A Killer's Watch (20 page)

“Did you have doubts? Really?” Ethan was surprised.

“No, but it’s nice to have confirmation.”

“It’s Monique,” Ethan told her as his phone buzzed with a
text. “She says that Grant just arrived home. She and Chloe will take the first
watch.”

“I can imagine how infuriated he was when he found out that
his attorney had been waiting at the station, nearly as long as he was.”

“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” Ethan smiled, then headed
for the hospital.

~~~

“But, Mom, I just want to go home.” Allison hated the tubes
attached to her arms, and the way her mother kept looking at her, like she
would instantly disappear into thin air. She wanted things to be normal, she
wanted to forget the last few days, never think of them again. But the stupid
tubes tied her to the bed, much like the duct tape that awful man had used.
Same difference. She couldn’t get up, she couldn’t get comfortable.

“Allie, we’ve talked about this. You have to stay here until
tomorrow, at least. Your body needs to be replenished, so you can get better.”
Trudy Wells still had trouble believing that her daughter had been found alive.
She’d prayed for it, hoped for it, but part of her thought that she would never
see her beloved Allison again.

She had yet to process what that vile man had done to her
baby. Allison refused to talk about it, hated it when the doctors examined her,
so Trudy knew that she had gone through hell.

But she was alive. That was the most important thing. They
could work through everything else, no matter how long it took, or what they
had to do.

“I can get better at home. I promise that I’ll eat anything
you like. Just make them let me go home!” Allison turned on her side, taking
care not to pull the tubes from her arms.

A quiet knock on the door prevented Trudy from answering.

“Come in,” she called, taking Allison’s hand for support.

“Hi, Mrs. Wells. Hi, Allison,” Jeri opened the door enough
to step in. “Do you mind if I speak to you for a moment?”

“Of course, please come in,” Trudy smiled down at Allison.
“This is Jeri Forbes. She’s the lady who rescued you.”

Allison perked up, her momentary discomfort forgotten.

“Really? A lady cop? Cool,” Allison put on her best brave
face, the one she gave her mom, each time she asked about her ordeal.

“Not a cop, but I used to be an FBI agent,” Jeri smiled at
them both. They had decided to leave Ethan in the hall. Allison might not be
ready to deal with a male stranger. “Now I’m a private consultant. How are you
feeling, Allison?”

“I’m fine, but I’d be better if they’d let me go home!”
Allison scooted up in the bed. “Thanks for finding us.” Allison smiled, but it
didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Where did he have us?” she asked, quietly.

“You were in an old, underground cellar,” Jeri answered,
coming to stand beside Trudy. “If you feel up to it, I’d like to ask you a few
questions. What do you say?”

Allison eyed Jeri speculatively for a long moment. Finally,
she nodded.

“Good. Can you tell me what you remember about the man who
abducted you?”

“I don’t remember his face. I only saw it once, the night he
took me.” Traces of disgust were evident in Allison’s voice.

“That’s okay,” Jeri reassured her. “Just tell me whatever
you do remember. Like how tall he was, or if he was skinny, or fat. Anything
you can remember will be helpful.”

“I thought you arrested someone, the man who owns the
property where you found her. Are you saying that the monster who took my baby
is still out there?” Trudy felt her panic rise. How could they be safe, if the
man was free?

“We questioned the property owner, but all indications are
that he is not the man who abducted your daughter.” Jeri spoke directly to
Trudy. She hated lying to her, but legally, she had no choice. “We are doing
everything we can to find the man responsible.” Turning back to Allison, she
placed one hand on the girl’s arm. “Please don’t worry. We will arrest the
right man, I promise.”

“Do you think he’ll come back for me?” The resignation in
Allison’s question made Jeri want to strangle Graham Grant. The psychological
torture he orchestrated would haunt this girl, and Diana, for years.

“No. I think he’s smarter than that,” Jeri met her eyes.
“But I’ve ordered private security for you, and your family, until we catch
him.”

“You mean I’ll have a bodyguard?” Allison wasn’t sure how
she felt about that. On one hand, it would make her feel safer, but it might be
