He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, and his vehicle hopped and bounced right. His teeth clenched. Too late to find out now. With Lafferty around, he wouldn’t get another chance to catch her alone in Crescent City, so he might as well return to Shady Bend. Surely she’d take the rest of the pictures she needed today and leave for home by tomorrow at the latest.
He chewed on one ragged nail and frowned. Best to get far away from here, anyway. His prints were all over the pictures he’d left in the RV. Thank God he didn’t have a record. Still…no point in tempting fate by sticking around. He’d head south to wait.
No more games. No more gifts. Next time he’d simply snatch the prize and force Claire to live up to her vow.
* * * *
“We checked out your old boyfriends. Three of them have alibis.”
Claire leaned back in the chair and regarded Officer Edelman across his cluttered desk. “That’s all of them. I was certain no one I used to date was responsible.”
“No, Ian Rutledge is still under consideration. We spoke to him early this morning. He claims he was camping in the woods, but no one was around to verify his presence in Shady Bend yesterday afternoon. The man was extremely defensive. If anyone has something to hide, it’s your ex-husband.” He frowned. “You failed to mention you’d been married to him.”
“The marriage was annulled, so technically we weren’t legally bound. Anyway, that’s how Ian acts all the time. He’s high-strung. You said three—”
He held up a hand to tick off the men on his fingers. “Ross McGregor was indeed in Connecticut. Dallas Sims worked in his hardware store for most of the afternoon, surrounded by customers and employees.” He shot a glance toward Jed, who was talking with Officer Hernandez near the doorway. “Your friend over there purchased gas yesterday evening at a station up on Donner Summit. That clears him.”
“You checked Jed’s credit card records?”
“Of course.”
She rolled her eyes. “You could have simply taken my word for his innocence.”
“Generally, in cases of harassment, the perpetrator is someone the victim knows. I’ve no reason to believe this case will prove to be an exception.”
“Does that mean the man who took those pictures is a casual acquaintance, a person I’ve spoken to a few times?”
“I’d say it’s someone you know well. Either a man you dated, although not necessarily exclusively, or someone you worked with. Possibly an old neighbor. I checked with a police psychologist. She agrees this person isn’t a stranger to you. His actions have been too personal.”
Claire frowned. “I honestly can’t think of anyone I know who would do something like this. I’ve dated a few men casually over the years, but our partings were amicable for the most part. I certainly can’t imagine Mr. Williamson, my eighty-year-old next-door neighbor at the cottage I used to rent, following me around the country to take pictures. Anyway, some of the photos were from before I lived in Marin.”
Edelman leaned forward, elbows planted on the desk. “You bring up a good point.” He glanced up when Jed walked over to stand beside her. “Do you need to see the pictures again to identify when the earliest ones were taken? The person we’re looking for would be someone you met prior to that time.”
When Jed reached for her hand, she squeezed hard. “The shower photo was taken in Yellowstone, I think. That was almost four years ago. I’m not sure about all the locations. I didn’t look closely at the pictures taped up in the back of the RV.”
“I’ll get the packet for you. If we can date the oldest picture, it should narrow down the suspects to someone you knew around that time.” He stood and walked away from his desk, pausing to speak to Hernandez before exiting the room.
Claire shivered. “Is it cold in here?”
“No.” Jed grabbed a chair to slide across the floor then sat with his knees touching hers. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“I’ll look at the pictures if it’ll help.” She drew in a breath. “It’s just so embarrassing. I’m half naked in most of them.”
“Maybe there’s a room you could use that’s quieter than this one.” He glanced up as an officer with a drooping mustache led a sullen teen with a dozen visible piercings past them. “I’m pretty certain Hernandez will do anything you ask. The kid’s totally hot for you. You’re sure he didn’t spend the night camped outside your motor home?”
Claire scowled. “I would have gotten more sleep if he had. He’s been sweet but professional. If the man has had a few X-rated thoughts about me, it’s only because he spent way too much time with those pictures yesterday. They’re…disturbing.”
Jed’s fists clenched. “I’m going to kill the bastard who took them. The cops better find him before I do.”
Edelman returned with a thick folder. “You can look at these in the conference room. There’s a table you can use to spread them out to facilitate putting them in some kind of order. If we can match dates and locations in the photographs to someone in your past’s vacation destinations, we’ll have the creep.”
“Thank you.” Lips pressed tight, she stood to follow the officer down the hall. The only thing making the upcoming project tolerable was Jed’s presence. If she’d had to face looking at those photos alone—
Stopping in a doorway, Edelman handed her the folder. His hard gray eyes softened. “You don’t need me or Hernandez to do this job. Let me know when you’re finished.”
“I will. Thank you again.”
Jed went inside with her and shut the door. “He’s a decent guy.”
“Despite the fact that he checked your credit card records?”
“I’m sure Kane would have done the same thing.” His hands rested on her shoulders to squeeze. “You okay?”
