‘What is it, Adam?’ she asked softly.
Adam shook his head. ‘Nothing.’
‘Please don’t say nothing!’ she interrupted softly. ‘It’s quite clearly something.’ She placed her hand on his arm. ‘She’s stalking you, isn’t she?’ She sounded so certain.
Adam looked at her in surprise. ‘What makes you say that?’ he questioned, not daring to believe she really understood.
‘I’ve been there. I recognise the symptoms.’ Now that she said that, Adam remembered something about Kim having trouble with a stalker.
‘You believe me? No one else does.’
She stood and held out her hand to him. ‘Come on, let’s get out of the office and grab a coffee so we can talk.’ She smiled gently. ‘I may even be able to help.’
Adam thought for only a moment. He badly needed someone to talk to. Perhaps Kim could help him think things through, even just by letting him talk. God knows he wasn’t doing any good by himself.
He stood and she turned and lead the way out of the office. Adam followed in a trance.
They settled in the corner of the café and sipped coffee as Kim drew out of him what had been happening.
When she realised that Eliza had threatened Lucy, Kim became concerned.
‘Adam,’ Mr Sullivan didn’t seem right given the situation, ‘I think we need help. This isn’t something we’re equipped to handle.’
‘I know I’m not equipped to handle it,’ he sighed. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ he admitted. ‘I can’t go to the police again, she’s convinced them I’m just a creep.’ He paused for a moment then seemed to come to a decision. He looked at Kim. ‘Thank you for letting me talk, but I think you should go now. I don’t want you involved if I have to take matters into my own hands. I won’t let her hurt my family.’ He was beginning to understand there was only one way out, and he wouldn’t involve anyone else. It was his problem.
‘Don’t be so hasty, Adam.’ Kim knew where his thoughts were heading. ‘I wasn’t actually thinking of the police. I was thinking of the people who helped me. They’re very experienced and good at what they do. I think they may be able to help you. Are you prepared to talk to them?’ She held her breath as Adam studied her face.
Finally, he nodded. He had nothing to lose. At this point he’d try anything. If it didn’t work out, he had a backup.
‘Come on then,’ Kim urged. She stood and once again Adam followed her.
She turned into a nearby music shop and told him to wait for her.
Part Two
JB
Chapter One
I had just about finished writing up the files for the case I had handed to the police yesterday. My desk phone rang, and I silently cursed, I was tired and wanted to finish.
‘Shamash, JB Wilcox.’ I answered, hiding the irritation.
‘JB, hi. Kieran Bannister here. Do you have a moment?’ He needn’t have said his name. This man had the most recognisable voice in the country. Kieran Bannister, DJ extraordinaire, the man with the golden tonsils.
‘I appreciated your help with Missy,’ he was saying. ‘The police have just left, and they have Murray in custody. I would never have suspected him.’ His voice broke slightly, the betrayal still fresh. ‘Again, thank you so much.’
He had contacted us three months ago. His daughter Melissa (he called her Missy) was being stalked.
Pictures of her were being posted online, pictures that Melissa had not taken. Pictures she didn’t remember posing for. Some clearly with a long lens, but some, worryingly, appeared to have been from quite close.
Then the notes started, nothing specific and nothing that could be considered threatening, but they were disconcerting.
They went to the police, but there was nothing they could do. There had been no laws broken, and no evidence trail
When the tone of the notes changed one of the officers they spoke to suggested they contact Shamash. Bannister had done that straight away anxious for his daughter’s safety. He was worried she was being targeted because of his fame.
It had taken some time, but we had finally unmasked the stalker. Bannister had been shocked and distraught to find it was his long-time friend and manager Murray Nielsen.
We then discovered Melissa was not his first victim. He had done this before.
His previous victim, Jody Roberts, had been brutally assaulted, and her attacker never identified. We found evidence it had been Nielsen who had assaulted her. He had been angry because she failed to give him the reaction he was looking for.
His recent escalation with Melissa led us to believe he was heading the same way again.
As with all cases, once we had sufficient information and knew this was a case that could be handled by the law, we handed all information over to the police.
Given the wealth of evidence we were able to supply the police reacted quickly.
Nielsen would serve a long sentence.
Now Bannister was asking how he could continue to support our work. He said we performed a vital service, one that he, and he guessed many others, didn’t even realise was needed. He wanted to use his fame to promote our service, but I explained we operated better out of the limelight.
I advised him to contact Damien Flinders, giving him Damien’s number.
We had met Damien on an earlier case. He worked for a high-profile investment firm and had been targeted by a serial stalker. He and I had worked closely in that case and become good friends. Once the case had been closed, he had offered to handle our finances. The case had attracted some wealthy investors and donors so had suddenly become more complex. We were pleased to let him take over.
I chatted to Bannister for a few moments longer then, thanking me again, he hung up.
I returned to the report I was writing. Eager to get done.
I had just completed and saved the report when there was a light tap on my door.
‘Got a minute?’ Jethro asked from the open doorway.
