“You mean the next time they threaten you?” Donny asked belligerently.
Annie picked up the pitcher and topped off Donny’s glass, then she filled hers and Jeff’s. “Okay, so what little we know, how can we trap the bastard?”
Donny looked at her contemplatively until finally he shook his head. It was a battle he wasn’t going to win. “If we go on the assumption that they know about Trudie’s affliction, we’ll need a reason for them to come to us.”
“What if I cut off all of Trudie’s electronic devices, especially her computer? Then they won’t have access to her anymore. They’ll have to come in if they want to see her.”
“Okay, that’s a good idea. But let me play devil’s advocate here,” Donny said.
“You mean you haven’t been?” Annie teased.
“Just for that, you’re paying for the next pitcher of beer,” Donny threatened. “So, if you break all communications with the stalker, what’s to keep them from blackmailing her with someone she loves? You, her family, those closest to her?”
“Well, her parents are out of the country. I can ask them to warn their family to be extra cautious. But there’s one person close to Trudie that I’m not entirely sure isn’t the stalker. It’s her publicist, Noella. She hates me.”
“Oh, yes, she’s a hard person to like,” Donny said.
“Ditto,” Jeff added.
Annie laughed. “Agreed. If it’s not her, then it’s someone we probably don’t know, watching her from behind a computer screen.”
Jeff picked up his mug of beer, but held it in the air as he reiterated what had already been said. “Okay, so, the theory is that we lure the mouse to the trap by severing any communication between them and Trudie. They won’t like that and will have to either try to bring her out again, which didn’t work last time, or come to her. So how do we get them to come to her?”
“Well, Trudie isn’t going to let anyone inside that she doesn’t know, so there needs to be a reason for them to leave the security of the Internet and take the risk.”
Donny swallowed and sat his slice of pizza on his plate. “Okay, now hear me out on this one. Trudie needs to be the one to lure them in. She needs to convince the stalker that she loves him, or her, and wants him to come to her. She can tell him that she tried to leave, but wasn’t able to because of her agoraphobia.”
“I’m not sure if Trudie has the strength to do that,” Annie said, shaking her head.
“But if she does, how can we get him to reveal himself?” Jeff asked.
“That’s simple. Annie only has to show her face,” Donny said.
Annie laughed. “Yeah, you’re right about that, Uncle Donny.”
The three continued to plot out their strategy, and by the third pitcher of beer, had a sure-fire plan in hand.
“Do you really think the police will help us?” Jeff asked, as they stood to leave.
“Yes, I think they will,” Annie replied, throwing the tip on the table. “It’s an unsolved murder case that I’m sure they would like to close. Either way, I’ll find out tomorrow when I tell them our plan to break into prison.”
Later that night, Annie, feeling the cobwebs in her head from lack of sleep, sat down on the couch and called Trudie on the prepaid cellphone.
“Hey, baby.”
“You sound tired, honey.”
“Yeah, I had to work last night, and I haven’t been to bed yet. But we’ve come up with a plan to catch the stalker. Want to hear it?”
“Of course I want to hear it. But will you promise to get some sleep afterward?”
“I like that,” Annie said. “I like the way you try to take care of me. It’s nice.”
“Oh, honey. As my brother would say, you ain’t seen nothing yet. So, what’s your plan?”
Chapter Twenty
The next morning, Annie, without the sling on, and with her laptop opened, was sitting in Donny’s office, speaking to Trudie on the prepaid phone. “Okay, baby. Davis is on his way up. It’s time to go dark. They’re watching, make it look good.”
A few minutes later, Annie saw Trudie and Jeff walk into Trudie’s office. Although Annie could hear what they were saying, she didn’t believe that the stalker could. Still, Trudie and Jeff stuck to the script.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with it,” Trudie said, pointing at the computer.