Some of the tension drained out of her. “Yeah, let’s get this over with.” She dropped the folder on the table then handed him a notepad and pen someone had left behind. “You can take notes.”
“Sure. Whatever is easiest for you.”
“None of it will be easy, but let’s get started.”
Claire spread out the photos, cringing a few times as she did so. Her cheeks burned. When had she bought the pink bathing suit, the top of which was laying on the paving stones beside her lounge chair? Two summers ago? What about the yellow flowered one? At least she was flat on her stomach in that shot. One thing was certain, she’d never sunbathe topless again. Ever.
She picked up a picture taken of her inside the motor home. A little fuzzy, as if the photographer had zoomed in from a distance. She stood in bra and panties with her back to the window, bent slightly as she pulled something from a drawer.
“I remember this. I was debating whether or not it was warm enough to wear shorts. He took the photo about three weeks ago. It’s definitely the most recent. Maybe working backward would be easier since my memory will be fresher.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she dropped the picture. “Jed?”
Blue eyes flashed in a face flushed dark with color. The pen snapped between his fingers. He dropped it on the floor and threw the notepad at the wall. “I need to punch something.”
She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hey. Calm down. The cops won’t like it if you put a hole through their sheetrock.”
He held tight. “Sick freak. No one has a right to see you that way without your permission. No one.”
His heart beat strong and fast beneath her cheek. The warmth emanating from him comforted despite muscles tensed for action.
“The police will figure out who’s been watching me and stop him.”
“They’d better.”
Reaching up, she held his face between her palms. “I’m determined to do what I can to help end this. Right now I need to be objective. Identify a time and place for each photo. I can’t think about who was behind the camera taking the shots.”
He nodded then dipped his head to kiss her. “S
orry I lost it. Let’s get the job done so we can get the hell out of here.”
Reluctantly, she pulled away. “Sounds like a plan. First, go find a new pen, and while you’re out there ask someone if we can number the photos on the back.”
An hour later Claire was pretty certain she had the pictures in date order and each location notated. Placing them in the folder along with Jed’s scrawled notes, she let out a breath. “Let’s go find Officer Edelman.”
Jed slipped an arm around her waist as they walked down the hall. “Then take a walk or something. I could use some fresh air.”
Her steps slowed to take advantage of his closeness, drawing strength from his big, solid presence. When they entered the squad room, Hernandez rose to his feet. No one else was around.
“Something I can do to help you?”
Claire shook her head. “I finished. We left everything in the conference room.”
“That’s fine. I just need to ask you a few questions before you go.”
She dropped onto the straight-backed chair next to his desk. “Am I going to have to repeat everything to Officer Edelman?”
The young cop grinned. “Nope. He went out on a call and left me in charge of finishing up with you.”
Jed pulled up a second chair and sat. “What do you need to know?”
Hernandez glanced his way before returning his attention to Claire. “When was the oldest photo taken?”
“About five years ago. I was working for Rugged America and living in an apartment in San Francisco at the time.”
“Were you dating anyone in particular?”
“Not really. I’d been seeing someone off and on during the summer but broke it off before the picture was taken in the fall. It’s the one of me wearing a pink nightgown, standing in front of the sliding glass door at the rear of the apartment, which led to a fenced back garden area. I’m not sure how he got the picture from that angle. The only way I can figure is he climbed the neighbor’s tree.”
“Can I get the name of the man you were dating that summer and also your neighbor?”
“Mark Hamilton. He was a bartender at the Cliff House. We went out maybe a half-dozen times. It was never serious, and I haven’t heard from him since we stopped seeing each other. I don’t have his address. As for the neighbor, she was rarely home. I think she worked for an airline. Her name was Darla.”
“Last name?”
“I don’t have a clue. We exchanged greetings once in a while in passing. She was quite a few years older than me, and we weren’t social.”
“If this woman wasn’t home much, someone could have entered her yard without fear of being caught.”
Claire shrugged. “I suppose.”
“We’ll try to locate Hamilton.”
“It won’t be him. That was the summer I decided to learn to surf. Our only connection was a few mornings spent at the beach along with a couple of dinners. Not exactly grounds for stalking someone.”
“If you remember anyone else from that time who showed an interest in you, please call.” He handed her a business card.
“I will. Is that it?”
He flashed a quick smile. “I think you’ve been through more than enough in the last couple of days without dragging out the questions any further. Edelman will go through your notes when he gets back to see if anything stands out. Did you make that list of previous work associates he asked for?”
“I wrote down everyone I could remember. I also listed my former addresses, at least the ones since I graduated from college. My childhood consisted of one move after the other, totaling close to a dozen.”
“That’s fine. The stalker won’t be someone you knew when you were a girl. A child predator wouldn’t be interested in you now.”
She shuddered. “I can’t even imagine how horrifying that would be. It’s bad enough as an adult, knowing someone’s been watching me.”
Jed rose and pulled her to her feet. “Don’t think about it.”
Hernandez stood and stepped around his desk. “How much longer will you be in town?”