Jethro is my partner in Shamash. We started this agency from college, soon after Jethro’s fiancée Kath had been killed by a drunk driver and taken the light from his life. We helped people who the law was unable to help, doing a lot of work with, and for, people being stalked as there was often little help elsewhere. He’s your quintessential tall, dark and handsome but is totally unaware of his looks. He’s my best friend, but we are total opposites in many ways. I’m lucky to be five foot and I’m what they call petite, which has its benefits as people always underestimate me. I take risks where Jethro is cautious. I’m happy in the limelight where Jethro prefers to stay in the background. We have complementary skills and trust each other, which makes us a formidable team.
I looked up from my computer, trying to refocus my eyes. It took a moment. I’d been up a good part of the night, giving information to the police, so I was lagging a little this morning.
‘For you, always. What’s up?’
He pushed the door open and came into the room, I raised my right brow as Kim followed him in.
‘Kim has brought us a case that I think we should take.’
I held my hand out to Kim. ‘You have the floor,’ I said with a sweeping gesture, leaning back in my chair, giving her my full attention.
If Kim thought someone needed our help I was prepared to listen! She had good instincts.
‘There’s a man I work with, he’s Manager of Investments and as an accountant I have a lot to do with him. Adam Sullivan. He’s a gentle giant, and happily married with a five-year-old son. That is, up until about five or six months ago. He was always happy and smiling. Now he looks like he carries the weight of the world. He’s losing weight and is jumpy, hyper-alert, and he’s working all hours. I know his wife is worried about him.’ Kim took a breath. ‘I recognised the signs. It’s been almost like looking in a mirror!’ She shook her head as if to clear it, stopping her thoughts going back to that time in her own life.
We had first met Kim when she had been referred to us b
y our college friend, Ange, who now ran a refuge for people escaping violence. Her stalker was creating havoc in her life and there was nothing the police could do. Together they and some of his previous victims had turned the tables on the stalker.
During the course of that case Jethro had admitted to feelings for Kim. I had been pleased as it was the first time since Kath had died that he’d shown any interest. They were taking things slowly, but it appeared they were getting on beautifully. The sparkle was back in Jethro’s eyes, so I loved Kim for that.
My thoughts were pulled back to the present as Kim continued.
‘I finally managed to get him to talk to me this morning!’ She looked from me to Jethro. He gave her a gentle smile and she continued.
‘He got a new secretary a few months ago and he found he was unable to work with her. He just wasn’t comfortable around her. She seemed to fixate on him and nothing he did or said worked. In the end he demanded a new secretary. That was done, an exchange with a colleague. There was a bit of gossip about it at the time but being that everyone knew how happy Adam and his wife were, it soon died down.’
I knew how office gossip worked. Always something new to dissect.
‘However, he said things didn’t settle as he thought they would. In fact, things got worse. He doesn’t seem to be able to get this woman out of his life.’
She glanced at Jethro.
‘You need to understand; this woman is gorgeous! Petite and every man’s dream. She makes the effort with everyone around her and no one sees her as a problem. In fact, everyone seems to love her.’ She shuddered.
‘I must admit I’m not too comfortable with her, probably because she reminds me of Patrick.’
I listened, interested in her opinion.
‘The charm is only surface, though. I find her eyes cold and she always seems to be looking to increase her advantage.’ A shiver passed over her and she stopped for a moment to collect herself.
Jethro gave her an encouraging smile and she relaxed a little.
‘From what Adam said this morning, and considering his appearance, she’s stalking him. He hasn’t said much to Lucy (that’s his wife) because, he said it will sound like he’s losing it, and Lucy is already worried.’ She took another breath, bigger this time.
‘I would like you guys to have a word with him and see if you can help. He’s lost a fair bit of weight and is starting to look ill. I’m worried about him!’
She stopped and looked at me. It was nice she had such faith in us, but then I guessed we had helped her, so she knew what we could do. She said she had explained our agency to him.
Shamash was the agency Jethro and I had started to help those the law couldn’t.
The name came from a god in the mythology of the ancient Near East: Shamash was responsible for maintaining the order of the universe. Nothing could hide from his bright light, which banished darkness and revealed lies. The defender of the poor and the weak, he was the enemy of evil. His name fit perfectly with what we envisioned for our agency.
‘Will he come in and see us?’ I asked, ‘Or do we need to meet him somewhere?’
Kim smiled, and just like that, the glint was back in her eyes. ‘He’s waiting in the music shop now,’ she laughed. ‘I sort of knew you’d agree, and I was hoping to get him in as soon as possible. Preferably before he talked himself out of it!’
Jethro and I laughed out loud.
‘Minx’, Jethro said. ‘Go and get him then!’
Kim stood and rushed out the door.
Chapter Two
‘Conference room?’ Jethro queried as he watched Kim rush from the office.
‘How about the lounge? Sounds like he’s suffering. Might be easier in a less formal setting,’ I said, my mind already thinking what we might need.
I grabbed my recorder from my desk and went to make sure the lounge was clear and ready for visitors.
