Stalker (11 page)

‘No way. We’re in for the fight.’ Bernie’s fat circled eyes gleamed. ‘Someone’s out to destroy your reputation. But I’m in two minds how we should handle it? We could get a sub for you because we’ve got a genuine audience out there. With 10,000 paid up subscribers who shell out $65 per year to support their community radio stations and our sponsors—sorry supporters. Remember how the phones lit up with secondary students when you did a talkback on youth suicide. But Radio 3BC can’t afford ratings. Most station personnel don’t bother with the numbers game unless they want to get hijacked into mainstream radio. That’s what might happen to you. That or be destroyed.’

‘I don’t want to give in to him! And I don’t want to go to the police. Since he listens most of the time,’ Lily said firmly. ‘How about we run a program on something that will worry him… like… like…
Stalkers
as a subject! Get some experts on the line. Psychologists. Criminologists. Tackle him head on. Provoke him into calling in?’

Bernie shrugged. ‘Maybe. Wasn’t that done in an old movie once? Pity to waste all Jamie’s research and to waste a good idea.’ Bernie scratched his tummy reflectively. ‘But how would you handle it, if he did call on air?’

‘Treat him just like the rest.’ Lily thought rapidly. ‘Hit the kill button if he gets strange. Make a backup tape, just in case, anything serious happens.’

‘We’d need to give you some more support. These graveyard times are a worry for a young girl alone. Is Jamie doing the panel on your next session?’

Lily nodded. ‘Finished his exams. He’ll be there.’

‘I’ll have a word with Max too. He can drop in more often. And that big brother of yours is a bit big to miss the way he’s been jogging through the carpark. Maybe he’d like to sit in the studio and listen to your program tonight?’

Lily shrugged. ‘Fine. Not much space for jogging in there.’

‘This Stalker knows when you’re on air. It’s listed in the program. So he’s likely to be hanging around later tonight.’

‘We could pre-record?’ suggested Lily. ‘Except for the experts and talkback. Maybe do those tomorrow night? Might take a few hours to line up. I accept that I’m a target. But I’m not going to be a “victim” and I’m not even going to be called one.’

‘Right on,’ enthused Bernie. ‘Let’s do it. If Jamie’s there and the studio is free, you could start a pre-record in ten minutes. Just for an hour and then fill up with music. Graveyard is too long to pre-record all of it.’ He dialled quickly and a minute later, Jamie’s cheerful face appeared at the door, holding a thick book under his arm. Paper markers stuck out of certain pages.

‘Hi Lily. I’m the stalker-deterrent. Like fly spray. Stalkee-escort duty tonight. Me and a few others. So just cool it a bit, eh? Ready to roll’

Did she feel better? Not really, but he was trying hard. ‘Thanks Jamie.’

Did he think he was going to brain the stalker with that book?

‘Even got some questions ready for the quiz. Name ten three-letter body parts to be found in the medical textbook
Grey’s
Anatomy.’ Jamie fumbled in the large book under his arm. Paper markers fell on the floor. Jamie bent to pick them up.

‘Have you been doing body bits in Psych this week?’ Lily knew about Jamie’s time management research.

Jamie nodded. ‘Of course. Always like to use research more than once.’

‘Can we use your stalker research as background for tomorrow’s program? Topic. Stalker. Need a couple of experts on line, a lawyer and a psychologist.’ Lily was acting confident.

‘No worries. I’ll find them,’ Jamie winked. ‘And I’ll make a backup tape just in case your guy rings in. And you need proof.’

‘Thanks Jamie. Now, tonight, how can we have a talkback quiz if we’re pre-recording?’ Lily was working out the practicalities.

‘Fake some voices?’ suggested Jamie. ‘I’ll get my Mum to ring in early. What about your jogging brother? I’ve see him around, doing a jogging circuit of the studio block. He should be excellent on the body questions. We wouldn’t even have to give him the answers.’

Lily gave a genuine laugh.

Usually triathlete training totally filled Ben’s life. If it didn’t have muscles, or wasn’t called Anita, he didn’t notice.

‘Is he still there?’ Lily looked out of Bernie’s window which overlooked the carpark. Ben was leaning against the seat, doing push-ups. ‘Ben….’

