01 Only Fear (11 page)

“Sweet.” Becca had apparently recovered her good humor as Damian heaped responsibility on her. “Psych 101. Always wanted to take that.”

“We were going to move the class to another room,” Damian continued, “but we thought perhaps the killer would return to the scene.”

Ethan sat forward. “So you’re going to set Maggie up as bait? Not on my watch.”

“I’ll never be completely safe until they catch this guy,” Maggie said softly, the gentle look in her eyes calming him.

Man, she must be some therapist, if she could connect with people with just a look. And one stalker had killed her trust in mankind. Now another could kill
her.
Not to mention what she’d been through when, at such a young and impressionable age, her best friend was murdered. She could have come out so differently. She could have curled into a ball in the corner of a padded room for the rest of her life.

And yet she held it together.

But even as he thought that, one of her trembling hands moved to her breastbone and absently rubbed. His eyes narrowed. He’d seen that before. But her words drew his attention away.

“I’ll agree to anything to catch this guy before someone else dies.”

“And Becca will be there,” Noah pointed out, “and we’ll have an extra Chicago PD officer patrolling campus whenever Dr. Levine’s scheduled to have class.”

“Well, I feel so much better now,” Ethan muttered. He blew out a breath. “Okay,” he said, knowing he wouldn’t win this argument, “but there’s no way in hell she’s going to the press conference.”

Maggie’s eyes widened. “Was that an option?”

“No way. In hell. Not under my supervision.”

“We already decided the press conference was too risky,” Damian said. “But sometimes serial killers return to the scene of the crime, or to the victim’s grave. Which is why we decided to leave Maggie’s class in that classroom. We have technicians working through the night to get it back in order.”

“That’ll piss him off,” Maggie said. “Erasing his
lesson
and carrying on as if it wasn’t important.” Just like she’d done at her house, scrubbing her living room walls. Had she done it to piss off Fearmonger?

“Which is exactly my point,” Ethan ground out. “You’ll be in more danger if he becomes enraged.”

“He’s already escalating in his behavior,” Lorena pointed out. “Dr. Levine’s already in danger.”

“And maybe he’ll mess up.” Damian’s cool, steel-gray eyes met Ethan’s narrowed ones. “I won’t take any unnecessary risks with Maggie’s welfare.”

“What about the radio station?” Becca asked, raising her hand.

Damian smiled at her naïve gesture, which served to break the tension that was building. “It’s an open forum, Becca, feel free to speak up whenever. And as for the radio station, you’ll be following her there, too. But Marconi has canceled tonight’s broadcast. They’re going to replay a tape of an old show.”

Lorena nodded her approval. “With this guy’s increased activity of late, especially if he is Fearmonger and has had a ten-year hiatus, I’m almost positive he’ll contact you again, Maggie. Soon. And if we take you off the air for a night, he’ll be chomping at the bit to contact you next time he has the opportunity.”

“I’ll be prepared.” Maggie’s chin tipped slightly upward in defiance.

“As will I,” Becca added from across the table.

“First,” Damian told Becca, “I called ahead to the state mental health center where Deborah Frame is being held. I want you to pay them a visit and see what you can find. Ethan will stay with Maggie until you get back.”

“Ethan,” Damian said, finally focusing on him. “Turns out a couple of parking lot cameras were working. You and Maggie will review the security tapes. See if you come across anybody she recognizes or anything out of the ordinary.”

Hours of tedious work, yet somehow he was looking forward to it. He would be spending time alone with Maggie.

Looking for her stalker,
a voice reminded him. How romantic.

As the group scattered to their various assignments, Maggie retraced her steps to Ethan’s office in search of some privacy. Having seen him occupied with Becca in the conference room, she figured he wouldn’t mind if she borrowed it for a short time. Thankfully, he’d left the door unlocked.

Fiddling with her cell phone, she flopped it from one hand to the other as she tried to dream up what she could possibly say to allay her parents’ fears.

Hey, Mom. I don’t want you to worry, but you know that break-in at my house? Well, it seems I’ve picked up another one of those pesky stalkers. Oh, and it may be on the news tomorrow morning. They’re not entirely sure, though, that he’s a serial killer. Well, he’s killed one woman, and he may have killed several others, but there’s no reason to jump to conclusions.

