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He stared at her for another minute before sliding in next to her.
*****
"It's so good to have you back, and you have a bunch of mail. Darling, you should look into getting an assistant." Jack eyed her closely.
"The break seems to have done you a world of good." He followed her into the dressing room and made himself comfortable. "I see that lover boy has found you. Is everything good?" He settled himself into the small sofa and crossed his legs.
"Yes. It is." She frowned at the bulky envelope and tore through it. "It's from the same person."
"The one who has been sending you those adorable letters over the past few months. How sweet."
"This one is not that friendly." She scanned it, a frown touching her brow. "He or she is getting pretty nasty. Listen to this: 'I thought you were clean and pure and all about your career. I have admired you since you started and followed your career, and you have not disappointed me, except recently.
Callum Hammond is a ruthless tycoon who does not care who he hurts as long as he gets what he wants. How could you disappoint me so Lynn? I expected better of you.'" She looked over at Jack. "And it goes on to say that I should get rid of him or else."
"You should report it to the police." Jack shifted from his comfortable position and leaned forward. "It sounds like a threat."
"I am sure it's harmless."
"Who are those from?" He gestured to the rest of the letters in her hand.
"From the same person, at least three more."
"Open them."
She did and started reading. "More of the same drivel. I am light and have hooked up with darkness, and Callum will only tamp out my incredible light."
"He or she sounds unhinged. Are you going to tell him?"
"No." She shook her head and shoved the letter into the envelope. "He is just going to overreact.'
"You should tell him."
"If I get anything like this again, I will. In the meantime, we have a show to look forward to."
"And what a show it will be." Jack clapped his hands enthusiastically. "You are going to surprise your audience by singing. I bet your man friend does not know you have a wonderful set of lungs."
"I intend to surprise him." She said with a smile, putting the content of the letters behind her.
*****
Alton Cosgrove was an unassuming man with pasty white skin, receding sandy brown hair, and unremarkable hazel eyes. He lived in his mother's basement and was always shy around people, especially women. His one encounter with the female sex had been in community college, and it had been a complete disaster.
He had been unable to perform when it was time, and the girl had laughed at him and whispered to her friends. It had been humiliating for him, and after that, he kept to himself.
He had graduated, not exactly first in his class, but he was very good at computers and had been hired by a software company nearby. He kept to himself, never socializing. He went to work and returned home, sometimes picking up takeout when his mother was too busy to cook. They did not get along much because she always picked on him.
"Alton, get yourself a girlfriend, why don't you?" Or: "Alton, why can't you be more like Sherry's son, who has a very active social life?". But he considered himself to be pure and chosen by the Lord.
He was very religious, even though he never attended services (he did not care to associate himself with those self-righteous people!). Even though he did not participate in services, he read his Bible every night and wore out his knees praying to the Lord.
And he loved the arts of every kind. On his days off, he would take in a show at the theater and visit the art galleries and museums.
He had considered it fate when he happened to wander into the Langley Theater and was treated to a performance by Lynn Peterson. She had dazzled him, struck him blind and dumb, and he had found himself sitting on the edge of his seat as he stared at her.
She was a natural icon and deserved to be placed on a pedestal. She was also the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he had been struck by love from that point. There was nothing sexual about his feelings for her, of course.
She was as clean and pure to him as the blessed Virgin Mary. She had given him a purpose and a new lease on life; from then on, he had never missed her performance. He read everything about her and knew her more than anyone else.