Jeff was dressed in a white shirt with a tie, and a shirt pocket full of pencils and pens. To complete the nerd look, he wore thick-rimmed glasses that he was having trouble seeing out of. He sat down at the desk, clicked the start button, and then ran some commands from the command line. It was all part of the sting to make the lurker think that Jeff was an IT guy there to fix the computer. Jeff ducked under the desk where the tower sat and a moment later popped back up. He shook his head at Trudie, and shrugged. Then he shut down the computer and unplugged it, including the Ethernet cable.
Annie watched until her screen went black. She closed the laptop and carried it with her upstairs. Javier nodded when she stepped off the elevator. Trudie was waiting with the door open.
“Hey, baby,” Annie said with a cocky grin.
Trudie took her hand and pulled her inside. Then she took the laptop from Annie’s hand and sat it down on the counter. Finally, she looked up into Annie’s eyes as she slowly pulled her down to her lips.
It was their first real kiss together, and as much as their bodies yearned for more, their minds longed to make their first sensual kiss last forever. Closed lips at first, then Annie parted hers, and invited Trudie in. A slow slide of her tongue, and the heat rushed up to their lips, igniting the fire. Passion so intense that it burned, and they clenched tighter together trying to quench the fire.
Jeff cleared his throat. “Uh, hello?”
“Yes, there’s a mother in the house,” Annabelle kidded.
“Oh, sorry, Mom,” Annie said as she took a step back, grinning at Trudie.
Trudie rubbed her fingers over her lips. “Sorry, it was our first kiss.”
“Never apologize for being in love, honey,” Annabelle advised.
“Annie, I thought you’d want to know that I ran the bug zapper throughout, and there’s no listening devices,” Jeff reported.
“Good deal. Check in the foyer, too, okay?”
“Roger that,” Jeff said, and opened the door.
“Are you both comfortable with our plan?” Annie asked, looking from Trudie to her mother.
“Comfortable would not be the word I’d choose,” Trudie emphasized.
“But do you believe in it?” Annie asked. “Do you believe we can pull it off? If you don’t, then we should stop while we still can. Once we’re into it, we shouldn’t stop.”
“I can do this, Annie. I want to do this,” Trudie assured her. “This is my last chance at freedom. If I don’t go through with it, I have nothing left.”
“Oh, God, baby,” Annie exclaimed. “Don’t say that. Of course you have everything left to live for.”
“I’m not suicidal, Annie. I’m pragmatic.”
“Whatever you call it, it sounds to me like you are giving in,” Annie replied.
Trudie looked up at her and smiled. “Don’t be silly, honey. I want this to work so we can be together.”
“Oh, we’ll be together no matter what,” Annie assured her. “You can count on that, my princess.”
Trudie looked at the sincerity in her eyes. No, I can’t do that to you. I can’t imprison you, too. I see now that if this doesn’t work, there really is only one way out of this hell. “So, what do we do next?”
“Next you call Noella and tell her you need to see her.”
Trudie shook her head. “I just have to say again that I don’t like tricking Noella like this. She’s stuck by me through the worst part of my life and it seems cruel.”
“I know, baby. But she’s in love with you, so we need to eliminate her as a suspect,” Annie explained. “As much as I don’t like her, I really do hope that I’m wrong
about her, for your sake.”
“She’ll never forgive me for this.”
“I think she will if she’s not the stalker. When it’s all said and done, and the stalker is behind bars, or better yet, dead, then Noella will understand what lengths you had to go to. I think she will have more of a problem with me in your life than anything else.”
Trudie smiled. “And why do I get the feeling that you’d be okay with that?”
Annie shrugged. “Who, sweet little ol’ me?”
Thirty minutes later, Noella was ringing the doorbell. Annie, Jeff, and Annabelle waited in Trudie’s bedroom, the door ajar, as Trudie let Noella in.
“Thank you for coming over so quickly,” Trudie said, walking into the kitchen
“You sounded upset on the phone. Is everything all right?” Noella asked, setting her purse on the kitchen counter.
“No, everything is not all right. Annie was attacked by the stalker yesterday. Did you know about it?”
Noella shook her head. “Did I know? Why would I know about it? It’s not my job to keep up with her.”
