“Tony, you can’t,” I protested. “You’re going to take that role you’ve been offered. I won’t let you throw that away.”
But I felt as if I’d been thrown a lifeline. The thought of being alone in Rome with this stalker able to stand right next to me without me even being aware of it was giving me the willies. I would be alone far too often. How could I feel safe?
Lili looked at me. “Could I suggest a bodyguard?”
I said, “And how much will that cost?”
She looked wryly at both of us side by side on her sofa: I tended to be more careful with money than Tony, who would spend it on a whim. She answered me. “How much is your peace of mind worth, Marta?”
Stated that way, I couldn’t really argue.
“Okay, so we hire a bodyguard. Would they stay with me at night? What’s to stop this guy from breaking into my apartment then?”
“Do you think we should be concerned about something like that, Lili?” Tony asked.
She considered for a long moment. “This person seems to have gone to very great trouble and has taken a great risk to do what he has done. That troubles me. But don’t you now have enough evidence to take this to the authorities? Surely this kind of spying is very illegal.”
“Of course it is, but Marta…. Well, she’s reluctant.”
Again I got the laser treatment from Lili’s eyes. “Maybe it is time to be less reluctant.”
“Who do I go to? I have evidence in Toronto, sure. But what about Rome? Then I go to Venice. It would be a jurisdictional nightmare. This whole thing is a nightmare!”
We talked back and forth for several more minutes before deciding to ask Shannon O’Brien what she thought.
Lili had more coachings to do, so we took our leave to go out for a late lunch and make a decision about where to sleep. There was no way I was going to spend a night in the condo with those bugs still in place.
Shannon wasn’t available when we called, but her secretary said she would pass on our request that she get back to us at her earliest opportunity. I hoped she was out following up where those signals were being broadcast to. That would at least be a step forward in tracking down this bastard.
Probably with a thought at distraction, Tony took me to our favourite restaurant in Woodbridge, the place we’d gone on our first date. Actually, it was our only date, really, since we’d fallen in love very quickly. He’d phoned ahead while I hadn’t been paying attention, and Gio, the chef and owner, had prepared dishes, all off-menu, that I’d particularly enjoyed on previous visits. Everyone made a big fuss over me and Tony passed it off as if he’d nothing to do with it. Over dessert, Gio took a break from prepping for the dinner hour to sit with us and enjoy a grappa and espresso. We talked about food, opera, everything but my current problems, and for that I was very grateful.
Tony had just started the car when my mobile played its energetic opening theme from Carmen.
“Marta? It’s Shannon. We need to talk.”
Chapter Eight
Dan Hudson waited after the office door had firmly clicked shut behind the opera singer and her husband, and then several additional seconds passed before he spoke.
“Please don’t take this as criticism, but why didn’t you level with those two?”
Shannon thought for a moment about pretending she didn’t know what he was getting at, but decided that wouldn’t really serve any purpose.
“Did you notice her eyes?” Shannon held her fingers about an inch apart. “I think our opera singer was that close to losing it. I don’t think the truth would have helped her at the moment.”
“I thought it might be something like that. But aren’t you worried about crawling so far out on that limb?”
“Meaning?”
“This situation could get rapidly out of hand if I’m reading it correctly.” He shrugged. “But you have more experience in these things than I do.”
“This guy’s good. Too good. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s been a spook at some point.”
Hudson shook his head. “Not with all the globe-trotting he’s done to hand out those posies. The job doesn’t work that way. The folks running you want to know where you are all the time.” He smiled. “It’s nearly impossible to take a leak without them knowing.”
“So do you think that makes him dangerous?”
Hudson sighed heavily. “Why does someone go to all the expense and trouble if they don’t mean to do something about it? I mean, if I had the hots for someone that bad, I’d send them a bouquet or two and then show up with the third one to profess my love. All this cat and mouse bullshit is sick. Why go to such lengths to stay hidden? What’s his game?”
“In my experience, people can do the most jaw-dropping things for little logical reason, especially if they’re unstable. Perhaps he’s shy, or perhaps he just wants to really set the hook before he steps out of the shadows.”
“But if he knows as much about her as it seems, surely he knows she’s in a happy relationship.”
“People with this sort of fetish often don’t believe the evidence in front of their eyes.”
“But what do you think, um, boss?”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Call me Shannon.”
“Whatever you say. So what do you think, Shannon?”
She was grateful for a bit of banter to give her time to pull her thoughts together. The situation was a hard one to get a handle on. What she needed to do was find someone who’d dealt with a similar situation and pick their brain.
Shannon got to her feet. “I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.”
Hudson’s voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. “Where are you?”
“Just going up Church Street. You’re on the roof?”
“In position. And it’s pretty obvious where this satellite dish is pointed.”
“That huge condo tower at the corner of Church and Adelaide?”
“Got it in one, boss … ah, Shannon.”
“It was the logical choice based on what you’d told me. The entrance to the building is off Lombard. I’m almost there.”
