“Yeah, I was working on figuring out the surveillance video that the stalker set up in Paula’s apartment. As I was rewiring the new security system, I came across a hidden wire that leads up to the rooftop. Anyway, there’s a direct signal. It’s still active.”
“What the fuck does that mean, Monte? We’re not familiar with that technical talk,” Detective Louis stated, and Tyler was thinking the same thing.
“It means that I can get a direct hit and pinpoint an exact location where this signal is coming from.”
“Holy shit. Get on it and let us know.” The sheriff pulled the phone off speaker as Monte filled him in on the details.
“Let’s go over this list and see what we’ve got. His brother may just give us an exact location and name of our suspect,” Detective Louis stated.
Tyler felt his stomach ache and his worry for Paula increase. She was at the club, helping to do inventory with Alexa, and assured him and Matt that she would be safe behind the locked doors in the basement.
As they went over the list, numerous names stood out to him. He knew a lot of these guys. He saw most as just fun guys who liked to have a good time who were single and lookin
g for action. But one in particular wouldn’t leave his thoughts. He kept scanning back across the paper and thinking about what Detective Louis had said about firefighter, builder, or painter. Something was nagging his gut. He just couldn’t ease it no matter how hard he tried to focus on the other information.
A while later, the phone rang, and the precinct erupted in chaos.
* * * *
“Okay, so I’m totally jealous, Paula. Matt and Tyler are way hot, and they totally adore you. It’s awesome,” Alexa stated as she counted the bottles of tequila that lined the shelf in the basement. Paula knelt on the floor, looking into a box of newly delivered peanuts in sealed bags.
“I still can’t believe that we’re together. It’s been crazy, especially since I didn’t think they knew I existed.”
“Oh, they knew all right. They had been watching you for a while. They make you happy, huh?”
Paula smiled. “They sure do.”
“Shit. I don’t remember if Sally put the new box of vodka upstairs in the center bar or if we need to order more.”
“I’ll go check. You continue or we’ll be here all morning,” Paula stated then smiled.
“Great. I’ll start on the next box.”
Paula headed through the long basement and up toward the back staircase. Just as she made it to the first step, she felt the hand cover her mouth from behind and the sharp object against her throat.
“Make a noise and I’ll kill Alexa.”
Paula froze and wouldn’t move. She wouldn’t let Alexa get hurt. The stalker. This was the arsonist and killer.
“Move,” he whispered, and slowly she climbed the stairs. As they reached the top floor, he turned her right toward the back door. Just as they headed that way, she caught a glimpse of Susanna standing near the bar area talking with Carl. “I’ll kill them just like I killed the others.”
They exited the door and she began to struggle.
“You caused me nothing but trouble, and you’ll be making up for it, Paula, starting as soon as we get home.”
He opened his trunk, and she struggled to get free. The blade from the knife hit her arm and she felt her skin open up. He lifted her and threw her inside as she tried to fight and get out. He punched her in the mouth and she fell backward, but not before she saw her attacker’s face.
Jimmy?
* * * *
“What the hell is going on?” the sheriff asked as the door to the office swung open. Deputy Tommy Ollsen was there.
“Sheriff, Paula’s been taken from Dixie Chix. We just got a call from Susanna.”
“What?” Tyler yelled as he hurried out the door, and everyone followed.
It was a race to get there and question Alexa and Susanna. The men hadn’t a clue and after about twenty minutes or so they realized that they had no choice but to start going over their list of suspects and go knocking on their doors.