“Eve’s got ’em. I wasn’t kidding when I said she’s the best cop in town. Hell, she makes the others look like a bunch of sissies. She’ll do anything, You wouldn’t believe all the commendations she has. She’s actually shot five or six bad guys.”
“Look at that,” Diana said, watching Eve through the glass door. “She doesn’t even have her gun out.”
A few strides away from the pool, Eve stopped walking. Her head moved slowly from side to side. Then she swung to the right, broke into a jog and hurried toward the end of the pool.
She runs like a guy, Dana thought.
Off to the right, beyond the pool’s apron of well-lit concrete, Eve switched her flashlight on. With its strong beam slanting out ahead of her, she hunched over and ducked into the foliage.
“She isn’t wearing any vest,” Dana said.
“Never does,” Tuck said. “Which I think is stupid. I’ve told her so. I mean, plenty of other cops wear them all the time. She won’t have anything to do with the things. She says they get in the way. And they’re hot. And they hide her girlish figure.”
Dana chuckled. “She said that?”
“She’s sort of a wise-ass.”
“Like you. No wonder you think she’s so great.”
“She worries me, though. I mean, she’s always taking unnecessary risks. Like this thing about the Kevlar vests. Would it kill her to wear one?”
“Maybe she thinks she’s invincible.”
“Maybe. I don’t know what it is. She drives me up the wall. I mean, she’s very smart and dedicated and everything, but... What the hell is taking her so long?”
“It hasn’t been all that long,” Dana said.
“She thinks she’s so tough.”
“Apparently, she is tough. From what you said...”
“But someone might get her from behind, you know?” Tuck grabbed the door handle.
“She told us to stay here.”
“She might be in trouble. What if she yells for help? We won’t even be able to hear her.”
Tuck slid the door open. The night air came in, wrapping Dana with its chill.
Nobody was calling for help. Dana heard only the hissing, bubbling sounds of the spa and a few distant squeals that she supposed were coming from seagulls.
Tuck stepped out onto the patio.
“Get back in here!”
Not even glancing back, Tuck simply shook her head.
Dana stepped out and stood next to her. “She told us to stay inside.”
“Yep. So what’s she gonna do, arrest us?”
“Well, since we’re out here anyway...” Dana stopped talking and walked away from Tuck’s side.
“Where’re you going? You’d better get back here.”
Ignoring Tuck, she strolled over to the table. She lifted her robe off the back of a chair and put it on. The soft fabric felt cozy. She was glad to be warm again, and glad to have her body covered, hidden away from anyone who might be out there watching. After tying her belt, she picked up Tuck’s robe and both towels.
As she approached the door, Tuck gave her a peeved look.
“I was freezing,” Dana explained. “Anyway, you’re the one who wanted to come outside.”
“I didn’t mean we should go wandering around.”
“I didn’t wander far. Anyway, I’m back.”
After taking Tuck’s robe and towels into the house, she came back out and stood beside her.
“I’m just a little rattled by all this,” Tuck said.
“I know. Me, too.”
“Isn’t enough that somebody messes around with the Ethel exhibit. Isn’t enough that we end up with three missing players and have to go on a search. And we’ve still got somebody missing. I mean, that’d be a bad day all by itself. That’d be a shitty day. But now we’ve gotta have some kind of creep lurking around the house with God-only-knows-what on his sick, perverted mind.”
“Maybe it’s just a secret admirer,” Dana said.
“Like I just said, a sick, perverted creep. What the hell is taking Eve so long?”
“She’s probably just doing a thorough search.”
“She shouldn’t be taking this long.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. Do you think it might all be connected?”
“Connected?” Tuck asked. “What?”
“What you were just talking about. Maybe the guy who screwed around with Ethel had something to do with the missing tape player. And maybe he came over here.”
“I don’t know,” Tuck said. “I guess it’s possible.”
“Maybe we should tell Eve about that stuff.”
In a half-joking voice, Tuck said, “You mean, if she isn’t dead?”
“She’s not dead. Maybe she’ll have some ideas about...”
“Let’s just deal with one problem at a time, okay? Eve doesn’t have to know about our troubles at Beast House. She might want to start an investigation. Next thing you know, everybody’d find out. It’s nobody else’s business.”
“If a customer disappeared...”
“Nobody disappeared. Not necessarily. We’re just short one tape player, that’s all.”
“But...”
“Nobody was looking for anyone and there weren’t any leftover cars in the lot. That’s pretty strong proof that we don’t have a missing person. I know, maybe he went on the tour alone. Maybe he parked on the street somewhere, or walked over. For now, though, we don’t have any good reason to start a major fuss about the situation. I don’t want to go whining to the cops every time there’s a little glitch in things.”
“You called the cops tonight.”
“A prowler lurking by the pool is a big glitch. For God’s sake, where’s Eve?”
“She’s probably...”
“EVE!” Tuck shouted.
No answer came.
“Oh, God,” Tuck muttered. “Something’s happened to her.”
“Maybe she’s...”
“EVE! DAMN IT, WHERE ARE YOU?”
