Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Dylan wandered around for a minute, looking for somewhere semi-private where he could make his call without losing sight of Raleigh. There was a partially hidden doorway off the main path. It looked like it was a maintenance shed of some sort. He moved over to it and turned around.
He could see Raleigh’s back, but it would be enough to know if she was in trouble. He tried the doorway and found it was locked, but the smell of cleaning products hit his nose. Definitely a maintenance shed. That worked. No other guests would come from that direction.
He leaned on the door and brought out his phone. He dialed Gabe’s number and held the phone to his ear. He kept scanning the pool area just in case. Clark was still drinking by the bar. Was he really the stalker? Raleigh sure thought so.
“Risk.”
“Hey, it’s Dylan. I think I might have a line on Raleigh’s stalker, but I need help.”
“What’s going on?”
He took a breath and then filled Gabe in on the whole thing. He ended with, “Raleigh thinks it’s Calvin Clark.”
Gabe waited a beat. “What do you think?”
He hesitated. “Raleigh had been covering Lydia’s social events for a while now and since the Harris family is backing Clark, he would have a good idea of her schedule.
That would allow him to go to her place without her seeing him.
There’s no doubt he has a thing for her either.
Man can’t keep his hands to himself.” Dylan ground his teeth at the image of Clark with his hand on Raleigh’s thigh.
His fingers tightened around the phone: he still wanted to punch the guy.
“What aren’t you telling me? You have doubts.” Gabe was fast, and he picked up on things others missed. Still, Dylan was surprised that Gabe knew him so well already.
“I guess I just don’t see him as the stalker type.
He’s wealthy and trying to be a power player.
Stalkers tend to be more loners, no self-esteem.
Clark has a huge ego. I just can’t picture him lurking, if you know what I mean.
And I don’t think he has the skills to defeat Raleigh’s security system. She has cameras, not just deadbolts.”
“Well, stalkers tend to be loners, that’s true, but not always. They can be pretty good at putting up a front for the world.”
Dylan thought about Risk’s logic for a minute. “I guess. He treats his assistant Josh like dirt, always yelling at him, and he’s got a quick temper.”
“You know, I’ve met Clark. The other thing about stalkers is that, although they may have low self-esteem, they still think they’re the most important person in the room.
And Clark certainly fits the bill there.
He thinks he’s the center of the universe, and people should automatically do what he wants.
And I’ve seen his temper. He blew up at—Josh, is it?
— at the Bedford Hills country club one day when I was there for a meeting.
It wasn’t pretty. I have no idea why that guy puts up with all the crap that Clark dishes out. ”
“So, you think it’s possible?” Dylan asked.
Gabe hesitated for a second. “Clark doesn’t totally fit the profile, but profiles are an estimation.
Not every criminal fits every profile to a tee.
I think he’s worth checking out. Your point about the cameras is valid as well.
Connor’s already looking at Raleigh’s security system.
He’s the best at that stuff so, if there’s anything there to find, he’ll dig it up.
I’ll follow up on Clark and see what I can find. Keep me updated,” Gabe said.
“Will do. And thanks again for helping me with this.”
“By the way, I ran that background check on Raleigh. She’s clean. Just wanted you to know. We’ll talk later.” And then Risk was gone.
Dylan put his phone back in his side pocket.
He’d known in his gut Raleigh was telling the truth, but it was always good to have confirmation.
Not that it mattered. Somewhere along the way, he decided no matter what the check came back with he was going to help her.
She was an amazing woman and he was determined to help her any way he could.
Raleigh was still sitting in her chair. He scanned the pool area again, but Clark had left. His gut tightened. Should he go back to the cabin? See if Clark was there or had been there? He’d love to catch him in the act. Not without Raleigh. There was no way he was leaving her alone.
He stood there for a moment, pondering his next move. Someone called his name the moment he stepped onto the path. Turning, he saw Matt approaching.
“Hey. How’s it going?” Matt said. He frowned. “You don’t look so happy. What’s up?”
Dylan grimaced. “Raleigh’s having some issues.”
“Can I help?” Matt asked.
“Nah, but thanks.” He glanced over at Raleigh who was still sitting in her chair reading something. Jenn walked into his field of vision.
Matt nodded. “Okay. Let me know if anything changes.”
Matt started to walk away but Dylan touched his arm. “Can I ask you something?” Seeing Jenn brought the whole earlier episode to his mind.
