The Guardian (35 page)

"Don't be this way. Please. I'll make you happy, Jessica."

For a second, Julie wondered if she had heard Richard correctly, but she knew she had.

"You . . . are . . . insane," she sputtered.

This time, her words stopped him.

"You shouldn't say that," Richard said, his voice acquiring an ugly edge. "You shouldn't say things you don't mean."

From the corner of her eye, Julie saw Edna reentering the clearing again.

"I'm coming," she called out cheerfully. "I'm coming. . . ."

Richard was still staring at Julie when Edna reached them. She looked from one to the other.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Richard finally turned away from Julie's gaze. "No," he said, "not at all. We were just trying to figure out how many homes there might eventually be. I think Julie likes her privacy."

Julie barely heard him answer. "I've got to go," she said suddenly, starting to back away again.

Richard smiled. "Bye, Julie. See you around."

Julie turned and started out of the clearing. Singer stayed for a moment as if making sure Richard wouldn't follow, then went after her.

Once out of their sight, she started to run, then began running faster. She crashed through branches along the path, her breath heavy and fast. She fell once and got up quickly, ignoring the pain in her knee. Hearing noise, she glanced behind her; there was no sign of Richard behind her. She started to run again, forcing her legs to keep moving, feeling the branches sting her face as she plowed ahead. Almost there, she prayed, almost there. . . .

Minutes later, she was choking back tears when Mike entered the house. He held her while she cried. After telling him what had happened, she finally gathered her senses enough to ask why he was home so soon.

Mike's face had gone white. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper.

"My lawyer wasn't the one who left the message."

Officer Jennifer Romanello was seated at the kitchen table half an hour later, her eyes on Julie as she recounted her story.It hadn't taken long for Julie to tell her everything. Though the words were important, it was the look on Julie's face that confirmed she was telling the truth. Despite the outer calm she was trying to maintain, it was clear she was pretty much a wreck. Even Jennifer got a major case of the willies; goose pimples rose on her skin when Julie recounted how Richard had called her Jessica.

"I don't like the sound of this," she said when Julie was finished.

Though she knew it was an understatement worthy of someone with Pete Gandy's intelligence, what else was she supposed to say? Holy cow! Buy a gun and lock the doors-this guy's a nut! Mike and Julie were so shaken, they needed someone to keep her cool. Besides, it's exactly what her dad would have said. Her dad was the master at keeping people calm in tense situations. He always said it was the single most important thing an officer could do if he wanted to live long enough to draw a pension.

"What do we do?" Mike asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Jennifer said. "But can I go over a couple of things again, just to make certain I have them right?"

Julie was vacantly chewing on her nails, thinking about the one part of the story she'd left out.

I'll bet that you haven't even told him that you let me spend the night at your house. How do you think he'd feel about that?

Mike probably wouldn't care, since nothing happened. It wasn't anything like Sarah had done to him. And it wasn't important to the story, right? So why couldn't she say it?

Lost in thought, she didn't realize at first that Jennifer had just asked a question.

"Do you have any idea how he knew you were out there?" Jennifer repeated.

"No," she said.

"But he was there before you were?"

"I guess he rode with Edna. I don't know how long he was there, but he definitely arrived before I got there. I saw her car by the side of the road, and I didn't see them walking in."

Jennifer turned to Mike. "And you thought you had a meeting with your lawyer?" she asked.

"There was a message at the garage that I was supposed to meet him at five. One of the other guys at the garage took the message, but when I got to the lawyer's office, he didn't seem to know anything about a meeting, so I came straight to Julie's."

Mike looked almost sick. And angry.

Jennifer turned to Julie again. "Can I ask why you went out there in the first place?"

"I'm a twit," Julie mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." She took a deep breath. "I hadn't seen or heard from Richard in a week, and I guess I hoped it was over."

"I don't think that you should do that in the future. Public places are fine, but try to avoid places where he might find you alone, okay?"

Julie snorted. "I don't think you have to worry about that anymore."

"And what do you know about Jessica?"

"Nothing, really. He said he was married to her for a few years and that it didn't work out. He didn't say any more than that. We never talked about her."

"And he's from Denver?"

"That's what he told me."

"And again, he didn't threaten you specifically?"

"No. But he didn't have to say anything. He's crazy."

No argument there, Jennifer thought. Sounds crazy to me.

"And he's never suggested what he might do next?" Jennifer asked.

Julie shook her head. I've had all sorts of fantasies, she thought, want to hear about those? Instead, she closed her eyes. "I just want it to stop," she whispered.

"Are you going to arrest him?" Mike asked. "Or bring him in for questioning?"

It took a moment for Jennifer to respond. "I'll do what I can," she said.

She didn't need to say anything else. Mike and Julie turned away.

"So where does that leave us?" Julie asked.

"Look, I know you're worried. I know you're scared. And believe me, I'm on your side, so don't think I'm going to leave here and forget about this. I'm going to look into Richard Franklin's past to see what I can come up with, and I'm sure I'll be talking to him at some point. But remember, I have to work with Officer Gandy on this. . . ."

"Oh, great."

Jennifer reached across the table and squeezed Julie's hand.

"But I give you my word," she said, "that we will look into this. And we're going to do everything we can to help you. Trust me, okay?"

It was the kind of rah-rah speech that everyone wanted to hear at a time like this.

Not surprisingly, it went over with a thud.

Andrea was watching The Jerry Springer Show when she heard the phone ring. Reaching for it absently, she kept her eyes on the screen as she mumbled a hello.A moment later, her eyes lit up.