He looked up and waved. ‘See you Sis. Everything okay? Thought I might as well train here as at the oval.’’

‘Want to come into the studio and answer a few questions on air, Ben?’ invited Lily. ‘About body parts.’

‘Why not? Be up in a minute.’’

The clock on the tiny grey-walled radio studio showed 5 pm. ‘Well, girls and boys , let’s get on with no budget, volunteer voice radio,’ suggested Bernie.

‘D’you know the answers?’ Lily was trying to think of body bits.

‘There’s “eye” and “ear”. What else is a body bit with only three letters?’

‘Toe, arm, leg gum, hip, rib, lip, jaw,’ suggested Ben as he walked

in the studio.

‘You’ll be our quiz champion tonight… er today,’ said Jamie enthusiastically. ‘Just hang around.’

‘What about “bum”?’ asked Ben with a wink at Lily as he sat at the table near the second mike.

‘Not allowed on air.’ Jamie slipped in the promo cart for another program.

Lily glanced across at Jamie who was wearing odd socks, as usual, but on air you could be naked and no-one would know. Just as long as the voice sounded in control. Despite the Stalker outside, Lily felt part of a team. Temporarily the fear waves were receding.

Ben was in the studio. Bernie would back her, Jamie-the-Brainy was on the research trail, and she still had one more day with the Red Peril. The hour’s pre-record meant she would be out of the studio before the Stalker even expected her to arrive. And tomorrow night’s program, she’d tackle the program on ‘stalking’.

‘Okay Brains Trust. Let’s start.’

The station’s weekly program guide was published…with presenter’s names… and panel operators. Easy tracking. Well, she’d use that clue too.

Operation Tiger Lily

‘Let’s go, Tiger Lily.’ Jamie winked. ‘Don’t roar into your mike, please!’

Grrr
mouthed Lily silently, and she moved the mike. She put on the ear-phones. The running sheet was in front of her, with the intros marked. The ‘Stalker’ topic had been advertised all day, so HE must have seen it, and be listening. Their pre-record last night had been very successful, they’d even had fun on-air and Ben had escorted Lily home while the music played on into the night. This Saturday ‘graveyard’ shift special was NOT pre-recorded, because they were trying to attract the Stalker.

The red studio lights were ON. And they were going to ‘take on’ the Stalker with Operation Tiger Lily. Lily could see her reflection in the glass wall, but she was too busy to look more than once. There was a plan and Ben, Jamie and Bernie were part of Operation Fight Back which might ,or might NOT work. It was a risk!

Reaching across for her pen, Lily knocked her FAN-A-TIC mug. Coffee spilled across the running sheet. The taste of peppermint hadn’t calmed her. She was back to hyper caffeine. She grabbed the cry box, and dabbed tissues. This couldn’t really be happening to her!

The brown stain dripped… No, it wasn’t like brown blood. She wasn’t going to let herself think that. Not now. She was Tiger Lily, on the attack. She was not a stalker’s victim. She was a target who was going to change her position in the game.

Lowering his arm slowly, Jamie cued her in.

‘Hi to all our listeners out there. This is Lily with the hot goss. segment coming up soon. With the help of Fast Fingers Jamie on the panel who, we hope, has recovered from his Rats and Stats exam, and last night’s Body Bits quiz, we’re in business for another graveyard shift. Tonight we’re opening the talk back lines to a new topic… Stalking… these people who follow others… a little too often and too closely… Stalkers. Do they need help? The stalkers not their targets. That’s our angle for tonight. Experts on line include a lawyer, a psychologist, and a special guest. If you’re interested, or have personal questions to ask our resident psychologist, stay tuned. First, a little track from ‘Hunting Something’. Thanks Jamie.’

Jamie gave her a ‘thumbs up’ sign, and Lily took a deep breath. Maybe this challenge to ‘her’ stalker wouldn’t work, but at least she was initiating rather than just accepting.

‘Resident psychologist’ was not strictly true. Dr Z. wasn’t in the studio but had agreed to answer questions on air, via the phone. Jamie convinced her and the lawyer, at the last minute. And as long as Jamie kept pressing the right buttons on the panel, they were in business .The backing tape would record ‘her’ stalker if he rang in.