Yeah, like that was going to go over smooth as buttercream icing.

Before she could delay any longer, she dialed their number and chewed her bottom lip.

“It’s about time you checked in,” her mother’s voice said upon connection. Had she already heard?

“What?”

Her mother laughed, the warm sound soothing some of the tension of the day. Oh, how Maggie had missed seeing them, and speaking to them, more regularly.

“Now don’t be mad,” Nancy Levine said, “but Agatha told me she saw a man at your house early this morning. I believe her description of him was ‘a handsome devil.’ And you still owe me an explanation of the break-in. Your dad and I are about ready to drive down to the city to check on you. We’d already talked about dropping in on July Fourth, anyway, because, well…” Her mother’s voice trailed off.

The anniversary of Brad’s death.
And wouldn’t that have been perfect? Her parents walking into her living room to find the walls covered in blood.

Or worse, they could have been at the house while Fearmonger was there. The very thought sent a chill coursing through her.

Maybe telling them all the details wouldn’t be the right thing. They’d just insist on coming to stay with her. They’d want to see for themselves that she was okay, especially after last time.

“Mom, I’m fine.”

“Liar.” The word was whispered over her shoulder into her unoccupied ear. She spun to see that Ethan had entered the office behind her and was now dropping some papers on his desk. He turned to leave again but stopped next to her as he passed, examining her face a moment as she listened to her mom talk about what was new with them.

“Tell her,” he whispered against her free ear. “She deserves to know. For her own safety.” Delightful shivers cascaded down her spine, but she forced herself to listen to his words.

He was right. She was being selfish. Her parents needed to know that this freak was targeting her, and possibly people around her. Fearmonger was obsessed with teaching her about fear—which was utterly ridiculous, since she understood the emotion all too well.

She gave Ethan a nod. He turned to leave, closing the door behind him to give her privacy.

Sucking in a deep breath, she blew it out slowly before diving in headfirst. “Mom, there’s a problem. It’s one of the reasons I’m calling.”

Her mother’s monologue instantly ceased and her tone changed to one of concern. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Maggie could have kicked herself for causing worry, but then Ethan’s words resounded in her mind. She had to warn them. “I’m safe now, but…” Better to spill it all at once. “There’s something you should know.”

“Hang on. This sounds serious. Let me get your dad on the other line.” Several interminable seconds passed and she heard her father pick up, probably in his office, where he’d moved his downsized accounting business upon “retirement” from a larger firm.

“Maggie, honey. It’s good to hear from you.”

He says that now, but…

“Hi, Daddy. I have some bad news.” Her voice cracked. She almost broke down then. How much more pain would she bring to their lives?

“We’re listening,” he said after a pause.

“There’s this man.” God, did she sound like she was fourteen and crying to her parents or what?
There’s this boy at school, and he’s picking on me…

She took another deep breath to steady her voice, which had suddenly frozen up along with the air in her lungs.

“What has he done?” Her mild-mannered father sounded angry. And she hadn’t even told him what had happened. “Agatha told your mother there was a man at your house. Did he hurt you?”

“No, not him. There’s a…a stalker.”

“Deborah Frame? I thought she was locked away. Surely someone would have told us if she’d gotten out.”

“She’s still in the state hospital. No, it’s someone else.”

“A different stalker? God almighty.” Her father’s exclamation was muttered, but it stabbed her through the heart. He didn’t deserve to deal with this in his retirement. He should be bouncing grandbabies on his knee. She made a mental note to give Julia a little push on that objective. Her sister was more likely to be successful in finding a normal, stable relationship than Maggie ever was.

“I’ve got Damian here,” she told her parents, knowing his name would conjure thoughts of competence and security. Nancy and Walter Levine had once been friendly with Sam’s parents, Priscilla and Damian Manchester, who’d lived just down the street. What the Manchesters had endured had shaken the whole community. It had shaken Damian and Priscilla so much that they’d divorced and each had moved away. “He’s helping find this guy. And Ethan—he’s the guy Agatha must have seen at my house—he works for Damian and used to be in the Secret Service. He’s protecting me.”