“I was hoping to take a few more photographs this afternoon then leave in the morning. Is that okay?”
“That’ll be fine. We’ll pass along all our information to the police in Shady Bend. That way they’ll be up to date if anything new happens.”
Claire forced a tired smile. “Thank you.”
“You bet. It’s been a pleasure meeting you. I’m just sorry it was under such rotten circumstances. Have a safe trip home.”
She extended her hand. “Thank you. We will.”
The fog had lifted, and the sun shone brightly as they left the police station.
Claire turned her face up to the warm rays and breathed deep. “At least it isn’t foggy. I’ve had enough gloom and doom today.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Jed took her hand as they walked to his SUV. “Do you want to go down to the beach?”
She nodded. “Let’s go get Scoop and my camera then see what we can find in the way of sea life to photograph. I heard a chorus of sea lions barking last night.”
“Do you need more shots of the lighthouse?” He pulled the passenger door open and held it for her.
“No, I took plenty yesterday before all hell broke loose.”
They drove back to the campsite to retrieve an ecstatic dog and then cruised along the coast before pulling into a turnout overlooking a long stretch of sandy beach.
She rolled down her window and leaned through the opening. “Do you hear them?”
Turning off the engine, he nodded. “The sea lions must be out on those big rocks.”
“I won’t get any pictures of them, but we can still take a walk. The air smells wonderful.”
“Nothing like what we have in the mountains where it’s so dry I get nosebleeds sometimes. Here the moisture is palpable.”
“Good for the skin.” She hopped down from the seat, waited for Scoop to jump out then slammed the door. “What did you do while you were at home?”
He walked around the front of the vehicle, took her hand then strolled beside her down to the water’s edge. “Mostly I chopped wood. That’s how I heat my cabin in the winter, so I need a lot. I also took a long hike, talked to my dad and Kane on the phone and worried about you.”
Glancing up, she pushed her wind-whipped hair out of her eyes. “You didn’t need to stress over me.”
“Turns out I did.” He stopped to face her, still holding hands. “I can’t even begin to tell you how angry I am with myself for leaving you alone.”
“Not your fault. I asked you to go.”
His grip tightened. “I’m not ready to walk away from you. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to walk away from you. Can we please try some kind of compromise?”
Claire stepped closer to lean against his chest. His arms came around her in a tight hug. Nothing had changed. Certainly not Jed. Chances were she’d still end up with a broken heart somewhere down the line. But she didn’t know how it could possibly hurt worse than letting him go right this minute.
Nodding, she held on. “I was miserable yesterday despite taking some of the best photographs of my life. The light was perfect, and every angle was better than the last. Still, all I wanted was to share the experience with you.”
His eyes were sober as he regarded her. “I hiked until I was completely exhausted because I was so angry you wouldn’t return my calls. Plus, I’d had to listen to Kane tell me I’m a complete idiot for letting you go when it was obvious to him I—”
Claire’s heart beat so hard she feared it might burst. “You what?”
“I love you.”
Warmth seeped in to dispel the cold that had held her in its grip since he’d left. “Was he right?”
Jed’s lips curved upward in a smile. “Big brother’s nearly always right. It’s irritating as hell. Except in this case.” Holding her face between his hands, he kissed her, taking his ti
me before finally letting go. “I do love you, Claire. We haven’t been together long, but it feels like forever.”
Her breath caught. “I love you, too. I know we still have issues…”
“We’ll work on them.” He tapped his chest. “I have changed despite what you may think.” When Scoop raced up to skid to a stop in front of them, wet and sandy and stinking of fish, Jed dropped a hand on his head. “I never wanted the commitment or hassle of dog ownership before, but I missed the mutt almost as much as I missed you. Does that count for anything?”
Her smile stretched until her cheeks hurt. “It’s definitely a start.”
Chapter 23
“Oh, my God, how cute are they?” Claire spun around. “I have to go get my camera.”
The sea lions snorted and moaned while one slid from his place in the row on the dock into the water of the harbor.
“Puppies and kittens are cute.” Jed grinned. “Those guys are big and smelly.”
“Look at their whiskery faces. Adorable. Can I have the keys?”
“Sure.” After digging the ring out of his pocket, he handed them over.
“Thanks.” Making a fist, she headed toward the SUV.
Cute was her backside in a pair of skinny jeans as she jogged away from him, not the mounds of flesh lying on the dock below the restaurant. A seagull circled and squawked as she disappeared around the side of the vehicle. Jed crossed his arms over his chest and angled toward the fishing boats moored in the harbor. He tried to imagine Claire baiting a hook—
A woman’s cry raised the hair on his arms and startled another sea lion into the water with a splash. He raced through the parking lot, his shoes pounding the pavement. “Claire!”
“What? Eww, gross!”
He stopped beside the SUV and let out a breath as relief surged through him. Claire struggled to pull her arm from the sleeve of her jacket. No one else was in sight.
“Why’d you yell?”
Every Vow She Breaks Page 23