Every Move She Makes

by Jannine Gallant

  Kane shrugged. “The man may be a bit of a pervert, but he’s not your stalker.”

  “So it’s either Bob or Curt?” Rachel glanced around the table.

  “Looks that way.” Kane squeezed her hand. “What were you and Will talking about when we came in?”

  Rachel told them about the flat tire and the man who had stopped to help her.

  Will gripped the edge of the table. “If I hadn’t come when I did, this psycho could have taken Rachel then?”

  “Shit.” Kane’s hand tightened on hers.

  “You didn’t recognize him, Rachel?” Sheriff Walker asked.

  She shook her head. “It was too dark to see much of anything.”

  “So this son of a bitch was following her before she went up to Granite Lake.” The vein throbbed at Kane’s temple. “It’s possible he’s been following her for months.”

  “Now he’s stepped up his game.” The sheriff frowned. “He was obviously prepared to kill or injure Kane in order to get to Rachel. The man is extremely dangerous.”

  “Don’t forget he was provoked.” Will leaned back and frowned.

  “That’s a good point. Jealousy could be the trigger.”

  Kane drummed his fingers on the table. “We have a profiler on staff at the department. I’ll get her take on this guy to see if it fits either Mayfield or Dawson. That way we can focus on the most likely suspect.”

  “Call her in the morning, Kane. I’ll check our two remaining suspects for alibis. Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of them was at a party with a dozen witnesses.” The sheriff heaved himself out of his chair. “Right now I want to finish up out front then go home to bed. Brandon, let’s see if Pete found anything besides that partial footprint. Rachel, you’re free to take Kane to the emergency room if you can get him to go.”

  “Oh, he’ll go.”

  Will stood. “I’ll take off then. Sharon is probably worried sick.”

  “Thanks for coming.” Rachel hugged her brother.

  “I’m glad you called. Would you like me to break the news to Mom and Dad, or do you want to do the honors?”

  “I may as well do it. I’ll phone them from work in the morning.”

  Will nodded. “Take care of her, Kane.”

  “That’s my plan.”

  Once they were alone in the kitchen, Rachel put her hands on her hips and studied him with a frown. “No more excuses. We’re getting your arm checked out.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Let’s get it over with.”

  * * * *

  It was two o’clock before they returned home. Kane’s wound had been cleaned and dressed, and the doctor had given him a shot of antibiotics to combat possible infection.

  Rachel paused in the entry as Daisy rushed to greet her. She rubbed the dog’s ears while her gaze turned toward the glass strewn across the living room floor.

  “I forgot all about the broken window.”

  His hands dropped onto her shoulders. “You’re exhausted. Go to bed. I’ll clean up this mess in the morning.”

  “Aren’t you coming with me?”

  “I’ll stay down here. Until that window is repaired, the house isn’t secure. I won’t take any more chances.”

  “He wouldn’t come back tonight, would he?”

  “Probably not, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’ll take a look around upstairs just to make sure no one left any surprises while we were gone.”

  Once Kane determined the house was undisturbed, he pulled Rachel into his arms and kissed her. “Try not to wake up at the crack of dawn. You need your rest.”

  “I can’t sleep late. I have to take all the cinnamon rolls we baked earlier into the store.” She leaned against his chest. “This isn’t the way I pictured the night ending.”

  “That makes two of us.” He kissed her again then pulled away with a groan. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Rachel slept hard until the alarm sounded. After a quick shower, she went downstairs with Daisy at her heels. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon drew her, but she paused to poke her head into the living room. It was neat, tidy and free of glass. Her lips tightened as she glanced toward the empty window frame.

  Kane smiled as she headed straight to the coffee pot. “How do you like your eggs, scrambled or over easy?”

  “However you’re having them is fine.”

  “Over easy it is. Pop down that toast, please.”

  Rachel did as he asked then leaned against the counter. “You’re very at home in the kitchen.”

