This put a damper on things. Slightly. It just meant she had another obstacle to her happily ever after. Randolph would need to be taught a lesson of course, but first things first.
She merged onto the interstate and pulled up the picture of Randolph's date on her phone. She quickly uploaded it to one of her dad’s friends and asked him to figure out who she was. Her dad might be dead but he’d had connections. Ones she could still use.
Once she knew who this new girl was, then she could plan. No one was allowed to stand in the way of her happily ever after. No one.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Flick arrived bright and early for his meeting with Bentley the next day. The detective was apparently in a meeting with his higher ups so Flick had to wait. He felt somewhat silly now for flipping out last night. Maybe he was being paranoid. Knowing about Vicki’s troubles, what happened with Sara and Brae, then hearing about Mallory’s stalker and seeing Bitty. The chick creeped him out. She seemed so hard yet at the same time so freaking needy.
He tapped his fingers on the chair. Thump. Thump. Okay this was stupid. He got up to leave just as Bentley returned.
“Follow.” Bentley said simply before leading him through a bull pen full of men and pointing to a chair.
“Sit.”
Flick sat and then cursed himself out. “I’m sorry for calling man. I just got freaked out seeing her. I know I am being stupid-”
Bentley held out a hand to stop him. “Before you start, I want to confirm the name of your ex girlfriend.”
“My ex. You mean Cynthia?”
“Yes. What is her last name?”
“Why?” Flick hadn’t expected this. He leaned forward, eyes narrowed. “What is going on.”
“Her last name?” he repeated.
“Manafort.”
Bentley tapped on his computer a second. He frowned and then rubbed his face.
Flick got mad which was rare for him. “What is going on.” Emphasized every word with a pause.
“When this whole mess started, I researched all of you. Everyone in your circle. Vicki, John. Brae, Sara, you. That stunt you pulled with Bitty was stupid and careless and I worried.
That Bentley was worried made Flick somewhat sick to his stomach. “Why?”
“I got a report this morning about your ex. Her home was the target of a bomb and I regret to inform you...”
Flick didn’t hear the rest of the words. He zoned out. Cynthia with her perfect bob. Her uptight laugh. Snobby grin that drove him nuts.
Dead?
“Obviously this is being viewed as a homicide. We were going to be bringing you down for a statement later today.”
Him? “What? Why?”
“You were her ex. You’re a person of interest.”
Holy shit. “When did it happen? I was at work all day yesterday except for dinner and I admit it, I spent the night at my parent’s last night. I had no reason to hurt her. We broke up amicably.” Too amicably. She really hadn’t given a shit about him.
“Bombs can be set in advance.”
“What the fuck.” Flick stood up. “I came here for help.”
“Sit down.” Bentley hissed. “I’m on your side but I have to ask. I have to.”
Flick stomach twisted but he sat. Dang. This dude had balls.
“Calm down. I do not, I repeat I do not believe you are involved. Neither does anyone else here. I have a bad feeling from the start how erratic this Bitty is and thought that this might all be linked.”
Flick let his head fall into his hands. It was his fault. That stupid date. He hadn’t even gotten that much information out of her. And now Cynthia was dead because of it. Because of his stupidity. And then he nearly puked. If Bitty saw his ex as a threat than anyone he was seen out with would be at risk. “Mallory.”
“What?:
“Mallory. I was on a date last night. Well not really a day but I went out with someone last night. The first since Bitty. If she targeted Cynthia. She might target her. Oh god.” He felt sick inside. It was his fault. All this was his freaking fault.
“How do we contact her.”
His hand shook as he pulled up her contact and held it out to Bentley. “Here’s her number. Her dad is the owner of the chemical company I work at.”
“I’ll contact her and make sure she’s all right. Now tell me about these gifts and these sightings you’ve had.”
Flick swallowed. This was way more real that he’d expected. “After the date with Bitty, I got flowers the next day. And the next. Damn near daily for a week. Always lilies, red lilies. I’d gotten Bitty the same flower on his date..”
Flick glanced at Bentley to see if he was still listening.
Bentley had pen and paper out and focused on him fully.
“I moved into Vicki’s old place you know and I felt like I was being watched. She has a thing for pigs and all these stupid figurines everywhere so I thought it was that. I hate farm animals. Not sure why. But then on the way to work one time, I swear that outside my apartment, there was a smell of perfume in the air. I couldn't prove it but I felt like someone was there recently. Then I started getting other gifts. Something I looked up on Amazon popped up and I hadn’t actaully ordered it. My favorite cologne. Clothes. A new suit. A tailored shirt with my initials on it. A new Zippo.” He took a deep breath. “But then there were phone calls. Just silence. Blocked numbers. Occasional breathing.” He felt so freaking stupid, like a fucking damsel in distress. “And last night someone sent me flowers at work. Again, Lilies.”
“Did you ever see her?”
“No, not until last night. I just thought I was being paranoid. I mean. Hey. I’m cute. But stalking. Guys don’t get stalked right?” He laughed but even he knew his voice was too high.
