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Before I could start wondering where everyone was, Jared walked into the conference room looking more tired than I had seen him. He’d been away when his stepfather was arrested amonth before and then again when the man violated the terms of his bail.
I took in the man, who was part of the team and yet, I hadn’t had much time to get to know him. “Hey, man. You okay?”
“Yeah, it was just a long drive.” He brushed a hand over his stubble as flopped into the chair next to me. “I was hoping to make it into a road trip for me and my little brother, but then last night happened and I figured I was needed here more. Besides, the road trip was ineffective. The kid has barely spoken to me since we left San Antonio.”
“How old is he?” From what I understood, young children did not react well to their world being turned upside down.
“Just turned fourteen. Eighth grade. Smart as a whip based on what everyone is telling me.” Jared pulled out his laptop and booted the thing up.
“Where is he now?”
“In the lobby downstairs, on my iPad.” The man rolled his eyes, and I wondered if that was what I was in for living with a teenager. Or soon to be one, anyway. “He said he needed to do research if he was going to be staying here for any length of time. If I get my way, he’ll be with me permanently.”
Jared’s dad stood accused of murder. Or at the very least the man was responsible for his wife’s death. Something told me Jared would be raising the boy from there on out.
The rest of the team wondered in. Jake was excused because he was on paternity leave. Also, Nick promised to let him know if and when he was needed to catch the asshole terrorizing Everly. Bex was also not around since she was on Everly duty. They were meeting down the hall in Bex’s office in case she was needed.
Lilly scanned the police report. The fact that we had our hands on it was far from legal, but the police chief turned a blind eye when it came to Salinger Security. Their relationshipwas mutually beneficial with the Salingers never charging a consulting fee when they helped the police department.
She looked at me. “He’s likely frustrated that she hadn’t noticed him at all. At least, that’s his perception. If she had reported those emails earlier, he would’ve known she was taking him seriously. He wants her attention first. He thinks that once she notices him, she’ll likely want him.”
“And sticking her face on bodies he found in porn magazines helps this how?” I’d seen some evil in my life, but I couldn’t fathom the level of depravity it would take to do what that sicko did.
Lilly shook her head and leaned back in her chair. She wasn’t her usual self, I could tell. But I appreciated that her friendship with Ev meant that she would do what she could to help. “Don’t try to apply reason or logic to this. This man is not reasonable. But the fact that we found absolutely no trace of him makes me worry.”
“You think he may have done this before?” I suppose stalker behavior implies that he would have more than one victim.
“No. The exact MO suggests that this is his first and only. He probably has a mostly normal life. He’s likely good at his job and he believes that the only thing wrong with his life is that Everly is not part of it. This man has an obsession with her. But the lack of forensic evidence suggests to me that it was intentional. My guess is there is a record of him and either his DNA or fingerprints are somewhere else.”
Nick clapped his hands together. “Get Everly to make a list of everyone in her life. And who of those have a record of some kind. If she doesn’t know, Jared can do some investigation.”
“Okay.” I nodded in agreement, happy to have something to do. Between Jared working the case remotely, and Trey being the one to install her alarms, I felt useless. “Also, at no point should she or Skylar go anywhere on their own. Scott tookSkylar to dancing and Bex went with Ev to fetch her. We’ll need cover for school and dancing for Skylar. The Reverse Cowgirl for Everly as well as any other gigs she has. I’ll get a schedule for her. I know she has a recording session this week, too.”
“I can do that.” Lilly’s face lights up. “I always wanted to see what happens inside a recording studio.”
“Like hell.” Oliver, her husband, shook his head. “You promised you would take it easy during the pregnancy.”
They argued for a few minutes until Lilly eventually relented.
Jared spoke up in between all that. “I’ll take Skylar to school on Monday. I’ve got to go and enroll Aidan in school anyway.”
Nick frowned at us. “I take it that’s the surly kid sitting in the lobby downstairs.”
Arrangements were made for the parts of Everly and Skylar’s schedule I already knew. As well as contingencies with people who did not work for Salinger Security. Men who were former military, and trusted friends of the Salinger family in some way.
A knock at the door got our attention and Nick called the person to come in. Everly’s beautiful face lit up the room.
“Uhm, Noah. Sky’s downstairs. She’s getting started on her math homework. She said you texted that you would help her when you were done here?”
I nodded. “Yeah, we’re nearly done. I’ll take her across to the B&B. Also, keep Monday morning open. Jared is taking Sky to school, which means we can make the appointment with the realtor.”
“I don’t need to go with you.”
“Ev.” I raised a brow, hoping to end all arguments. “We are not staying at the B&B indefinitely and you are not going back to the cottage until the asshole is caught.”
At least she had the sense to relent before we ended up having an argument in front of the whole company. Hershoulders slacked as she answered me. “Fine. But nothing is permanent.”
I took that as a win, even though the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to be permanent.
