Chapter Eighteen
ABBIE
“What do you think could’ve triggered the stalker’s shift in focus?”
I blink up at Detective Peterson, who’s watching me carefully from the other side of his desk.
Jake is sitting in a chair next to me and has my hand wrapped in his.
Anxiety is buzzing through me and I feel like I could burst into tears at any moment, but I’m fighting to hold myself together.
We need to get through this. Need to give Detective Peterson all the details we can.
After all the work he did helping to expose the embezzlement Carter’s dad committed when he was on the County Commissioner’s Board and bring him down, there’s no one else I trust more to take on this case.
I’ll be forever grateful to Carter for convincing him to help me.
But I can’t stop thinking about Lilah. About how scared she was when she first saw me freak out this morning at seeing the message on the balcony’s glass door.
Thank God Jake was there to keep us both as calm as possible.
He was a rock, arranging for us to take Lilah to my dad’s.
The only time I really saw his calm demeanor crack was when I mentioned calling into work.
“ I need to let Paul know I won’t be in, ” I murmured.
He’d frowned at me as we hurried to gather things from Lilah’s room to pack for her. “ Who’s Paul ?”
“ Dr. Westbrook ,” I answered, and something crossed his face. Annoyance, maybe, but it was difficult to read and it was gone before I could get a good hold of it. He didn’t ask me any more questions about that.
“Well, I moved in,” Jake answers, bringing me back to the present and the detective’s question. “Kind of. I started sleeping on her couch to keep an eye on things and protect her and Lilah if need be.”
Detective Peterson sits back and regards us thoughtfully.
“That could be it.” He nods at length. “In cases like this, the perp doesn’t just go away.
If he believes something he thinks as “his” is being taken from him, he will retaliate, no question about it.
It’s not a question of if, but what they will do and if we can catch them before it’s too late.
A reaction like this would usually be in response to something specifically happening, though.
Something that would enrage the stalker.
You need to be honest about what that trigger could have been and be careful. ”
Jake squeezes my hand and I glance at him.
His face has paled and he sputters, “Something specific?”
My eyes widen as realization slams through me.
Something specific… like us sleeping together?
That would mean my stalker was somehow watching us last night.
Somehow we knew we ended up in bed together.
How is that possible? I think back, trying to remember if I left the curtains in my room open.
How else would someone be able to know what Jake and I did in there last night?
I suddenly feel nauseous.
Detective Peterson nods. “Clearly, this individual has some delusional sense of possession over you, Abbie. Some self-indulgent claim of ownership. From what you’ve told me and how he’s clearly followed you here to Ivy Glen but has never targeted Lilah, he’s very much working from a mentality of obsession and attraction. ”
Swallowing, I reply in a shuddering tone, “Well, um, Jake and I may have had a… romantic encounter last night. In my bedroom.”
“Damn it,” Detective Peterson growls. “I was afraid of that. We’re going to need to sweep your apartment for bugs and cameras.
Since the guy broke into your room, it’s possible he set up devices in there to keep you under surveillance.
Unfortunately, looking for that stuff isn’t standard procedure for a breaking and entering, so the officers that responded to your call for that wouldn’t have done it.
Don’t worry, though. I’m personally taking the case on from here on out and will make sure that gets done.
The big city cops might not have taken this that seriously, but this is Ivy Glen.
I’ve known your dad and your family for years.
I’m going to make sure we get this guy, Abbie. ”
Cold settles over me and my nausea only intensifies. He bugged my bedroom? The thought of someone spying on me… having insight into the intimate happenings of my day-to-day life…
Jake wraps his arm around my shoulders and it feels like he’s grounding me. Keeping me from spiraling and falling completely apart.
“When can the sweep happen?” Jake asks.
“Later today, if that’s all right with you, Abbie.”
“Yes, absolutely. As soon as you can.”
Detective Peterson’s voice is sympathetic. “I’ll make sure to get a team over there right away.”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
Jake stands up and shakes Detective Peterson’s hand, thanking him as well. He places his hand on the small of my back and escorts me out of the police station and to his truck. We get in and sit in silence for several long moments. I don’t know what to say… what to do.