  “I don’t mind cooking. I’ve never been a big fan of those frozen meals, so it was either learn how to cook or starve.”

  “Or eat take out. Grace lives on pizza.” Rachel sipped her steaming coffee.

  Kane expertly tipped two eggs onto a plate. “Have a seat. I put butter and jam on the table.” He handed her the dish and gave her a lingering kiss. “What’s the plan for today?”

  “I have to work. What about you?”

  “I have a few phone calls to make, and I need to stop by the sheriff’s office. Then I may go have more chats with Bob and Curt.”

  Rachel laid her toast back on her plate. Her stomach churned. “Who do you think it is?”

  “My money’s on Bob, but I wouldn’t stake your life on it.”

  “Why do you think Bob’s responsible?”

  “Because the Dawson reservation for Granite Lake was made long before you decided to go up there. Still, it could have been a coincidence you chose the place where Curt was attending his family reunion. Coincidences do happen.”

  He sat next to her with a full plate of food. “Eat.”

  “I’m not very hungry.”

  “Tough. Would you let your kids skip breakfast?”

  Rachel smiled. “No.”

  “Then eat.”

  She picked up her fork and took a bite of egg. “You’re good for me, Kane. Thanks for making breakfast.”

  “You’re welcome. I also called a glass shop. Someone will be out to replace the window this afternoon. Thankfully it’s a size they have in stock.”

  “You are a marvel of efficiency, Mr. Lafferty.”

  “I certainly am.” When they finished, he picked up their empty plates and stepped over Daisy on the way to the sink. “Where was she last night?”

  “As close to me as she could get. At one point she tried to climb on the bed, but I kicked her off. She’s been very worried about me.”

  “I guess we know where her loyalties lie.” He looked into Daisy’s soulful brown eyes. “I’m the one who got shot, and she hasn’t given me a second glance.”

  “Speaking of which—how’s the arm this morning? The bandage looks clean.” She walked around the table to study the white gauze dressing with a critical eye.

  “I changed it. It’s a little sore but healing nicely.”

  Rachel linked her arms around his neck. “Did I thank you properly for being a hero last night?”

  Kane snorted. “Getting shot doesn’t make me a hero.”

  “I don’t know. Seems pretty heroic to me.” She kissed him, and her stomach fluttered. “I should make you leave. Being here with me put you in the line of fire.”

  “Do you actually think I’d go?” He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “No, so I won’t waste my breath.”

  “Smart woman. Go get ready for work while I wash these dishes.”

  “I’m ready to go now. I’ll clean up the kitchen. Pour yourself another cup of coffee and relax for a change.”

  Kane reached down to rub Daisy’s ears. “I’m not very good at relaxing.”

  “So I’ve noticed. If it’ll make you feel better, you can help by feeding the dog.”

  “I suppose it’s something. All I want to do is help. I want to make this madness go away for you.”

  Reaching up, she stroked his cheek. “Without you, I would have slipped over the edge into complete and u
tter panic. With you, I have the strength to cope. Don’t ever doubt your worth, Kane. Having you beside me means everything.”

  “Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”

  Chapter 23

  Rachel shouldered her way through the bookstore door carrying a tray of cinnamon rolls and called out a greeting to Ellen.

  “I hear you had some unwelcome excitement on my days off. Did the girls get to San Diego without a problem?”

  “The girls are fine.” She set the pastries on the counter. “They’re planning to spend the day at the beach.”

  “Lucky them.” Ellen shut the cash register and offered a sympathetic smile. “I imagine you miss them.”

  “I do, but I’m more thankful than I can say they weren’t around last night.”

  “What happened now?”

  When Rachel told her, Ellen’s eyes widened behind her glasses.

  “Are you kidding? There’s no doubt this psycho is a real threat. Someone could get hurt—or worse.”

  “It might be a good idea if you, Chandra and Tim think about your own safety. Maybe you should each take some time off until this man is caught.”

  “How would you run the bookstore without us?”