“That’s good, at least,” her mother said. “The Secret Service protects government officials, so he should know what he’s doing. And Damian would understand how this stalker thinks.”

As much as anyone can understand such craziness. As a psychiatrist, she knew there were reasons for such deviant behavior. But understanding on an academic level was different than being an actual target.

“We’re coming down there.” Her father was adamant.

“No, really—”

“Don’t argue. We’re your parents. We’ve earned the right to protect you.”

“I’m a grown woman.” Who sounded like a stubborn child.

“But we’ll always be your parents,” her mother said. “Please,” she added, her voice dropping. “We need to feel like we’re helping.”

An image of Damian tortured by the pain of being unable to help his child came to Maggie. Would her parents feel the same if something happened to her? Undoubtedly. She’d seen how they’d clung to each other when Brad had been killed.

Her mother was still talking. “If nothing else, we need to be nearby. We can stay at Julia’s.”

Half an hour away. Would that be far enough to protect them? It had to be, because Maggie knew they wouldn’t give up. “Okay. But you’ll have to clear it with her.”

“So we can’t stay with you?”

“He’s been to my house, despite the alarm system.” There was a heavy silence. “I won’t be staying there, either,” she added impulsively, hoping to smother their objections. She’d talk to Becca about finding somewhere else to stay, or stay at her place anyway and chalk up the white lie to protecting her parents.

Her mother breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. Have you told Julia yet?”

“No.”

“Want us to?”

Maggie rubbed her forehead, the beginnings of a massive headache coming on. She tried to roll her shoulders back to loosen the tight muscles of her back and neck. “Yeah, could you? Tell her I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“Better yet, let’s have lunch. We’ll be down there by morning.”

Maggie blew out a frustrated breath. “Can’t. I have classes to teach most of the day.”

“Dinner, then. I’ll call you with where.”

“Sure. Whatever. Just let me know.” It was easier to give in when she knew it was pointless to argue. But she didn’t hang up. She had to tell them everything and they hadn’t heard the worst yet.

“What is it, Magpie?” her dad asked.

Maggie smiled.
Magpie
, a throwback to her childhood, when she used to chatter up a storm. She’d give anything to be that carefree again.

“There’s going to be a press conference from the university tomorrow. You’ll hear more about this guy who’s stalking me.” She paused to muster her courage. They’d likely hear something before she saw them tomorrow. Or there might even be reporters hounding them. It was her duty to prepare them. “They think this stalker may be a serial killer named Fearmonger. I don’t know if they’ll reveal that much yet. They’re trying not to cause a panic. Just in case, I thought you should hear it from me.”

“Serial killer?” Her mother’s question was quiet, but Maggie could hear the tears in the words. She closed her eyes and gave them the worst.

“I just want you to be prepared in any event. They think the guy who broke into my house—while I wasn’t there—” she hastily assured them, “—killed a woman last night. She was a wonderful young woman.”

“You
knew
her? And you’re just now telling us about all of this
now
?” her mother said, incredulous. She was nearly sobbing now. “We could have helped you through this. Don’t you trust us?”

“It’s not that, I just…”

“I have to go,” her mother interrupted with a hiccup. “I’m too upset right now. We’ll talk about this tomorrow night at dinner.”

Oh,
that
would be lovely, Maggie thought, already dreading their dinner together. Her mother hung up her phone.

“Dad?” Maggie asked, her own voice thick.

“Still here, honey.” Still steady as ever. She ached to wrap her arms around him. “Your mother’s just worried about you.”

“I know.” Exactly what she didn’t want. “Just, please, tell her I have a round-the-clock bodyguard.” Whose focus and determination was unmatched in this world. “Two, actually,” she amended as she remembered Becca. “I’ll be safe.”

“I’ll tell her. And…” he hesitated, “…tell Damian thank you. It should be me there, but…” There was another pause. “I know he’s more experienced in this kind of…thing,” he finished awkwardly.

“I will,” Maggie agreed. “And would you please watch out for each other?”