“Good. I’ll get out my tools and I should have the exact place pinpointed in a few minutes. What’s your plan?”
“Wait to hear from you. Find out which unit it is and then see if I can find out who’s up there.”
“You’re just going to walk in and ask?”
“I’ve got an angle I can work.”
Shannon sounded a lot more confident than she felt. To be truthful, Hudson had credentials out the wazoo, and she felt she needed to appear every bit as good as he. He’d more than likely thoroughly vetted her, as well as her business, before applying for the job. It was a matter of pride to her that he not think he’d made a mistake. Today, it was important to come home a winner. Just how to do that was more up to chance than she would have liked.
If she found just a security guard at the desk, she might be able to bulldoze him. If there was a building manager around, it would get a lot more tricky.
She had a bit of luck and nipped into a vacant parking space on Lombard just as someone pulled out. Over at the entrance to the building with the la-di-da name of “Spire,” someone had parked a tradesman’s van. It blocked her view into the lobby.
“I’m heading for the building entrance now,” she said into the walkie-talkie. “I need to know the floor and window.”
“Okay. If it’s one of those buildings without a thirteenth floor, then you’re looking at thirty-three, third unit in from the west end of the building. At least I think it’s the third unit. It’s hard to tell from this angle.”
“Give me the window. That might help.”
“It’s the … eighth window. There’s a pretty bad glare from the glass, so I can’t see anything inside.”
“Okay, Dan. I’m going to sign off. Using a walkie-talkie as I come through the door isn’t going to help. I’ll call back as soon as I’m out again. Stay in position. Okay?”
“Yo
u got it. Except make it snappy. It’s damn cold up here.”
“That’ll keep people off the roof and asking you questions,” Shannon answered, then slipped the walkie-talkie into her purse as she entered the building.
True to the design ethic currently in vogue, the lobby was elegant but sterile due to lots of stone and very little decoration or colour. The grey granite security desk was off to one side, a young female guard dressed in business attire behind it. As an attempt at putting a more welcoming look on the place, it didn’t really work.
Walking up to the desk, Shannon’s brain was going a mile a minute. If she didn’t get the information now, things would become more complicated and take time she didn’t have. But having a female behind the desk might work in her favour. Her name tag said “N. Richmond.”
“Excuse me, Ms. Richmond,” she said to the guard. “I’m hoping that you can help me with something.”
At least Richmond didn’t roll her eyes, but the rest of her face told the story: she already thought the lady in front of her was going to prove to be a pain in the ass.
“What can I do for you?”
“Do you have a thirteenth floor in this building?”
“Ma’am?”
“Does this building have a thirteenth floor or does it go from twelve to fourteen?”
“Why would you want to know something like that?”
Shannon reached into her purse and pulled out her private investigator ID, flipping it open and slapping it onto the polished granite. “I’m interested in someone who lives in an apartment on either the thirty-second or thirty-third floor of this building.”
The guard took her ID and examined it. “You’re just a PI. Why should I tell you anything?”
Shannon leaned over the desk to be closer to her face. “Because I have a client who is being spied on by someone in this building. I came over to give whoever it is a warning, everything nice and friendly. If you don’t want to play ball, then I’ll advise my client to take this to the cops, file a formal complaint.”
“So?”
“I’ll also go to a contact I have at the Toronto Star who will be very interested in how high-rise condominiums are giving more opportunities to peeping toms in our city. She’ll have no compunctions about naming a building where this is happening.” As the guard’s brow furrowed, Shannon pressed her point. “I have two photos of this person standing at a telescope on his balcony, and it’s obvious he ain’t looking at the stars. I also have some of the photos he mailed to my client of her prancing around her apartment in the buff.”
“I don’t think that’s information I can just hand out.”
Shannon flashed her best smile. “Now come on, can’t you help out a fellow working girl? I’m trying to do my job, and you’re trying to do yours, and this guy is a complete scuzzbucket. Would you want someone like that looking at you and drooling? I sure wouldn’t. All I need to know is the name of the person who’s in the third apartment in from the west end of this building, south side, thirty-third floor — assuming the floor numbering in this building is consecutive and you don’t have a thirteenth floor.”
For a moment, Shannon thought the guard was going to pick up the phone and talk to someone higher up the food chain. If her hands weren’t already in plain sight, she would have crossed her fingers.
The guard made an effort to stall as two young, good-looking men exited one of the building’s elevators and crossed the lobby. “Good afternoon, Mr. Blair, Mr. Gluch. I hope you’re having a good day.”
The bearded one smiled, but that was all the response she got as they left.
Shannon said, “Nice place to work if you get to look at that all day.”
The guard sighed. “I might as well not be here for all the attention the tenants pay me — except when they want something.”
“May I have what I need, please? I’m not asking that much.”
She stifled a triumphant smile as the security guard pulled her computer’s keyboard a bit closer. “Thirty-third floor, you say, fourth unit in from the west?”
“No. Third unit or eighth window, whichever unit that is. My surveillance photos show this clown was in front of the eighth window with his telescope.”