‘Thanks to
Hunting Something
for that stirring track. I’d like to introduce our psychologist Dr Z. who is an expert on stalking behaviours. What is stalking? Can you tell us why stalkers stalk?’

‘No easy answers to that question, Lily. Some stalkers become obsessed with their targets. Sometimes it’s a mistaken attempt to show affection. Motives might be jealousy. Resentment. Or feelings of rejection.

What makes it stalking is that it occurs repeatedly and is unwelcome. It causes physical or mental harm to the victim or arouses fear.’

Dr Z. was warming up, when Lily interrupted.

Thanks Dr Z. A little later we’ll have our legal expert and then maybe a surprise guest, but meanwhile our first caller is waiting on Line 1. Dr Z. is listening.’’

‘Hi. My name is Genny. My flat-mate is being stalked on the phone. What advice would you have for her? Her stalker is obsessed. Can’t see why she might be…but there it is…

Lily gestured madly to Jamie. ‘Genevieve! MY flatmate.’

‘Did you set this up to fill the air-time?’ Jamie asked, through her head-phones.

‘No way. Genevieve and I hardly speak to each other at home. Why would we want to talk to each other on air?’

Dr Z. was still speaking on air, unable to hear Lily’s asides.

‘It’s difficult to comment on Genny’s flatmate’s situation,’ said the psychiatrist. ‘It depends what form the stalking takes. Following, loitering, telephoning, interfering with private property, threatening… Generally there are repeated behaviours by a stalker. ‘

Sounds pretty close to my guy, thought Lily. Wonder who’d recognise themselves? Would Genevieve say anything on air that would indicate Lily was the flatmate? She hoped not. There were enough tensions tonight, without being accused on air of stacking a program.

‘Contact the police if you’re really worried,’ advised Dr Z.’ Or get some expert help.’

‘I thought you were supposed to be the expert,’ said Genevieve and hung up.

Typical! thought Lily. Jamie was monitoring the talk-back line.

Sensing criticism, Dr Z’s voice went into very formal phrasing.

‘Apart from the “obsessed” stalker who plagues their idol,

another group would be the “Incompetents”. These lack social skills… they’re not very good at getting along with people, and so they follow someone they like, and convince themselves that the person likes their attention.’

‘Heavy stuff
,
’ said Lily trying to lighten up the program. Her listeners didn’t really want a psych lecture, although she did.

How had Genevieve found out about the topic? It had been advertised on air, but was 3BC wasn’t something Genevieve listened to? Maybe Ben told her last night, when he took her home. Maybe she thought she was helping?

‘Sometimes there’s a risk for anyone who gets between the stalker and their target,’ continued Dr Z, determined to be expert.

‘Ben!’ thought Lily immediately. Where was he?

‘
We have another caller on the line Dr Z. It’s William, one of our regulars. Yes William. What do you want to talk about tonight?’

‘How can stalkers be helped?’ asked William.

‘Counselling. But it depends which stalker and their reason for stalking,’

Dr Z. sounded like she was in for a long session, but Jamie was giving Lily a wind-up signal. Lily spoke quickly,

‘Thank you Dr Z. Our legal expert is waiting to make a few comments.

Welcome to Lawyer J who’s agreed to take part in tonight’s on air discussion.’

‘Good evening Lily, ’

‘What happens to stalkers who are taken to court?’

Lily’s stalker was probably listening. Maybe it would frighten him off?

‘Sometimes the case is dismissed. Other times the offender may be imprisoned or given a suspended sentence. Maybe a fine, a bond or a community based order. You know they have to do so many hours of community work, under supervision.’

‘Why does stalking stop?’

‘Maybe an intervention order is taken out. The stalker is not allowed to go near their victim. Counselling. Charged and goes to court. Or sometimes either the stalker or the victim move away.’

‘Target or victim?’ interrupted Lily.

For the next hour, the talk-back line was jammed. They’d never had so many callers. Most were female. Real names were not used on air, but Jamie was supposed to keep track of the callers’ details. Using an initial instead of a name was one way of being anonymous. Jamie started limiting the length of each caller’s story.