a pain, having someone watch everything she did.

“Something like that,” Jeri nodded. “He’ll be outside the
door, for as long as you’re here. And when you go home, he’ll watch your house,
and follow you to school, and wherever you go. You won’t even know he’s there.”
Jeri glanced at Trudy, wondering how she would feel about this.

“I’m not sure that we can afford that,” Trudy began, but
stopped when Jeri held up her hand.

“Don’t worry, it’s part of the service my company provides. Consider
it your tax dollars at work.”

“Well, then, thank you. I think we’ll all feel safer,
knowing someone is keeping watch.”

“Of course. But I really don’t think he’ll show up. You told
the police officer that he wore a mask, the entire time, yes?” Jeri knew that
Allison and Diana had spoken, very briefly, to a local officer when they first
woke up. Since then, no one had tried to question them, at her request.

“Yes, he did. Like I said, I never really saw his face. Can
you tell me about the cameras?” It was as if Allison suddenly remembered the
cameras, blinking red at her the entire time she was held captive.

Jeri dreaded answering this question. She didn’t want to
lie, but she didn’t want to tell this victim, and her mother, that videos of
her were transmitted all over the world.

“He was keeping watch over you electronically.” It wasn’t a
lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth, either.

“I thought so,” Allison nodded.

“There’s something else you need to know, Allison. Something
you need to be aware of, going forward. We think he targeted you, and his other
victims, through the camera on your laptop. It would be best if you covered the
camera, whenever you aren’t using it.”

“You mean he was watching me in my room? Oh, God, who does
that? How did he do that?”

“He hacked your laptop, got control of the camera, and used
it to watch you. Actually, it’s not hard to do, but I was also surprised that
it was possible. One sure fire way to prevent it, is to put a piece of tape
over the camera on your computer. It’s that simple.”

“That’s so creepy,” Allison shuddered. “I can’t describe how
it makes me feel.”

“I know, I get it,” Jeri softened her voice. “But it’s over
now, and you’re safe. Now that you know it’s possible, you can protect yourself
in the future.”

“I hate him!” Allison drew the covers up to her chin.

“You have every right to feel that way. But, Allison, you
survived this. Don’t let that creep keep you from living your best life. Don’t
give him that power. You’re a strong, brave, young woman. You’ll get through
this, I promise.”

“Thanks.” Allison wanted to believe her.

“I hate to ask you to remember anything about your abductor,
but I do need your help. Did he ever speak to you? Do you remember anything
about his voice?”

“He always whispered, or he spoke really low. I know that he
was white, and that he seemed tall. He wasn’t fat, but he wasn’t skinny,
either. Does that help?”

“Yes, it does. What did he say to you?” Jeri prodded, hating
that it was necessary.

“He told me I was beautiful,” Allison shuddered again. “He
said that I looked like her, but I don’t know who he meant.”

“Did he say anything else?”

“Not that I can remember. I think he drugged me, I slept a
lot.”

“Yes, he did, according to the doctor’s report. That’s
another reason why you need to stay in the hospital, for at least twenty-four
hours. They want to make sure that the drug is out of your system, with no bad
effects for you.”

“I just want to go home.”

“I know, and you will, soon. Is there anything else you
remember, anything specific about the man? Did he ever mention a woman’s name,
the one you looked like?”

“No, at least I don’t think so. He only mentioned her when he
touched me, touched both of us….I don’t want to talk about that.” Allison shut
down, crossing her arms over her chest.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to,” Jeri rushed to assure her.

“The doctor said she didn’t think Allison was raped,” Trudy
interjected. “Whatever he did, it’s over now.”

“Yes, it’s over now. He can’t hurt you again.” Jeri looked
between Trudy and Allison. “You’ve both been through a lot. You should really
think about talking to a therapist, someone who can help you understand the
feelings that may come up as you heal.”

Trudy nodded, Allison didn’t move.

“Allison, if you remember anything else, please call me.
Your mother has my number. I’ll be around, until we catch him.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Jeri squeezed the girl’s hand before walking to the door.
