“The team will take turns monitoring her.”
“Good. Where did you leave a car for me?”
“Walk down the alley behind the town houses to the corner. It’s a Subaru parked in front of the third house on the right with a for-sale sign. The key is in the usual place.”
“Do you think the lab has the results on the fingerprints we lifted yesterday?”
“Maybe. Stan said they’d hurry it.”
“With all the bases covered, let’s hope this nut case makes his move soon.”
“Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Afraid not, but I will today after I get back from the lab. Kellie will probably be gone most of the day. I’ll tell her to call me when she’s coming back.”
“You can level with me,” he said in a quiet voice. “How’s it going?”
He took a deep breath. “The easy answer is, nothing’s going on that shouldn’t.”
Just then Kellie came walking into the kitchen dressed in Levi’s jeans and a short-sleeved yellow blouse. She was a vision and he lost his train of thought.
“Cy? Are you still with me?”
“Yeah.”
“I was just saying I can’t wait to hear your difficult answer.”
Neither could Cy, but this was pure business and that was the way it would stay. “Got to go. Thanks for your help. I’ll catch up with you later at the office.” He clicked off and stood to greet her. “Good morning. How do you feel?”
“Thanks to you I was able to go right to sleep.”
“That’s good news.”
“But I bet you didn’t get a wink.” Her eyes had filled with concern.
“I’ll make up for it later. Sit down and I’ll serve you breakfast.”
“I could smell the bacon. I should have gotten up to do it. Fixing food for me isn’t your job.”
“But you need more sleep than I do after what you’ve been through this last month.” He put a plate of food in front of her and poured coffee for both of them before sitting down.
“Thank you, Cy.” She ate a piece of bacon. “Yum. Crisp, just the way I like it. Were there any more phone calls from him after I went to bed?”
Cy eyed her directly. “He rang on the half hour eight times. I let it ring every time. Your marriage announcement has set him off, exactly the reaction I’d counted on.”
“Did he leave messages on the voice mail?” There was a tremor in her voice.
“Yes, but you don’t need to hear them. I’m taking your laptop and phone into the lab today, but I’ll bring them back.” The stalker probably had a stack of prepaid phone cards, but there might be a time when he had to use a pay phone that could be traced.
Her brows furrowed. “You think they’re too awful for me to hear?”
“No. They were more of the same. He was ranting like before.”
She sat back in the chair. “Then you really didn’t get any sleep.”
“I’ll catch up today while you’re at the ranch. Someone on the team will be monitoring you every time you leave your condo. A member of the crew will follow you. If you have any concerns, call me on your parents’ phone. This is my cell number.” He wrote it on the paper napkin.
“While I clean up the kitchen, I’d like you to get on your laptop. Post a new message on your blog. Say that you’ve read the messages and you’re overwhelmed by all the good wishes. Then start to read any messages that have come since last night. I’m curious to see if he’s posted anything. It’s my hope he’s so angry he might explode and give himself away.”