  Rachel shrugged. “I’d have to close for a while.”

  “You can’t do that. This is our busiest time of the year.”

  “I know, but I wouldn’t forgive myself if one of you was hurt. He shot Kane. God only knows what he’ll do next.”

  “Do you really think we’re in danger?”

  “I don’t know.” Rachel rubbed her temples.

  “Why do the police think he shot Kane?”

  “He was probably motivated by jealousy. When he saw me with Kane, he lost control.”

  “If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any danger to the three of us. We’ll be fine.”

  Rachel squeezed her arm. “If you’re certain, I’ll go call my parents and tell them what happened last night.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much fun. I’ll let you know if it gets busy.”

  Rachel gave her a weak smile. “Thank you.”

  Dreading the conversation, she sat down at her desk and turned on the computer before reaching for the phone. Twenty minutes later, she hung up. It had taken some doing, but she’d finally convinced her mother she wouldn’t be any safer if she moved back home with them. Determined to get some work done, she went online and pulled up her e-mails.

  Her hand stilled above the keyboard before she jerked away as a chill crawled along her skin. Nestled amongst her business correspondence was an e-mail from Jordan’s True Love. With a shaking hand, she picked up the phone and dialed.

  “Hey, beautiful, what’s up?”

  Kane’s voice calmed her jumping nerves.

  “I have an e-mail from someone called Jordan’s True Love. Should I open it?”

  “Don’t do anything. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  Rachel hung up and left the office. She took over for Ellen at the coffee bar, needing the familiar routine of making lattes and selling pastries. Kane walked in a few minutes later accompanied by Brandon Hendricks.

  She handed a cappuccino to a young mother then hurried over.

  Kane took her hand. “Brandon is a computer whiz. If the guy who sent the e-mail left a trail, he’ll find it. This could be a break for us.”

  “I hope so.” She followed them through the store.

  Reaching her office first, the deputy sat down at the desk to print out the e-mail. Then he spent the next half-hour trying to track its origins. Finally, he sat back in the chair with a frustrated sigh. “I’m hitting a blank wall. Whoever sent this is good.”

  Kane crossed his arms over his chest. “Should we consult an expert?”

  “I don’t like to brag, but I am an expert. This guy didn’t leave a trace. He either knows his way around a computer or paid someone who does.”

  “Strange he’d suddenly contact Rachel through e-mail.”

  “You must have provoked him last night.”

  “That, or he’s only now found a safe way to reach her electronically.”

  Brandon nodded. “What does our psycho have to say?”

  Kane laid the printed copy on the desk.

  The deputy read it and whistled. “He sounds pissed.”

  Rachel stepped closer. “Let me read it, Kane.”

  “It’s not pleasant.”

  “I don’t expect it to be, but I need to know what he’s thinking.”

  He moved away from the desk and handed her the sheet of paper.

  Her hand was steady as she took it and read.

  My beautiful Jordan—From the first moment I saw you, I knew you were destined to be my one true love. I’ve waited years for the time to be right. I wanted everything to be perfect. Now you’ve ruined it with your cheap relationship with that two-bit cop. You’ve become a slut and a grave disappointment. To my credit, I’m willing to overlook your transgressions. Once you’re with me, you’ll forget all about any other men you’ve known, but I’m losing patience. My time with you is now. If you continue to cheapen yourself, I’ll be forced to resort to drastic measures. Come, my beautiful Jordan, accept your destiny. Let’s not do this the hard way.

  She dropped the paper on the desk and jerked back her hand. “Yuck. What do you think he’ll do next?”

  “I’ll fax this to the profiler to get her opinion.” Kane put his arm around her and hugged her close. “We’ll catch him, Rachel.”

  “Should I close the bookstore?”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary. The store’s usually pretty busy, so reaching you here would be difficult.”

  “With this new development, Sheriff Walker will approve more frequent drive by patrols of the property. That should be an additional deterrent.”

  “Thank you, Deputy Hendricks.”

