AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ben didn’t answer her assertion with the logic he clearly wanted to interject. Instead, he gripped the wheel tightly and kept his eyes darting between the rearview mirror and the road. She watched his jaw clench tightly, holding back the words he wanted to say. He wanted to go back to Cinderhill. To insulate her completely from the danger lurking. He’d be right. There was no reason to stay now. She wasn’t wanted at the funeral. She wasn’t safe in the town. But she knew hiding would only prolong this torture. They’d always be waiting for her. This wouldn’t end unless she ended it.
CHAPTER16
BEN
Ben and Paisley tossed their bags on the floor of their hotel room, and he immediately went into security mode. He checked each of the bedrooms. Even cleared the bathroom and began evaluating the entire place from every angle of safety and protection. The upscale accommodations barely registered for him. He made sure all the blinds were closed tightly, for their privacy, and checked that the dead bolt was in good shape.
"We need to keep this place locked down. It’s a secure hotel, needing a room key to operate the elevator. That’s a plus. We’ll call the front desk and let them know we don’t want anyone servicing the room. We don’t want the fact that you are staying here being discussed either. They need to use discretion.”
“That doesn’t usually work for long. People get excited when someone from Hollywood is staying in their hotel, and they tell their friends. It gets around. Then cameras are downstairs every time we go out. We can’t count on it staying quiet.”
As they unpacked their bags, Ben set aside the packaged food he had bought at the gas station. He didn't want to take any chances with outside orders or deliveries, especially after what happened with the poisoned soup that took Doug's life. He wanted to maintain control over their environment and minimize any potential risks.
Paisley watched Ben and asked, "We’re going to eat microwaveable burritos and bags of chips?”
“There is other stuff here too. But for now it’s the best I could come up with. It’s not very glamorous but it’s random and not tampered with. I’ll try to come up with some better options tomorrow.”
His phone rang, and Carmen’s name flashed across the screen. He motioned for Paisley to come closer, and they both listened intently as they exchanged weary sounding pleasantries.
"Paisley, I had people combing through all the messages and letters you received. I have some questions for you regarding the recurring words in the threatening messages. I want to understand their significance and see if they trigger any specific memories or emotions for you."
"I’ve read them all a million times," Paisley responded, taking a deep breath. “They never sounded like anything besides angry words to scare me. They didn’t make me think of anyone I know, because no one I know would ever say anything like that.”
Ben held Paisley close as Carmen read the disturbing words aloud. He could see the anguish on Paisley's face as she listened, and he tightened his embrace, offering her comfort and support even though it seemed futile. He couldn’t imagine a mailbox filled with such hate waiting for her at the end of every week.
"One of our linguistic specialists feels like there might be a common thread. These are things that come up again and again, though worded slightly differently. The letters, overall, seem to be rooted in jealousy," Carmen explained. "The mention of your fame and success indicates that someone resents your achievements and wants to bring you down. The handwriting expert believes, like we suspected, the letters were penned by different individuals, suggesting a coordinated effort."
Whispering to Paisley, Ben said, "It seems we're dealing with a group of people who envy your success. They've been watching you closely, targeting you at various events. This adds another layer of complexity to the situation."
His mind raced, trying to piece together the motive. He knew nothing about fame. The world Paisley was living in was impossible for him to understand. Watching movies wasn’t something he had time for, let alone seeing the inner workings of Hollywood. It was all completely foreign to him. “What do they want from Paisley? I don’t understand how a group of people would want her dead. Do they even know her?”
Carmen hummed. “There’s a chance they do. Or they feel like they know her. In many cases the person feels as though they know the victim intimately because they’ve seen them in movies and on television. It creates this false sense of connection. The challenge we’re facing is finding a group of people willing to kill because of a shared obsession with a high-profile person. This is unique. It’s sad to say, but a lot of the work we do follows a pattern. There are abusers who tend to be predictable and their escalation is something we can try to get ahead of. But we can’t seem to figure out the inner workings of what we are dealing with here.”
“But why would they want her dead? Don’t stalkers usually want some kind of relationship with the victim? A closeness?”
“It depends. If they feel like they are not loved in return or are being rejected somehow, they can quickly turn violent. We don’t have a road map to follow. That’s why being here alone is so incredibly dangerous.”
“But a group?” Ben pressed, disjointed thoughts racing through his mind.
“In this kind of scenario it’s not common, but in general there is a psychological element that can lead people to do things they normally wouldn’t when they are following others. I was hoping some of the redundant language in the letters might trigger a connection for you.”
Paisley, who’d been quiet for some time, finally spoke again. “I can’t think of anything. I’ve spent so many nights trying to figure out what brought this on and who is behind it. I’m sorry. I know how hard you’ve been working. I can hear it in your voice. This has taken a toll on so many people. Like you said, it’s nothing you’ve dealt with before. It almost seems worthless to fight.”
“You’re the first situation I’ve encountered like this, that makes it more important for us to figure it out. It might save someone else in the future. And even if that wasn’t the case, you are worth fighting for.”
“Well I wasn’t any help tonight.” Paisley sighed.
“It was worth a try. Know that we’re still hammering away at this with all we’ve got. Please stay vigilant and follow the security protocols we discussed. Being at the funeral is what they would expect. They will know you’re in town soon enough."
“There was a note already,” Ben explained, looking at Paisley with concern. “We went to the local florist shop and there was a bouquet waiting for Paisley with a threatening note.”
“What?” Carmen gasped. “You should have told me that right away. Send me a transcript of what it said. And please consider going back to Cinderhill. That’s the only place I feel I can keep you safe.”
“I want to draw them out,” Paisley asserted as she moved away from Ben. “Let them come for me. They know I’m here, but we know they are too. That has to count for something.”
Carmen barely let her finish before she was protesting. “That can’t happen. Ben, you know damn well your siblings are going to hear this and flip out. I hoped it would be a quick appearance for the funeral and maybe in and out under the radar. Your primary goal can’t be trying to set a trap and hoping that works. We’re not rogue agents setting traps and using victims for bait. That’s not how this works.”
“I’m not making that decision. Paisley is. But I have her back whatever she decides. I’m not leaving her high and dry. If she’s here, I’m here. That’s it. I understand if it’s not something any of you can get involved in. I won’t put you in that position.”