Over beyond the far, left-hand corner of the pool, Eve trudged out of the bushes. She was hunched over, her head down.
When she stepped onto the concrete, she straightened up. “What’s the trouble?” she called.
“Are you okay?” Tuck asked.
“Fine. What’s the trouble? Did you see him?”
“No.”
“What’re you doing outside?”
“We got worried about you.”
Eve smirked and shook her head. Then she shut off her flashlight and came walking around the pool. As she neared Dana and Tuck, she said, “Let’s go back into the house.”
They went in without waiting for Eve to arrive. She entered after them, slid the door shut and locked it. Not saying a word, she turned her back to them and started to shut the curtains.
“Uh-h,” Tuck said. “I’m not sure I like the way this is going.”
Eve faced her and said, “I know I don’t.”
“Yuck,” Tuck said.
“Somebody was back there, all right.”
The words came as no surprise to Dana. After all, Tuck had said she’d seen someone. But Dana felt stunned, anyway, to hear a police officer confirm it. She felt a cold heaviness in the pit of her stomach.
“Did you see him?” Tuck asked.
Eve shook her head. “Afraid not.”
“What did you find?”
“He’d tramped stuff down pretty well. In some places, the weeds were mashed flat against the ground. I think he must’ve spent quite a while back there.”
“Shit,” Tuck muttered.
“Anything else?” Dana asked.
“Not really. I can’t even say with absolute certainty that it was a person. Might’ve been some kind of large animal.”
“I saw an arm,” Tuck reminded her. “And shoulder.”
“I’m not doubting you,” Eve said. “If you say it was a person, it probably was. I didn’t see anything to suggest it wasn’t. My guess is, you had a voyeur. He found himself a nice hiding place in the bushes to watch you two cavort in the swimming pool.”
“The spa,” Tuck said. “We were in the hot spa.”
A smile broke out on Eve’s face. “Glad to hear that. I’d hate to think of anyone in the swimming pool on a night like this. Either way, though, it looks as if you had an audience.”
“Terrific,” Tuck said. “At least we kept our suits on.”
“Even though it was optional,” Dana added.
“From the looks of things,” Eve said, “I don’t think he’s a regular visitor. It’s pretty thick and wild back there. Nothing was worn down. All the trampled places looked fresh. So this might’ve been his first night. That’s the good news.”
“And the bad?” Dana asked.
Eve let out a gruff laugh. “Where do I start?”
“Oh, that’s comforting,” Tuck said.
“I gave the area a pretty good search, and he seems to be gone. But he might not be gone. Like I said, it’s really thick back there. He might not’ve left at all. He might be in there right now, hiding.”
“That is comforting.”
Eve shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not here to comfort you, Lynn.”
“And why not”
Eve laughed. “Shut up and listen, okay?”
“Yes, Officer Chaney.”
“This is serious business.”
“I know.”
“Your prowler might not be gone. There’s no way to be sure, one way or another. That’s part of the bad news.”
“More to come,” Tuck said.
“Plenty. If he has left, he’s very likely to return tomorrow night, or the night after tomorrow...My time he gets the urge, he might just drop by in hopes of catching you in your swimsuits...or out of them.”
“Oh,” Tuck said, “this is getting more wonderful every moment.”
“It gets better.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“There comes a time when most voyeurs get the urge to do more than watch.”
“I was afraid you might say that,” Tuck said.
Grimacing, Dana said, “In other words, he might come for us?”
“No pun intended,” Tuck added.
Eve shook her head. “Whoever this guy is,” she said, “he probably has fantasies about raping you. One or the other of you, or both. The next step might be an attempt to carry out his fantasies.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Dana admitted. “What should we do?”
“Be very careful. Make sure you always keep the doors and windows secured. Keep all the curtains shut so he can’t see into the house. Don’t go outside alone. Be especially careful at night, but keep your guard up all the time. Daylight’s no guarantee of safety. I would certainly forget about using the pool or spa for a while. And Lynn, dig out your revolver and keep it handy.”
“So now we’ve got a peeping Tom running our lives,” Tuck muttered.
“I’m just suggesting you take precautions.”
“Yeah. Hide indoors. Don’t use the pool or spa. Man! This really sucks! What next, put bars on the windows?”
“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Eve said. “I’m just saying that you need to be especially careful for a while.”
“How long a while?” Tuck asked.
“We’ll have to play it by ear.” Eve shrugged. “The guy might not come back at all. I mean, he probably knows you’re onto him, so maybe he’ll move on to safer pastures. Or he might figure you’re worth a little extra risk. Two gals for the price of one. And you’re both a couple of babes.”
“Gee whiz, Eve...”
“You know it, I know it, he knows it. You’re very good-looking gals, and he has the hots for you. He’s already seen you in your swimsuits. That was probably a big treat, but what he really wants is to see you naked. So he’ll most likely keep coming back for a period of time. Don’t give him anything to see. Eventually, he’ll figure it’s useless. Then he’ll probably go away and look elsewhere for his kicks.”
“Probably?” Tuck asked.
“I’m just giving you educated guesses,” Eve explained. “The fact is, we don’t even know for sure he is a peeping Tom. Maybe he was out there for some other reason.”