Nowhere feels safe. My skin itches as if whoever this monster is has their eyes on me even now.
“Do you want to go get Lilah and go back to the apartment?” Jake asks me in a soft voice.
I look at him and tears well up in my eyes. I’ve been holding onto my control by the tips of my fingertips and I just can’t take it anymore. A long, shaky breath breaks through my lips and I start to sob.
Shaking my head, I answer, “No… I don’t want to go back there until I’m sure there are no cameras or anything, and I sure as hell don’t want to take Lilah back there yet.”
Jake reaches over and grabs me, pulling me across the seat and into his lap. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tight and I curl up against him and cry into his chest.
“Okay.” Jake murmurs. “You don’t have to go back there yet. Not until we know it’s safe.”
I whimper and sob, clinging to him as I let my fear and devastation pour out of me. Jake just holds me and lets me break, and I do find comfort in his strength and warmth. The steady beat of his heart is soothing and I slowly start to calm down.
“I’m going to protect you,” he declares softly. “I know I haven’t been the best friend the past few years. I haven’t been there for you, but I swear, Abbie, I’m going to be right by your side from now one. No one will hurt you or Lilah.”
Leaning back, I gaze up at him and murmur, “Why do you want to help me so badly?”
His brow furrows and he rubs the tip of his nose against mine. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s you, Abbie.”
My heart flutters and I lose my breath a little bit. His confident tone and determined look actually makes me feel a little better.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He appears thoughtful and then says, “How about I take you to lunch?”
I give him a shaky smile, relieved that he accepts my response so easily and isn’t pushing me.
“I’d like that,” I whisper. “I’d like that a lot.”
We pull up to Sal’s restaurant a little before noon.
I've been quiet since we left the police station, and Jake hasn’t pressed me to talk, which I appreciate.
As we get out of the car to head to the restaurant’s entrance, he reaches over and takes my hand.
I know he’s just trying to give me a bit of comfort, and I can’t deny how good it feels when his fingers wrap around mine. His hand is so large and warm.
He glances down, looking a little nervous, as if he expects me to pull away. I don’t.
We walk into the restaurant and settle in a booth in a quiet corner, where we can have a little bit of privacy.
After we order our lunch, Jake gazes across the table at me. “It’s going to be okay.”
I shrug, wringing my hands together in a gesture I realize looks anxious. Which makes sense, because I am anxious, but I don’t necessarily want to show it so blatantly. “Will it really be okay, though?”
I know he’s just trying to get my mind off my stalker, and the invasion of my privacy and home, but his statement still feels a bit ridiculous. He seems to pick up on that too, and changes the subject.
“So, tell me,” he slowly begins. “Why’d you move to Harrisburg, anyway?”
I raise my brows in surprise, and I hesitantly reply, “Oh, well, a friend from college reached out and told me about a way to become a nurse practitioner through a program with an open position at the hospital there. At the time, I just needed to get away. Go out on my own. Start fresh.” I hesitate a moment before adding. “Have Lilah.”
He tilts his head and it’s clear he is going to ask the question I’m sure has been on his mind for a while now.
I brace myself for it, gritting my teeth.
I can feel the energy already. He’s going to ask if she is actually his.
He must know, deep-down. He starts, frowns for a moment, and then says in a curious tone, “Why didn’t you tell anyone about Lilah? ”
Huh. Same general subject, but maybe he hasn’t made the connection. In a weird way, that kind of angers me.
I narrow my eyes. “Well, why did you stop calling?”
My sharp question seems to catch him off-guard and he doesn’t answer right away.
We stare at each other as the tension between us builds until it’s almost suffocating.
Finally, he glances off to the distance and mumbles, “Some puck bunny tried to baby trap me. I’d like to say I saw through her bullshit right away, but I didn’t. ”
Irritation flashes through me and I scrunch up my face.“That’s a weird way to tell me you were fucking other people. You could have told me you were done hooking up with me instead of leaving me guessing.”
He looks shocked.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t sleep with someone else,” he replies, bitterly.
