we ever going to prove it’s Chandler? He’s clearly wearing
gloves, and the mask prevents any chance of us seeing his face. What’s next,
Red? Do we wait until he and I come face to face, in my house? What?”
“I know that you think this is a setback, but it actually
tells us something. Chandler, or whoever it is, is a professional, when it
comes to stalking. I seriously doubt that you’re the first person he’s targeted.
Look at everything he’s done, so far. The calls, the texts, the visits, no
matter how he contacts you, he manages to avoid detection. Now we have proof
that he knows his way around a solid security deadbolt. That’s not something
Joe Schmo would know how to do. And the fact that he dressed for cameras,
without knowing if any were in place, that’s a pro move.”
“You’re saying he’s a professional stalker?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. He’s done this before,
Pamela, I’d stake my career on it.”
“Isn’t there anything you can tell about him from the video?
His height, weight, something?” Pamela came to stand with Red, near the
computer screen.
“I’m working on it,” Red said, isolating a shot of the
stalker beside the door jamb.
“Based on this, he looks to be around six-feet tall, give or
take an inch. His weight is more difficult, given that he’s dressed in such
bulky clothing. On sight, I’d say he weighs in at around two-ten, two-twenty.”
“I guess that fits Chandler’s description. I’ve no idea what
he weighs, but this guy has broad shoulders, so does Chandler. The height is
about right as well. Do you think this is enough to get an arrest warrant?”
“No, sorry, I don’t. The person in this video could be
anyone, male or female. I see no distinguishing marks to identify anything
about them.” Red thought for a second, wishing he could pull something out of
thin air to pacify Pamela. “Maybe the contents of the box will give us a clue.”
“Why don’t we go over there, get the box? Even if that’s
what he wants.”
“I will, as soon as Sharon gets home. I’m not leaving you
here alone, and I’m not taking you with me. I’ll run by the office, get the
patrol car. This way, if he’s watching, he’ll think you called the cops to
investigate.”
“Chandler knows about you,” Pamela said flatly. “He’ll know
that I came here, to Starsdale, partially because of you.”
“Is that the truth?” Red turned to her, suddenly becoming
serious.
“Yes.”
“Then why in the hell did you wait a week to come to me with
this? You didn’t say a word at the festival, then you wait all week, without a
word, when this guy was probably watching you. If he hadn’t called and nearly
scared you to death, I doubt that you would have come to me then.”
Pamela heard the anger in Red’s words, but she also heard
something deeper. Concern.
“You’re right, I probably wouldn’t have. I saw how you
looked at me at the festival, Red. I saw the hatred in your eyes. Don’t you
think this has been difficult enough? Why would I open myself to more pain,
unnecessarily?”
“So, that’s why you waited? You thought you saw hatred in my
eyes? Pamela, I could never really hate you, don’t you know that by now?
Granted, I was furious with you, for a long time, but I would never turn my
back on you when you needed me. Surely you know that!”
“Then why have you nearly bitten my head off, every time you
speak to me? Why are you always so angry with me? We had a relationship, it
didn’t work out. Grow up, Red, and deal with it.”
“I could say the same to you, Pam. How many times did we
break up, then turn around and make up again? How was I to know that the last
time was really the last time? You didn’t take my calls, you refused to answer
the door. The only way I knew that it was actually over was when my things
showed up at the station house. Who does that?” Red stood and put space between
them.
“The only reason I refused to see or talk to
gloves, and the mask prevents any chance of us seeing his face. What’s next,
Red? Do we wait until he and I come face to face, in my house? What?”
“I know that you think this is a setback, but it actually
tells us something. Chandler, or whoever it is, is a professional, when it
comes to stalking. I seriously doubt that you’re the first person he’s targeted.
Look at everything he’s done, so far. The calls, the texts, the visits, no
matter how he contacts you, he manages to avoid detection. Now we have proof
that he knows his way around a solid security deadbolt. That’s not something
Joe Schmo would know how to do. And the fact that he dressed for cameras,
without knowing if any were in place, that’s a pro move.”
“You’re saying he’s a professional stalker?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. He’s done this before,
Pamela, I’d stake my career on it.”
“Isn’t there anything you can tell about him from the video?
His height, weight, something?” Pamela came to stand with Red, near the
computer screen.
“I’m working on it,” Red said, isolating a shot of the
stalker beside the door jamb.
“Based on this, he looks to be around six-feet tall, give or
take an inch. His weight is more difficult, given that he’s dressed in such
bulky clothing. On sight, I’d say he weighs in at around two-ten, two-twenty.”
“I guess that fits Chandler’s description. I’ve no idea what
he weighs, but this guy has broad shoulders, so does Chandler. The height is
about right as well. Do you think this is enough to get an arrest warrant?”
“No, sorry, I don’t. The person in this video could be
anyone, male or female. I see no distinguishing marks to identify anything
about them.” Red thought for a second, wishing he could pull something out of
thin air to pacify Pamela. “Maybe the contents of the box will give us a clue.”
“Why don’t we go over there, get the box? Even if that’s
what he wants.”
“I will, as soon as Sharon gets home. I’m not leaving you
here alone, and I’m not taking you with me. I’ll run by the office, get the
patrol car. This way, if he’s watching, he’ll think you called the cops to
investigate.”
“Chandler knows about you,” Pamela said flatly. “He’ll know
that I came here, to Starsdale, partially because of you.”
“Is that the truth?” Red turned to her, suddenly becoming
serious.
“Yes.”
“Then why in the hell did you wait a week to come to me with
this? You didn’t say a word at the festival, then you wait all week, without a
word, when this guy was probably watching you. If he hadn’t called and nearly
scared you to death, I doubt that you would have come to me then.”
Pamela heard the anger in Red’s words, but she also heard
something deeper. Concern.
“You’re right, I probably wouldn’t have. I saw how you
looked at me at the festival, Red. I saw the hatred in your eyes. Don’t you
think this has been difficult enough? Why would I open myself to more pain,
unnecessarily?”
“So, that’s why you waited? You thought you saw hatred in my
eyes? Pamela, I could never really hate you, don’t you know that by now?
Granted, I was furious with you, for a long time, but I would never turn my
back on you when you needed me. Surely you know that!”
“Then why have you nearly bitten my head off, every time you
speak to me? Why are you always so angry with me? We had a relationship, it
didn’t work out. Grow up, Red, and deal with it.”
“I could say the same to you, Pam. How many times did we
break up, then turn around and make up again? How was I to know that the last
time was really the last time? You didn’t take my calls, you refused to answer
the door. The only way I knew that it was actually over was when my things
showed up at the station house. Who does that?” Red stood and put space between
them.
“The only reason I refused to see or talk to
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