I moved four comfy chairs into a circle: I suspected he would want Kim with him. I then plopped down in one to wait. I pulled my recorder from my pocket, placing it on the table. I found it easier, in the first session, to use the recorder rather than take notes. This meant I could focus on the client and their reactions.
The door opened, and Kim entered. Behind her was a large man, albeit a man who had clearly lost weight recently.
His suit hung on his frame. His face was pale, drawn and haggard. His shoulders slumped.
Kim was right, he looked like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Jethro brought up the rear, closing the door as he entered the room. I gestured for everyone to sit.
Kim moved into the room but stayed standing. She made the introductions then, turning, said quietly, ‘I’ll go wait in the kitchen,’ as she moved towards the door.
Adam looked at her, an almost pleading look on his face. ‘Please, won’t you stay?’ he asked softly, reluctant to lose the one person so far who believed him. Kim glanced at me, I gave a slight nod.
‘Sure,’ she responded moving to take the chair beside Adam. Jethro took a seat on the other side of Kim.
Adam was clearly ill at ease. ‘I’m not sure where to start,’ he mumbled with his head down.
‘Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your family?’ I suggested, keeping my voice soft.
That had just the right effect. Adam raised his head and gave the ghost of a smile. ‘I’ve been married for over ten years to the most wonderful woman in the world. We have a five-year-old son, Gabe, who is the joy of our lives.’
His face sobered as it seemed to hit him, the situation he was in. ‘This thing is starting to have an impact on my family and I don’t know what to do about it. I thought about just moving away. But then I think, that’s not fair to Lucy. She has her own learning centre, you see, which she absolutely loves. She started it herself and has done an amazing job. I can’t ask her to give that up. There simply must be another way. I just have to find it. Trouble is I have no idea what to do.’ Adam was half talking to himself now. ‘Lucy thinks I’m ill, she’s started pressuring me to go to the doctor.’
Jethro leaned forward slightly. He waited till Adam raised his eyes to him and then spoke quietly.
‘You know from Kim that we have a bit of experience in this area. Maybe if you could tell us what’s happening, in as much detail as possible, we can see what we can do to help.’
He paused at the look of near-panic that flitted across Adam’s face.
‘Kim told us that the police didn’t believe you. But trust me, we know from experience that size and gender are not the defining factors in stalking. And no one here is interested in judging you.’ He smiled at Adam.
‘You can be sure that nothing you say will leave this room. Not unless you request it.’
Adam nodded, and Jethro then added in a firmer tone, ‘I can guarantee that, whatever you say, we will almost certainly have heard worse!’
He gave Adam an encouraging smile.
Adam looked at Kim. She gave him a gentle smile and touched his arm.
‘You can trust Jethro and JB, they’re the real deal. They’ve helped many people and, like I told you, they really helped me.’
Adam nodded and looked back at Jethro and me.
Before he started, I stated softly, ‘I like to tape this first session, if you don’t mind. The recording simply lets us focus on you, but at the same time makes sure we don’t miss anything.
‘You’ll forget it’s going once you start. It won’t be used for any other reason than to make sure we get all the information. Are you okay with that?’
Again, he looked at Kim.
‘It’s painless, and actually feels better than someone so busy taking notes, you get the feeling they’re not even listening,’ she stated.
Adam nodded his approval so I turned the recorder on.
‘Start when you’re ready. Just get it all out. This is the first step, and the hardest. But once you’ve done it, you’re no longer alone.
’ I gave him a gentle smile.
‘It began when Shirley Winter, my secretary of many years, retired.’
Adam went through his story in detail. Once he started talking, he found he couldn’t stop.
Finally, he was done. He was totally drained. He looked down at his hands, despair evident in his pose.
‘I can’t take this any more, but I have no idea how to fix things. I wondered if I could kill her but realised I probably couldn’t. I was on the verge of just taking Lucy and Gabe and disappearing, when Kim spoke to me.’
He looked up pleadingly ‘Can you help? Please?’
Jethro and I answered together.
‘Yes.’
Chapter Three
Adam sat back in his chair, drained, but he looked relieved having shared his burden.
‘So, you don’t think I’m just being paranoid?’ he asked, ‘or trying to find a way out of an affair that’s gone wrong?’ Clearly, what the officer had said had made an impact.
Jethro and I looked at each other then back at Adam. Jethro answered for us.
‘If anything, we suspect you’ve downplayed things! Unfortunately, there is a widespread belief that if you’re bigger than your stalker, then it can’t be stalking.
‘How many times have you heard men joke they would love to have some pretty little thing follow them around? Of course, that statement is only ever made by those who have never been stalked!
‘You most definitely do have a stalker, and, we suspect, a dangerous one! But we can help!
‘You’ll need to put yourself in our hands and you’ll need to trust us! That’s probably the single most important thing. Do you think you can do that?’
Adam looked at Kim, breathed deeply at her smile and nod, then turned back and with a loud sigh, nodded.
Jethro and I exchanged glances. Good, because we had both recognised the pattern of escalation and this woman was fast reaching her endgame. At present Lucy, and possibly Gabe, were in danger. There was no time to waste.
Stalker, Stalker Page 7