“Do you know why Jenn blames me for her marrying Andrew? I’ve noticed she doesn’t seem happy about the wedding, and she yelled at me earlier saying it was all my fault. Do you know what’s going on?”
“If I had to guess, I think she blames you because you introduced her father to Andrew.”
“What? I don’t remember… Ah, the barbecue.”
“Yeah. Remember when Jenn invited the whole team to her parents’ place? Andrew was there.”
Dylan frowned. “That was just before I was kicked off the team.”
Matt nodded. “I guess Bill met Andrew and was impressed.”
“Let me guess, Andrew told Bill his idea for the software he built, and Bill immediately saw dollar signs.”
“That’s the rumor. Now the department is in major talks about implementing it and Andrew is being cast as the next Wunderkind of Silicone Valley.”
“And Bill wants Jenn to be the Queen.”
Matt shrugged. “That’s my take. I mean it makes sense. Andrew is a tech genius and a cop. Looks good on a resume. He’s on the way to the top so why not marry Jenn off to him. That way you get to keep the genius in the family.”
“Would Bill really be that cold about his daughter?”
“You tell me?” Matt said. “You’d know better than I would, but this deal at NYPD is worth millions. And if NYPD installs the software, then how many other major police departments across the U.S. will buy it?”
“And then there’s the rest of the world…” Would Bill sell his daughter for that kind of fortune? In a New York minute. “Thanks Matt. I had no clue.”
Matt nodded. “Dylan, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about your suspension.”
“Thanks, but I deserved it.”
“No, you didn’t. It was a tough call, and you made the right one but, I know you well enough to know you blame yourself, even though you shouldn’t. That kid is alive because of you and that’s the truth. But ditching me and the guys… I gotta admit that stung a bit.”
Dylan nodded. “I know and I owe all of you an apology. But honestly, I couldn’t face you or the guys.
It…It was my call, and I’m still not sure I made the right one.
I didn’t want to know if the guys— if you—didn’t agree with me.
And you know Lieutenant Collins, if he sides against me and you were still close to me, he’d find a way to make you suffer too. ”
Matt shook his head. “You made the right call. All of us believe that. We will always have your back, brother.”
“Thanks. It means a lot.” And it did. He just wished he felt the way the guys did. Even after all this time, he still wasn’t sure he hadn’t made a huge mistake that got a little boy badly hurt.
Matt clapped him on the back. “Come on over and say hi to the rest of the guys. They’d love to see you and catch up.”
“Ah, I’m…” Dylan stopped speaking. He wasn’t sure he could deal with facing the rest of the guys just yet.
“No worries but…just stay in touch, okay?”
“Will do.” They shook hands and Matt walked off down the path.
Dylan’s glance traveled back to Raleigh, who was still sitting at the table.
He was glad he wasn’t marrying Jenn. There was no doubt in his mind that he was over her.
Raleigh made him see that. She was so much more than Jenn could ever be.
He smiled and headed in her direction. He sat down in the chair next to Raleigh. “Hey, I talked—”
Her face was pasty white, and when she looked at him her eyes were full of fear.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
She handed him the piece of paper clutched in her hand. He read the note and then looked back at her. “Nothing is going to happen. I’ve got you. I promise.”
She didn’t respond. He reached over and took her hand. It was icy. “Raleigh, do you hear me? You’re going to be fine. This is all going to be over soon.”
She hauled in a shuddering breath. Then she closed her eyes for a minute.
“Raleigh, are you okay?” He grabbed her other hand and squeezed her small hands in his large ones, trying to warm them up.
“Raleigh, honey, I need you to talk to me.” God, he shouldn’t have left her alone for so long, but he’d been watching her.
Throughout his conversation with Matt, he’d made sure she’d never left his sight.
No one had approached her, so where had the letter come from?
“I’m fine,” she croaked out. Her eyes opened. “I’m just so damn angry that I want to find Clark and tear him limb from limb.” Her hands vibrated under his touch. What he had read as shock and horror was actually rage. “How dare he threaten me? Who the hell does he think he is?”
Dylan glanced around. People were starting to turn in their direction. It was becoming obvious something was wrong. “Raleigh,” he said in an undertone, “we need to leave and go back to the room. We have lots to talk about, and I don’t want to do it out here in the open.”
“Okay, let’s go.” She hopped up off her chair and gathered her things.
Dylan grabbed the note by the corner and dropped it into her bag. Then he took her hand and made a point of not letting go as they left the pool area. He wanted to offer her a feeling of safety. He wanted her to know he was there for her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.