“No, it’s your job to keep me under your control,” Trudie said tersely.
“Trudie, what is wrong with you?” Noella asked defensively. “Have you been drinking or something?”
“No. I’ve finally found my backbone again. I’m tired of being the victim. I’m tired of people like the stalker, like you, controlling me.”
“Like me?” Noella put up her hands. “My God. You’re comparing me to the stalker?”
“I realized that I just handed everything over to you to run, including my life. But no more. I’m taking my life back.”
“What the hell are you saying, Trudie?”
“I’m saying that I don’t need you anymore, Noella. I’ve made you a very rich woman. I even bought you a damn cabin overlooking Lake Maumelle to show my appreciation, but now, you’re suffocating me, and I’m tired of it. This is my life, Noella, not yours.”
“Of course it’s your life. It always has been.” Noella’s emotions ran rampant between anger and fear. “Maybe I was to controlling, but I did it because you weren’t able to. Do you remember how it was after Leigh was killed? How you refused to eat, to bathe, to get out of bed at all? If not for your mother and me, you would have died. Yes, I took over. I had to, for your sake.”
“I didn’t ask you to, damn it,” Trudie barked. “And now, just when I find someone who makes me want to live again, you convince me to send her away. Why is that, Noella?”
“Because…”
“It’s because you’re the stalker, isn’t it?” Trudie asked accusingly.
“What?” Noella took a step back. “Are you serious?”
“It all fits. You controlled me. You’re always with me, and—”
“Stop! Just stop!” Noella was on the edge, ready to snap. She walked into the living room and looked out the window at the river below.
“Tell me the truth, Noella,” Trudie demanded, following her into the room.
“You don’t get it, do you? Don’t you know how devastated I’d be if something were to happen to you? Don’t you know how much I love you?”
Trudie stepped back. “Oh, I…” The conversation had taken a sudden turn that she hadn’t been prepared for.
Indignant, Noella smoothed her blouse and marched back into the kitchen. Picking up her purse, she turned back to Trudie. “I am not your stalker, Trudie, I am your friend. I only wanted to protect you.” Noella lowered her head and walked to the door.
“No, wait, please,” Trudie pleaded. “I’m sorry, Noella. Please, let me explain.”
“I don’t understand, explain what? I think you were very clear about your feelings.”
“No, I wasn’t. God, this is so hard,” Trudie said, shaking her head.
Noella’s confusion was evident. “Trudie?”
“Noella, please, come sit down. I need to explain a few things.” Noella didn’t move. “Please.”
“You know how you’re using the bathroom and someone knocks on your door so you hurriedly try to stop the flow, but you get pissed on anyway?” Noella asked tersely.
“Please, let me explain?” Trudie pleaded.
Finally, Noella relented and sat down across from Trudie on the couch.
“First, I owe you an apology. I lied to you, and I am so sorry for that.”
Noella shook her head. “Lied about what?”
“Let me start at the beginning. Annie was attacked yesterday by the stalker. I knew how much you didn’t like her, so I came to the conclusion that it was you who attacked her.”
“That’s ridiculous. It’s true, I don’t like her. She inserted herself into your life like she owned…” Noella shrugged. “I can’t believe you thought that I could murder Leigh.”
“I didn’t want to believe it, Noella. That’s why I had to check. I have to know.”
“All right, how can I prove to you that I’m not the stalker?”
“Show me your right foot.”
“My foot?”
“Yes. I broke the stalker’s foot. The police don’t believe that they sought medical help, so it may have healed on its own.”
Disbelieving, Noella asked again, “You want me to show you my foot?”
“It’s not for her, Noella,” Annie said as she and the others walked into the room.
Noella stood up. “What the shit?”
“Please, Noella,” Trudie said. “Please show them what I know to be true. That you are not the stalker.”
Noella looked at her empathetically. “Do you really believe that, Trudie?”