The guard tapped away at the keys for a few seconds, frowned, and then tapped some more. “That’s funny.” More tapping of keys.
Shannon decided to rest on her forearms, but couldn’t see the computer monitor any better. Just a bit longer and I may just get what I want, she thought. She knew that an interruption now would probably queer the deal. “What have you got?” she asked.
“According to what I’m seeing here, although someone owns it, the unit has never been occupied. It’s on our watch list to make sure there’s no monkey business, but the last time someone checked it —”
“When was that?” Shannon asked.
“About a month ago — and the place was empty.” The guard looked up. “You’re certain you gave me the correct unit?”
“Positive.”
“Well, there shouldn’t have been anyone there.”
“Could we go up and take a look?”
“I don’t know….”
Shannon stood up. “Well, my client is going to want me to check further. The building’s manager is going to want that unit checked out. Why not do it now? See if there’s someone there who shouldn’t be.” The guard continued staring at the screen, clearly undecided. “C’mon. Let’s go up.”
“I shouldn’t leave the desk.”
“It will only take five minutes, tops.”
And that’s how Shannon found herself ascending in a high-speed elevator, feeling pretty good about her powers of persuasion.
They walked down the hall of the thirty-third floor. Once there, Shannon knocked on the door. Nothing happened. Shannon knocked again. No answer.
“Just open the door and we can peek inside. If someone is squatting, we’ll be able to tell pretty quickly. The cops can take it from there. And don’t worry. I used to be a cop myself.”
The guard, with a tight expression, stuck the key in the lock and pressed down the door handle.
The place was empty. When the guard said, “See? No one is here,” Shannon just pushed past and walked into what would be the living room. A thin coat of dust covered the floor, but over toward the window was a mark where something had been placed. A box maybe?
“You shouldn’t be in there!” the guard said from the doorway. “Please come out.”
Since there wasn’t much more for Shannon to see, she turned and walked back, but faintly in the dust on the floor, she could see that someone else had also recently done the same.
The bird had flown.
As she left the building Shannon took out her cell phone and dialed her client, knowing that so far the performance of O’Brien Investigates had been less than stellar.
After a hastily convened and very uncomfortable meeting with their client in her SUV parked on Front Street, Shannon and Dan spent the next four hours clearing the bugs from Marta and Tony’s condo. The satellite dish was also removed from the roof.
Neither was in a very talkative mood since each knew they’d blown a golden opportunity.
Going over the apartment again in minute detail, they found three cameras, one of which hadn’t been spotted in their previous sweep. It was in the bathroom’s exhaust fan. Shannon suggested they keep this knowledge to themselves since the client was already upset enough.
They installed one thing: a high-end miniature camera attached to a motion detector watching over the condo’s front door. Anyone entering would be recorded. The next morning a locksmith would be installing a door lock with a special magnetic laser-cut key that was guaranteed to be unpickable. The cost was pretty eye-popping, but Marta hadn’t even blinked before writing out the cheque.
When she and her husband had returned just after nine thirty, Marta seemed a little tight, speaking loudly and gesticulating as she thanked Dan and Shannon for their hard work. S
hannon couldn’t blame her. This whole situation was a getting more concerning the deeper they delved into it.
Marta was sitting on the sofa with Tony. “My husband and I, and a good friend we told what’s happening, well, we all think I need to hire a bodyguard. I’m going to be in Rome and Venice for the next few weeks and Tony can’t come with me.”
Tony patted her hand fondly. “We all want Marta to be safe. Now that we know how serious the situation is, we would feel better if she had someone accompanying her. Can you suggest how we should go about that?”
Dan looked at Shannon. They’d been discussing just that thing a few minutes before the clients had returned home.
Shannon had an answer ready. “I agree that it’s a good idea. Based on all we’ve found so far, we have to believe this guy definitely poses a danger. It’s obvious he knew exactly what we were up to, not that we made it difficult for him. I seriously underestimated what we were up against, and for that I’m profoundly sorry.” She shook her head. “It’s real embarrassing. I’d hoped we’d do better for you.”
Tony spoke up. “Do you think you’ll be able to find out who owns that condo in the other building?”
“We’ll try, but it will take time and my guess is that it may ultimately prove futile. The one thing we all should take away from what we’ve learned so far is that our adversary is determined, well-equipped, and smart. So getting back to what we’re ultimately talking about, yes, it would be wise to have a full-time bodyguard — until we run this joker down.”
“Can you find someone for us?” Marta asked.
“I have an excellent operative, a woman who’s worked for me for the past few years. Jackie Goode is a real bulldog and smart. Only problem is, she’s out on the west coast at the moment, working for a colleague, and I don’t think I can pull her off that assignment.”
“No one else?”
“Not who’s female. I can ask around, though. I should be able to find someone.”
“I leave in two days.”
Hudson finally spoke up. “Shannon, could we speak in the other room?”
To raised eyebrows from the husband and wife, they left the room.
Masques and Murder — Death at the Opera 2-Book Bundle Page 36