"Oh, hi!" she said. "I was hoping you would call. . . ."

Jennifer could barely concentrate on the drive home. Instead, all she could focus on was the queasy feeling in her stomach and the screaming case of the willies that the hum of the engine couldn't seem to drown out. The whole thing scared her on a number of levels. As a police officer, she knew how dangerous stalkers could be. However, as a woman, she also found herself empathizing with Julie in a more personal way. All she had to do was close her eyes and she was right there with Julie, feeling her helplessness. There was nothing worse. Most people lived under the illusion that they were in control of their lives, but that wasn't completely true. Yeah, you could decide what to have for breakfast and what to wear and all those little things, but as soon as you stepped out into the world, you were pretty much at the mercy of everyone else around you, and all you could do was hope that if they were having a bad day, they wouldn't decide to take it out on you.She knew it was kind of a glum outlook on things, but that's exactly what she saw happening now. Julie's illusion of security had been shattered, and now she wanted Jennifer-someone, anyone, really-to put it back together. What had she said? I just want it to stop. Yeah, who wouldn't want that? What she really meant was that she wanted things to go back to the way they were. Back to when the world felt safe.

It wouldn't be that easy. Part of the problem was that Jennifer was feeling kind of helpless herself. They had called her for help, after all, but she couldn't even talk to Richard on her own in an official capacity yet. And Pete Gandy, though he'd probably do what she asked if she acted all coquettish, would probably screw everything up as soon as he opened his mouth.

But she could investigate the guy on her own. And just as she'd promised Mike and Julie, that's exactly what she intended to do.

An hour after Jennifer Romanello had left, Julie and Mike were still sitting at the table. Mike was sipping on a beer, but Julie hadn't joined him. She couldn't stomach the glass of wine she'd poured earlier and had dumped it in the sink. She just stared ahead vacantly, saying little, and though she looked tired, Mike knew better than to suggest that she go to bed, since sleep was an impossibility for both of them."You hungry?" he finally asked.

"No."

"You want to rent a movie?"

"Not really."

"Well, I have an idea," Mike said. "Let's just sit around and stare at each other for a while. And maybe we can worry a little, just to break up the monotony. I mean, we need to find something to do to pass the time."

With that, Julie finally smiled.

"You're right," she said. She reached for his beer and took a sip. "I'm getting kind of tired of it, anyway. Doesn't seem to be doing me any good."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Would you just hold me?" she asked as she stood and walked over to him.

Mike got up and put his arms around her. He pulled her close, absorbing the warmth of her body. In the circle of his arms, Julie leaned her head against his chest.

"I'm glad you're here," she whispered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Before Mike could say anything, the phone rang. Both he and Julie tensed at the sound. They continued to hold each other as it rang a second time.

Then a third.

Mike let go of her.

"Don't," Julie cried, fear in her eyes.

It rang a fourth time.

Mike ignored her. He went to the living room and picked up the phone. He held it facedown for a moment, then raised it slowly to his ear.

"Hello?" he said.

"Oh, hi. For a second there, I wasn't sure you were in," said the voice on the other end, and Mike's face relaxed.

"Oh, hey, Emma," he said, breaking into a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Emma said, her voice full of energy. "But listen, I'm in Morehead City, and you're not going to believe who I just saw."

Julie moved into the living room next to Mike, and he held the phone away from his ear so she could hear as well.

"Who?"

"Andrea. And you'll never believe who she was with."

"Who?"

"She was with Richard. And get this, I just saw him kiss her."

"I have no idea what it means," Julie said. "I mean, it doesn't make sense."Mike had hung up the phone and they were sitting on the couch, a single lamp shining behind them. Singer was sleeping by the front door.

"Did she mention anything in the shop this week? About seeing him, I mean?"

Julie shook her head. "Nothing. Not a single word. I know she cut his hair, but that's all I knew about."

"Didn't she hear the things you were saying about him?"

"She must have."

"But she didn't care?"

"Either that or she didn't believe them."

"Why wouldn't she believe you?"

"Who knows. But I'll talk to her tomorrow. Maybe I can talk some sense into her."

Later, Richard brought Andrea to his house and they stood on the porch, staring toward the sky. Pressed against her, he wrapped his arms around her belly, moving his hands toward her breasts. Andrea leaned her head against him and sighed."For a while there, I wasn't sure you were going to call."

Richard kissed her neck, and the warmth of his lips made her shiver. The moon cast a silver shimmer on the trees.

"It's so beautiful out here," she said. "So quiet."

"Shh. Don't say anything. Just listen."

He didn't want to hear her voice, because it reminded him that she wasn't Julie. He was with another woman, a woman who meant nothing to him, but her body was soft and warm, and she desired him.

"And the moon . . ."

"Shhh," he said again.

An hour later, when they were in bed together, Andrea moaned and dug her fingers into his back, but Richard had told her not to make any other sounds. No whispers, no talking. He had insisted on total darkness in the room as well.

He moved above her, feeling her breath on his skin. Julie, he wanted to whisper. You can't keep running from me. Don't you see what we have? Don't you crave the completion that our union will bring?

But then he remembered their meeting in the woods, the look of horror in her eyes. He saw her revulsion, heard her words of rejection. He felt her hatred. The memory wounded him, an assault on his senses. Julie, he wanted to whisper, you were cruel to me today. You ignored my profession of love. You treated me as if I meant nothing. . . .