“Yes, I do. I’m so sorry that we had to play this game, but I can’t go on living like this. Please, I understand that you’re angry, and you have every right to be. Just help me this one last time, and then if you never want to see me again, I’ll understand.”
Noella ran the back of her fingers across Trudie’s cheek. Then she sat down and removed her shoe, holding her foot up for inspection.
“May I?” Annie asked, holding her hand over Noella’s perfectly pedicured foot.
Noella sneered. “No. But Trudie can.”
Trudie moved closer and held the bottom of Noella’s foot. She felt the bones and rubbed her hand over the outer arch. “Your foot is perfect, Noella.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Noella sniped. She pulled her foot back and put on her shoe. “Are we done?”
“Yes. Thank you. I hope you can forgive me,” Trudie said.
Noella didn’t say a word. She just stood up, frowned at Annie, and walked to the door.
Annie caught up with her at the elevator. “I want you to know that Trudie was against this. I had to talk her into it, so if you need to be pissed at someone, take it out on me.”
“You say that like I wasn’t already pissed at you,” Noella said, stepping into the elevator.
Annabelle put her arm around Trudie. “Are you okay, Trudie?”
“No. I just lost my best friend,” Trudie mumbled.
“She’ll be back, baby,” Annie assured her as she walked back into the room. She’s just really angry with me right now.”
“Do you really think so?” Trudie questioned, a smile forming on her lips.
“Oh yeah. You gave her an out when you said you believed she wasn’t the stalker. Yeah, it’s me she’s mad at, and I can live with that.”
“Well, at least now we know that it’s not her,” Jeff interjected.
“Jeff, you’ve been a great help, man, but I have to ask this…”
He held up his hand. “Nope, say no more. I’m not even going to fight you on it.” Jeff sat down and took his boot and sock off of his right foot and held it up for her.
Annie inspected his foot, holding her breath as she did.
“Sorry about the smell. Probably should have warned you,” Jeff said with a grin.
“As they say, payback’s a bitch,” Annie joked. “Thanks for understanding. So, now it’s on to the next step.�
��
“It’s going to be a long week,” Trudie pointed out.
“I hope you have a deck of cards,” Jeff said, putting on his boot. “I’m out of here, Sarge. Call if you need me.”
“Thanks, Jeff. See you next week if not sooner.”
“Roger that,” Jeff said, nodding to the ladies.
“Jeff, after this is over, why don’t you bring your girlfriend over for a visit?” Trudie asked.
“Seriously? That would be awesome. Thank you.”
Jeff opened the door just as Noella was about to knock. He looked back at Annie, as Trudie rushed to the door.
“Noella,” she cried, hugging her friend and pulling her inside at the same time.
“I got all the way downstairs and just couldn’t leave it like this. Trudie. I’m sorry,” Noella said, hugging her again.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry that I had to play such a mean trick on you,” Trudie reiterated.
Noella held her at arm’s length. “You were right, Trudie. You can’t live like this anymore, and I’m ashamed I enabled you. Can you forgive me?”
“I’ll forgive you if you’ll forgive me?” Trudie negotiated.
“Done.”
The two women embraced again, and then Noella walked over to Annie.
Do not piss her off. Trudie needs her. Annie stood casually, her face composed.
“Annie,” Noella said, holding her hand out. “I still don’t like you, but I want to help Trudie.”
Annie shook her hand and replied, “The feeling is mutual, but I admire your loyalty. I hope that one day we can be friends.”
“Yes, well…” Noella evaded. “In the meantime, how can I help?”
Just as Annie was about to sit down with Noella, the doorbell rang.
Trudie looked at the monitor. “It’s Deidra and Krystal.”
Deidra walked in and, for an instant, thought she had walked into the wrong condo. Annie and Noella together, and a man and a woman that she didn’t know. “Uh, is this a private party?”
“A party, and I wasn’t invited?” Krystal pouted as she barged past Deidra.
Annie walked over and looked at her foot. “Yes, it’s a foot contest party. Deidra, do me a favor and take off your shoe on your right foot.”
Breaking into Prison Page 22