Bentley leaned forward. “It happens more than you know. I have long held that the laws on stalking should be harder but it so very hard to prove. Too many times we can’t do anything until too late and men absolutely can be stalked. Just like women. More times then not it is blown off as chicks being crazy but it was important you came to me.”
Flick nodded and his stomach eased. He hadn’t realized how tight his muscles had gotten just talking about It. “I can’t prove anything.”
“It isn’t your job to prove it, it’s mine. I need more details though. Dates, times. Who send the flowers and from where. See if we can get any thing that pops. Find receipts. Any kind of proof. I really want to nail this chick to the wall.”
Flick blinked.
“In a bad way.” Bentley pulled at his tie. “I mean arrest her. Stop looking at me that way.”
“Thanks. And can you please not mention this to my friends?”
“What?” Bentley shifted on his seat. “Joonie has a lot of resources and they all need to know.”
“For now, I don't want to worry anyone.”
Bentley frowned but he seemed to relent. That was until Christine Masterson walked into the station.
Flick knew exactly when she arrived because you could see Bentley sit up straight as a board and his eyes sharpen.
Flick grinned and turned around, Yep. There she was at the entrance. He nearly ducked and ran but she’d already spotted the two of them. He saw her wave and Bentley adjust his tied again and ran a hand through his hair.
Christine walked up. “I was checking in to see how the case was doing. What are you doing here Randolph.” Straight to the point. She may dress better but Vicki’s mom was just as sharp as her mother. Like a shark sensing blood in the water. She knew something was up.
Her eyes bore into him and his normal bluster flew right out the window. “Guy talk?”
She frowned and looked to Bentley who shrugged.
He took that one second of distraction to take his leave. “I should be going now. I don’t want to interupt you two.”
CHristine blinked and she smoothed her dress. “No, no.”
BEntly stood. “Thanks man. I will be calling you later.” He put a hand on CHristine�
�s shoulder so Flick could escape.
As soon as he hit the door, he called Mallory. No answer. So he simply texted call me and headed home.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Bitty reviewed teh information in front of her. Mallory Weiss. Twenty eight years old. Only Daughter of Malcolm Weiss, head of Essex, Inc. INteresting. That was a Fortune 500 company. That meant old money. An honor student with a Bachelors in Biochemistry like Randolph. Works for the same company. The one daddy owns. Can you say nepotism?
Her lips twisted.
Good grades, no scandals taht she could see. She’d just moved here from Chicago into a place downtown by her job. More security than Cynthia’s building.
Now that she had her name, Bitty googled for any information about her, any dirt, anything she could use. Didn’t take her long to hit pay dirt.
CHAPTER NINE
Mallory hated doing it but she totally chickened out of lunch.
Flick called and then texted around noon to confirm the details and she couldn’t do it. She’d woken this morning thinking about him. About all of him. It was this very juicy dream involving whipped cream and chocolate. So vivid she felt the taste of him on her lips when she work and she couldn’t afford that right now. Dating was a stupid idea and she refused to be caught up in the drama with his family and friends.
That made her feel guilty but it was the right thing to do.She’d only just gotten away from her own drama and his seemed even worse.
Her phone dinged again and then again until the guilt wouldn’t let her stop from answering.
“Hello?”
“Mallory, are you okay?” Flick’s voice high and fast.
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“Just checking.”
That was wierd. She stared at the phone. “I am sorry about lunch. I, um. I just don’t think dating right now is the best idea.”
A beat. Then his voice, slow and steady. “Agreed.”
Just like that. She felt a pang. “Good I’m glad we agree.”
His voice soft. “You take care now.”
The ring tone sounded in her ear.
She threw the damn phone across the room. Why was she upset? It was what she wanted right? No dating. The fact that he gave in so quick galled her. Why did he give up so quickly. Something had to be up. Her phone dinged again and she jumped to pick it up. Not Flicks. She Remembered his. This one was unknown. The tug she felt was not dissappointment really. The number was unknown. Her fingers hesitated over the accept button.
“Hello?”
“Mallory Weiss?”
It used to be she’d get a call and think nothing of answering it and saying who she was. Now she knew better. It was easier for people to track you that way.“May I ask who is calling?”
“My name is Brady Bentley. Randolph Johnson reported a sighting last night of a suspect in a open case and we wished to ask you a few questions.”
This had to be the cop that Flick called last night. Her shoulders relaxed.
“Sure. I didn’t see the girl but Flick was really freaked out when he saw her.”
“Since that time, have you had anyone calling you? Anyone visit unannounced. Any suspicious packages or deliveries?”
What? “Um, no. May I ask why you are asking?”
“Just routine follow up.”
The detective signed off soon after. She forgot the rest of the questions because the same instinct that kept her safe when she entered the apartment last year was going off.
As soon as she got off the phone she called Flick. This time, he didnt answer.
Why did the cop ask about packages. She should have asked more questions and he hadn’t given her a number to call back. Damn it. She hated this. All of this. What was going on? She called Flick one more time, again no answer.
She paced to the door and back.
Work would distract her. She would do that.