“Such as?” Dana asked.
Eve shrugged. “Could be just about anything.”
“Such as?”
“A thief. Maybe he was back there casing the house, and you just happened to come out so he stuck around for the show.”
“We converted him to voyeurism,” Tuck said.
They all smiled at that one.
“Now he’ll keep coming back,” Tuck added.
Eve’s smile slipped away. “There’s another possibility about the guy. You might not like to hear this, but...”
“You mean this one won’t uplift our spirits?” Tuck asked.
“It’s a little more on the scary side.”
“More scary than a thief or a peeping Tom?”
“Chances are, he is a peeping Tom. I’d bet on it. But you really have to consider the possibility that the guy... well, he might be after one or the other of you. He might be a stalker.”
“Yeah, that’s what we want to hear.”
“You’ve both probably got guys falling for you all the time.”
“It happens,” Tuck said.
Dana nodded.
“Your prowler might be one of them,” Eve said. “You get a guy who develops a mad crush on you. For one reason or another, he figures he doesn’t stand a chance with you. So he goes nutty and forms an obsession.”
“Love it when that happens,” Tuck said.
“Pain in the butt,” Dana said.
“And it can be dangerous,” Eve explained. “I mean, a lot of guys’ll pester the hell out of you and make nuisances out of themselves, but if one actually goes to the extreme of following you around and spying on you, then you’ve got a major problem. He isn’t just longing for you, he’s coming for you. A guy like that can be extremely dangerous. He might even kill you.”
Nodding, Dana said, “If he can’t have us, nobody can.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, everyone,” Tuck said, “I’m cheered up now.”
“The thing is,” Eve said, “you might know who it is.” Glancing from Dana to Tuck, she asked, “Can you think of anyone who might be obsessed with you? Anyone who seems to be watching you all the time or following you around? Maybe a fellow worker? Or somebody taking the tour?”
Dana thought of Clyde. She thought of Dennis and Arnold. Even Warren crossed her mind. But none of them seemed likely.
She shook her head.
“I can’t think of anyone,” Tuck said.
“Is there someone you’ve noticed taking the tour more than once?”
“That happens all the time,” Tuck said. “People are always coming back for another visit. Hell, we’ve got regulars.”
“Might be one of those. You think he’s coming back to see the house over and over again, but he’s actually coming back so he can keep his eyes on you.”
“I guess that’s possible,” Tuck admitted. “But there’re so many of them, I wouldn’t know...Besides, you said this was probably the guy’s first visit here.”
“Looked that way.”
“Chances are, then, he didn’t come because of me. I mean, I’m always around. Why did he wait till tonight? He probably came because of Dana. This was her first day at Beast House.”
Eve looked at her. “Your first day, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Anybody seem to be taking special interest in you?”
“Not really. Clyde, I suppose. He tried to ask me out for dinner tonight, and I turned him down. I don’t want to get him into any trouble, though. I mean, this could’ve been anyone.”
“It doesn’t seem like Clyde’s style,” Tuck said.
“You never know,” Eve said. “I wouldn’t put much of anything past that guy.”
“You know him, huh?” Dana asked.
“You bet,” Eve said. “A real prince.”
Tuck, suddenly grinning, said, “Officer Chaney, here, is one of the precious few who hasn’t gotten nailed by Clyde.”
“He’s afraid of me,” Eve said. She showed her teeth. “I can’t imagine why. Anyway, aside from Clyde, was there anyone else today who seemed to be especially interested in you?”
“There was Warren. We talked for a while. He seemed really nice, but...”
“He is nice,” Eve said. “I can’t see him doing something like this.”
“Even if he had the urge,” Tuck said, “he wouldn’t have the guts.”
“He is pretty timid,” Eve agreed. “Anybody else? Maybe a guy hanging around you while you were on duty?”
“Not really. A lot of people sort of...you know, gave me a second look. But I didn’t notice anyone really watching me.”
“Well, keep an eye out for that sort of thing. Both of you. Tomorrow, pay close attention to anyone who seems too interested, maybe asks you a lot of questions, or just hangs around and stares at you. Anything at all suspicious. Okay? In the meantime, I’ll write up a report on the situation. You take the precautions I told you about, and everything’ll turn out fine.”
“Peachy,” Tuck said.
“I know it’s a pain in the ass.”
“It’s the way things go, nowdays,” Tuck said. “The good guys have to lock themselves up, and the bad guys rule the night. The American way.”
“I hate to think that’s how it works in this town,” Eve said. “Believe me, I don’t like it any better than you do. It’s an affront to me. But I can’t put down a bad guy till I know who he is. For now, you two should just be careful and lay low. I’ll do what I can to end the situation.”
“We’ll be careful,” Dana said.
“Sure,” Tuck said.
Eve unbuttoned a breast pocket, reached in and pulled out a business card. “I’ll give you my home phone number,” she said.
She took out a pen. Holding the card in her open hand, she wrote her number on the back. “You don’t want someone like Cochran coming over. If anything develops when I’m not on duty, try me at home.”
The Midnight Tour Page 23