  The young cop’s cheeks turned pink. “Call me Brandon.”

  “Thank you, Brandon.” Rachel forced a smile.

  “No problem. By the way, neither Dawson nor Mayfield has an alibi for last night. Both claim they were home alone.”

  Kane scowled. “Any news on the pickup?”

  “A few similar vehicles were spotted last night, but none of them panned out.”

  Rachel ran a hand through her hair. “So where do we go from here?”

  “I’ll talk to Beth, the profiler I mentioned.” Kane let out a frustrated sigh. “Maybe she’ll be able to give us a starting point.”

  “Sheriff Walker wants to finish the in-depth background checks on our two suspects.” Brandon stood. “Maybe that will turn up something.”

  “I guess I’ll go back to work, then.” Rachel stepped toward the door. “All this waiting is so frustrating.”

  “We’re doing everything we can, Mrs. Carpenter.”

  “I know you are, and I appreciate it.” She gave him a reassuring smile.

  Kane touched her arm. “Do you mind if I use your office?”

  “No, of course not. Make yourself at home.”

  The rest of the day flew by thanks to a steady flow of customers. At five o’clock, she left Ellen and Tim to close the store and drove with Kane to the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Walker called them into a conference room where Brandon Hendricks and Pete Lowery were already seated. Two steaming pizza boxes, a six-pack of cola and a pile of paper plates sat in the middle of the table.

  “Have a seat, Rachel.” The sheriff pulled out a chair. “Help yourself to pizza if you’re hungry.”

  She glanced up at him. “Doesn’t your wife expect you for dinner?”

  “It’s my poker night with the boys. I’ll head straight to the game as soon as we finish here.” Sitting down, the sheriff picked up a slice and took a huge bite, chewed then swallowed. “So, let’s get to it. What did we learn today? Kane, start with what the profiler had to say.”

  “Beth had some interesting observations about the sta
lker. He probably had self-confidence issues as a child but at some point overcame them. However, when it comes to Rachel, he still fears he’s unworthy. That’s why it’s taken him so long to act. He probably hates the way she makes him feel, but his fixation won’t allow him to let her go. I should say let go of his fantasy.”

  “Why does he always refer to her as Jordan?” Pete looked like he’d blow away in a stiff breeze, yet he’d demolished two slices of pizza.

  “Beth believes he fixated on Rachel during the time she was on Days of Desire playing Jordan Hale. To this whack job, Rachel is Jordan, then and now.”

  “Let’s hear a little about Jordan.” Sheriff Walker glanced at Rachel. “What was this character like?”

  “She was basically a good girl, wholesome but with a sexy side. It was always a man who lured her into compromising situations, and there were quite a few. The viewers loved her.”

  “So this sweet, naïve girl was led astray by bad men, just like Kane is doing now.”

  Kane looked up from his piece of pizza. “Good observation, Stan. Rachel’s stalker doesn’t blame her. He blames me.”

  “Too bad he’s tired of waiting for Rachel—or Jordan—to see the light.” Brandon popped the top on a soda.

  The sheriff nodded. “Did your profiler have any insights as to his next move?”

  Kane frowned and dropped his half-eaten slice back onto his plate. “She thinks he’ll try to create a situation to draw Rachel away from me. He won’t hesitate to use force again if he has to, but it wouldn’t be his first option. She doesn’t believe this man was the type of kid who tortured small animals. He isn’t inherently violent.”

  “Would he hurt Rachel?” Pete asked the question, and Rachel subdued a shudder.

  “Not unless he lost all hope of winning her over, and he isn’t even close yet.” Kane snorted. “He still thinks he can somehow earn her affection.”

  “But he wouldn’t hesitate to take another shot at you if it served his purpose.” The sheriff took a swig of his drink. “What about his childhood, any clues there?”

  “Beth said it was probably fairly normal.”

  “That’s not much help. All right, now for our two prime suspects. Pete, you start.”