She booted up and slid into the world of science for a few minutes until a knock at her door.
Huh.
She walked to the door and peeked out the peephole. No one there. With a frowns she contemplated the door. The cops words came back to her, along with the cops from Chicago. Did you have any unexpected packages or visits?
Another knock. She immediately looked out and saw no one again.
Deep breath in.
“Who’s there?”
No answer of course.
Steel your nerve. She opened the door and glanced outside looking left and then right. NO one there.
She closed the door and backed up.
Another knock.
Damn it.
The noise scared her and she hated that. she could swear she could hear a laugh, a female laugh. That got her
She threw open the door again. Her neighbor Sara rushed over with her little one hanging off her leg, Hair frazzled. “Sorry to bother you. Do you have any eggs. I need one more for cookies and ran out. The natives are about to start eating me if I don’t feed them.”
Her little one giggled and pretend bit her leg.
Mallory’s shoulders eased and her fight or flight retreated. “Yea sure.”
Afterward she studied the door. FOrget this she needed to know what was going on. She was never one to shy from knowledge and right now her nerves were frayed. The cop wouldn’t tell her anything so she was left with Flick.
This time he answered on the first ring. “Mallory, you okay?”
The same words. Now with a new meaning. “What is going on Randolph? I got a call from that cop who asked me if anythign wierd was happening to me. I am having flashbacks of my own stalker.”
He didnt answer for a second. “I’m so sorry. Can we talk?”
“Are we not talking now?”
“In person. Somewhere private. I can come to your place.”
She fought the instinct to say no. To be quite honest, she didn’t want to go outside right now with all these thoughts in her head. It would be better. But after having him in her space, she didnt know what it would be like. This was her happy place. The last place she’d lived had been invaded and moving helped but she still got nervous sometimes.
“Or you can come to my place,” he offered.
She was being silly. “No, here is fine.” She rattled off her address and sat to wait. BEfore he arrived, she called down to the front to add his name to the visitor log and made a cup of coffee. The caffiene helped steady her nerves and she focused on her breathing and practice her yoga while waiting. It had never been her strong suit.
The knock nearly made her wet herself when he arrived.
She steeled her nerves and opened the door quickly.
The impact of seeing him, hair disheveled, hands in his pockets, in jeans and a grey t shirt this time was devastating to her libido.
“Hi.”
She pushed back the lock of hair behind her ear and stepped back. “About time you got here.”
He followed her into the apartment and turned in a full circle, whistling lightly. “This is one open floor plan.”
“What is wrong with it?” She crossed her arms and moved towards the sofa in the center of the space.
“It is only one room.”
She shrugged. She squirmed inside as he looked around. “I’m not picky. I spend most of my time at work anyways.”
He Reached out his arms and started to count out feet. “And it is so white.”
“It makes it seem more open.”
Flick turned and glanced at her with her last words. “Did the apartment come this way? There is a lot of space.”
She waved him off and went to move around him to get to the living room. “I’ve had renovations done.” She’d actually done it herself. Lord knows, she had the time given the no dating policy since she’d come to pennsylvania. The open plan made her feel safer.
Flick didn't move so she threw a pillow at him.
He threw her a half smile.
Enough. She slammed down her coffee on the table. “You need
to tell me what is going on. Now.”
“My friend John has been in love with this girl all his life.”
“What do this have to do with what is going on!”
Flick held up his hand. “Let me talk. I can Tell you the full story but give me leeway.”
“Fine.”
“So John loved Vicki his entire life. Most of high school was us following her, in a non creepy way, and make sure she was okay. Well she was involved with this slick guy named David whom she eventually married. Broke my friends heart.”
“And. Come on.”
“Shh.” He said. “After about seven years, David cheated on Vicki with Belinda Devlin.”
Ahh, she got it.
“Belinda wanted David to herself and the family fortune so she arranged for Vicki to catch them in bed. Vicki divorced him but David still had feelings for Vicki and Vicki ended up with a pretty nice divorce settlement.”
“Too nice?”
“For bitty yes, so Bitty went after Vicki because she knew that it would go back to David. She was subtle about it at first but Vicki caught on and my friend John had just returned from military service. Needless to say the plot was thwarted but David ended up dying.”
“Vicki and John went into hiding, but Bitty then went after my other friend Brae because he was the one who shot David to protect Vicki. While we Wier attempting to get more information on Bitty, I went on a date with her to try to get more info. IT went well. A little too well and the girl has now latched herself onto me. I think. I am not sure but that is my fear.”
“Cause lord knows, no one can resist Flick.’
He flinched a little and she felt bad.
“How do you know she is coming after you?”
“Little things. Presents, calls, perfume in the air. This feeling of being watched.
Mallory took a breath. She remembered those signs. Definitely sounded like he had a stalker and she walked right into the middle of it. Dam it. So much for hormones. He may be hot but dang it, she just got out of a situation with her own stalker.
This was just bullshit.
“So what does that have to do with me?”
“I found out this morning that my ex was killed last night with a bomb.” He rushed on. “Since we went on a date last night, I want to make sure you are safe.”
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