“So?” I snap back. “You made it clear you never wanted anything serious. You didn’t want a commitment, so why would I hold out for you? I would’ve been happy to go steady with you, Jake. Hell, I craved it. But you made that impossible.”
As if my words hit him like a physical blow, he sinks back in his seat with a frown. “Well, whatever. Are you going to answer my question now? Why didn’t you tell anyone when you found out you were pregnant?”
I tilt my head and arch my brow. “I’ll give you an answer just as helpful as the one you gave me. Because I was scared.”
“Scared?” He shakes his head in confusion. “I didn’t say I was scared. And why would you be scared…?”
I glare. “Tell me, Jake. Why would a single mother be scared? Hmm, that’s a good one to ponder on.”
At that moment, the waitress appears with our food so we mutually — albeit, silently — agree to focus on the food instead of trying to hash out any more disputes.
I’m a little calmer, but I can still feel some lingering tension in my shoulders and jaw.
I bite deeper into my cheeseburger. He digs into his own food and we eat together, the table between us seeming impossible long, and the restaurant blanketed in a quiet, invisible fog thick with passive aggression.
The peace doesn’t last long. He’s twitching with anger. He can’t stand it anymore.
Looking back up at me, he asks, “What’s going on between you and Dr. Westbrook?”
I almost burst out laughing. “Well, that’s a loaded question from somebody nursing a conspiracy theory. Nothing, in fact. He’s a nice guy and we work together. But way to make an accusation.”
Clearing his throat, he looks down at his food and grumbles, “He said you two go way back.”
“Uh, yeah. Because we worked at the same hospital for years.”
“And he just happened to take the job here, of all places?”
I give him an exasperated sigh. “I was talking about Ivy Glen before I left Harrisburg and he apparently liked what I said. So he applied for the job. It’s not that strange.
I know how stressful working in a big city hospital is, so I don’t blame him for seeing the appeal of small town life.
And honestly, if I were him, I’d rather work with someone I have experience with too, so I’d jump at the chance if it were available. ”
We stare at each other for another moment before we keep eating. It feels like we’ve reached a stand-off of sorts. I doubt he’s willing to believe my explanation, but I’m not willing to offer him anything else.
The rest of our meal is silent, and it’s hard to really enjoy my food. I hate this distance between us. This rift. It wasn’t like this three years ago. We were so good together and things between us were easy and natural. Not now, though. Not after everything we’ve been through.
Just as we’re finishing up and Jake’s trying to wave the waitress down to bring us our bill, my phone rings.
“It’s the police station.”
“Better answer it,” he tells me.
“What, do you expect me to ignore it?” I roll my eyes, and press the green button. “Hello? Detective Peterson?”
“Yes,” the detective says, and his tone sounds even drier than usual. “Can you meet us at your apartment, ASAP? We’re going to do a sweep and you’ll need to let everybody inside.”
“Okay.” I nod. “We’ll meet you there.”
I hang up. Jake’s jaw is tight, but his eyes are sympathetic, and it’s as if our heated conversation over the meal never happened. “What’s up?” he asks.
“He said his team is heading to my apartment to do their sweep,” I softly explain. “I need to go unlock the door.”
He doesn’t hesitate, pulling out his wallet and getting to his feet. “All right. I’ll get the bill paid, and we’ll head back to your place together.”
I frown, surprised. “You still want to come with me?”
Holding my gaze, he smirks. “Of course. I promised you I’d stay by your side and protect you and Lilah.
I don’t care if we spend every day fighting.
I’m not going away.” Then, lowering his voice to a mumble, he continues, “Besides… I kind of like fighting with you. You’re really hot when you’re arguing with me. ”
There’s a moment of silence before I let out a burst of laughter.
“Well, okay then.” I smile at him. “If you insist, you’ll be accompanying this furious hottie. Just don’t get burned.”
He chuckles at my cheeky response. “Getting burned sounds kind of fun. Hell of a lot better than breaking a leg.”
Okay, somehow — despite everything happening in my life right now — he’s got me smiling. We get up to leave the restaurant together, the distance between us feeling just a little bit smaller than it did before the meal.