of him, or anyone, touching Pamela. She was his.
“No, she’s not. Not anymore. Get your head out of your ass,
man. Protecting Pam is part of your job, nothing more.”
Walking the final steps to the house, Red paused on the
porch, then dropped into the swing. He was bone-tired, and more frustrated than
he’d been in a long time. Sleep had eluded him last night, thoughts of Pam
filled his every moment. Worried about her safety, wondering if she came home
to him, and not just for protection, his thoughts ran the gamut between hopeful
possibilities and hopeless reality.
Pamela did not want him. She made that clear in LA. Just
because she came to him for help, didn’t mean that she wanted to start over, or
pick up where they left off.
Truthfully, as much as he loved her, he didn’t want that,
either. Since moving home to Starsdale, he’d discovered how much he enjoyed a
peaceful existence. With a few minor exceptions, there was no constant danger,
flying into blinding smoke, and no frequent upheaval in his personal life.
Sure, he and Pam had been great, but their fights were legendary, and he, too,
was over living that way.
It had only taken a year, and hours upon hours of pain, for
him to admit it.
Separating had been the right thing to do. Now that she
agreed to cough up his share of the house, and to give him back the ring that
had been in his family for decades, he could let it go, let her go.
Couldn’t he?
“Maybe, if she hadn’t come home, scared for her life. Dammit,
Pam, what am I supposed to do with you?”
The cell phone, vibrating in his pocket, was a welcome
interruption.
Until he read the screen.
Pamela.
“Hey, Pam, what’s up?” He tried to sound casual.
“Good morning, Red. I’m going with Sharon to the restaurant
today. There’s no need to keep a guard on me.”
Red glanced at his watch, realized that it was already after
ten.
“Okay, but call me if anything changes. Or if you get
another phone call. And whatever you do, do not go off on your own.”
“Yes, Sir! Have you gone by my house yet?”
“Yes, I’m here now.” Red didn’t want to have to tell her
that someone had likely been watching her more than just yesterday.
“Well? Did you find anything?” Pamela sensed his reticence,
even over the phone.
“You’ve had company, outside, at the edge of the woods. I
can’t say for sure how long.”
“What do you mean? Someone’s been outside, watching me? From
where?”
“There are three places,” Red sighed. “Looks like he’s been
watching you on the porch, in the living room, and in your bedroom.”
“Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? What kind of…never mind. I
know what kind of pervert would do that. Anything else?”
“Found a lot of latents, er, prints inside your house. Can’t
say for sure if we have anything on the stalker. I’m sending them to a buddy of
mine in Sacramento, but I’ll need yours, and the cleaning crew’s, for
comparison. I don’t suppose you have anything here that might still have your
parents’ prints, do you?”
“Probably, in the attic. I haven’t been up there yet, but
anything stored there was put up by either Mom or Dad. Help yourself.”
“Who did you use to clean the place?”
“A service out of Monroe. They were bonded, so the prints
should be easy to obtain. Do you want me to call them?”
“No, text me the name of the service. I’ll contact them.”
“Okay, thanks. Red?”
“Yeah, Pam?”
“I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job, remember? Just help me out
by staying with Sharon, or someone. Okay? Don’t be alone!”
“Hershey is with us. Sharon said I could work at Cliffside,
but Hershey would stay with me. Is that good enough?”
Red was silent for a moment. He knew how protective, and
effective, Hershey could be, but he didn’t like the idea of Pamela being alone
in the event center, even if it was attached to the restaurant
“No, she’s not. Not anymore. Get your head out of your ass,
man. Protecting Pam is part of your job, nothing more.”
Walking the final steps to the house, Red paused on the
porch, then dropped into the swing. He was bone-tired, and more frustrated than
he’d been in a long time. Sleep had eluded him last night, thoughts of Pam
filled his every moment. Worried about her safety, wondering if she came home
to him, and not just for protection, his thoughts ran the gamut between hopeful
possibilities and hopeless reality.
Pamela did not want him. She made that clear in LA. Just
because she came to him for help, didn’t mean that she wanted to start over, or
pick up where they left off.
Truthfully, as much as he loved her, he didn’t want that,
either. Since moving home to Starsdale, he’d discovered how much he enjoyed a
peaceful existence. With a few minor exceptions, there was no constant danger,
flying into blinding smoke, and no frequent upheaval in his personal life.
Sure, he and Pam had been great, but their fights were legendary, and he, too,
was over living that way.
It had only taken a year, and hours upon hours of pain, for
him to admit it.
Separating had been the right thing to do. Now that she
agreed to cough up his share of the house, and to give him back the ring that
had been in his family for decades, he could let it go, let her go.
Couldn’t he?
“Maybe, if she hadn’t come home, scared for her life. Dammit,
Pam, what am I supposed to do with you?”
The cell phone, vibrating in his pocket, was a welcome
interruption.
Until he read the screen.
Pamela.
“Hey, Pam, what’s up?” He tried to sound casual.
“Good morning, Red. I’m going with Sharon to the restaurant
today. There’s no need to keep a guard on me.”
Red glanced at his watch, realized that it was already after
ten.
“Okay, but call me if anything changes. Or if you get
another phone call. And whatever you do, do not go off on your own.”
“Yes, Sir! Have you gone by my house yet?”
“Yes, I’m here now.” Red didn’t want to have to tell her
that someone had likely been watching her more than just yesterday.
“Well? Did you find anything?” Pamela sensed his reticence,
even over the phone.
“You’ve had company, outside, at the edge of the woods. I
can’t say for sure how long.”
“What do you mean? Someone’s been outside, watching me? From
where?”
“There are three places,” Red sighed. “Looks like he’s been
watching you on the porch, in the living room, and in your bedroom.”
“Oh, my God! Are you kidding me? What kind of…never mind. I
know what kind of pervert would do that. Anything else?”
“Found a lot of latents, er, prints inside your house. Can’t
say for sure if we have anything on the stalker. I’m sending them to a buddy of
mine in Sacramento, but I’ll need yours, and the cleaning crew’s, for
comparison. I don’t suppose you have anything here that might still have your
parents’ prints, do you?”
“Probably, in the attic. I haven’t been up there yet, but
anything stored there was put up by either Mom or Dad. Help yourself.”
“Who did you use to clean the place?”
“A service out of Monroe. They were bonded, so the prints
should be easy to obtain. Do you want me to call them?”
“No, text me the name of the service. I’ll contact them.”
“Okay, thanks. Red?”
“Yeah, Pam?”
“I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job, remember? Just help me out
by staying with Sharon, or someone. Okay? Don’t be alone!”
“Hershey is with us. Sharon said I could work at Cliffside,
but Hershey would stay with me. Is that good enough?”
Red was silent for a moment. He knew how protective, and
effective, Hershey could be, but he didn’t like the idea of Pamela being alone
in the event center, even if it was attached to the restaurant
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