Trudy followed her out.

“Are you sure that she’ll be safe?”

“Yes, I am.” Jeri waited for Allison’s door to close, before
she continued. “Here is the card of the company who will be watching over you.
The guard will be here within the hour, and we’ll be here until he arrives.” Jeri
motioned to Ethan, who came to stand beside her.

“I don’t know how to thank you, for this, and for finding my
little girl.”

“No thanks necessary,” Jeri assured her. “Please call me if
Allison remembers anything else, no matter how small it may seem.”

“Yes, yes, of course we will.”

“I’ll be in touch, as soon as we catch this guy.”

“Thank you.” Trudy disappeared back into Allison’s room.

“How’s she doing?” Ethan asked when they were alone in the
hallway.

“She says she’s fine, but she refuses to talk about what
happened to her. She remembered him telling her that she was beautiful, and
saying that she looked like ‘her’,” Jeri explained.

“Looked like who?”

“Exactly. It reinforces the theory that he’s selecting the
girls based on one woman from his past. I just wish I knew who she was.” Jeri
began to pace.

“We should look into the women in Clevestone who resemble
the girls.”

“Definitely, as soon as we leave here,” Jeri agreed. “But
first, I need to speak with Diana. Good call on hiring private security, by the
way.”

“I agree with you that it’s unlikely for Grant to target
them again, but better safe, you know?”

“Absolutely.” Jeri stretched up to kiss his cheek. “You’re a
keeper, Barnes.”

“As are you, Forbes.”

“Okay, here goes.” Jeri took a deep breath, then headed into
Diana’s room.

“It would be so much easier if we could slap a monitor on
his leg,” Monique shifted in the car seat, trying to get more comfortable.

“It would be better if we could throw the bastard under the
jail,” Chloe agreed. “I’ve been trying to understand how someone could kidnap,
rape, and murder innocent teenagers, all because he loves someone he can’t
have. It really makes no sense.”

“I don’t get it either, but Jeri says it’s possible, so I’ll
buy it. I know that people do strange things in the name of love.” Monique
reached into the back seat for her bag.

“You’re French, aren’t you supposed to be the experts on
love and romance?” Chloe watched as Monique searched the bag for something, she
didn’t know what.

“I may be French, but I’m no expert on love, believe me.” Smiling,
Monique pulled out a canister of nuts. “Care for a snack?”

“Always, thanks.” Chloe accepted the nuts as Monique dove
back into the bag. “Sounds like there’s a story there. Care to share?”

“What, you want to hear my love story? It’s not pretty, and
it’s definitely not unique. I can sum it up for you in a few words. I fell for
a serial cheater, who also happens to have a fear of commitment. A real catch,
right?”

“Sounds to me like you’re well rid of him. My mama always
told me, once a cheater, always a cheater. As for the commitment thing, that
could change, over time. But cheating, that’s a whole different animal.”

“I agree with your mother,” Monique passed Chloe a small
thermos, then took one for herself. “But I don’t agree about the commitment
issue. If you have to convince a man to be in a relationship, then he’s not
worth it. That is the lesson I learned from Charles. Looking back, I can’t
believe I put up with him for as long as I did. He was incapable of saying ‘I
love you,’ he never paid me a compliment, and he monopolized my time. It was as
if he didn’t want me, but he didn’t want anyone else to have me, either.”

“I never pegged you for someone who would accept that
behavior from a man. Look at you, you’re smart, pretty, and you can kick some
serious ass, when necessary. Why
did
you put up with it?”

“I do not know. Maybe I thought things would change, but
they only got worse. Once I learned that he was cheating, I left. It was the
last straw.”

“Good for you. No point in wasting time on a lost cause.”
Chloe’s words were harsher than usual.

“Do you speak from experience?” Monique poured black coffee
from the thermos.

“Yes, and no. I’ve dated my share of dogs, but I’ve never
been in love to the point that it was all consuming. I’ve never lost myself to
a man before.”

“Ah, well. I hope that when you do find an all-consuming
passion, that he is worthy of you.  Love like that is difficult to walk away
from.”

“I want what Jeri and Ethan have,” Chloe said, wistfully.
“Have you seen the way he looks at her? Like she hung the moon. Where do you
find that kind of love?”