structure on his property that could house a dungeon.”
“So, he’s not the man who sent the letters?”
“No. He’s still out there.”
“I can’t believe there are two men out their willing to kidnap me.”
I stared at my food, poking it with my fork.
“Actually, I’m not sure there are. We found something interesting. When we checked into the limo driver’s history, I expected to find out that his resume had been fabricated, that the man had specifically taken the job to get close to you. Turns out his references were legit. He’s been a limo driver for years for multiple celebrities. They never had a problem with him.”
“So, he snapped?”
“No. My theory is that he was paid to deliver you to someone. He wasn’t stalking you, he was just the deliveryman.”
“The man who sent me the letters paid the limo driver to kidnap me?”
“Right.”
“Who paid him?”
“That’s the problem. We don’t know.”
“Can’t you trace the money?”
“Your stalker paid the driver in cash. We know because he made a cash deposit into his checking account for fifty thousand dollars three days ago.”
“ Fifty thousand ? That’s all?”
Theo made a face. “Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money to some people- most people, in fact.” It had been a long time since fifty grand was a lot of money to me, but I took his point.
“Well, of course, but is fifty thousand dollars all my life is worth?”
“No, of course not. But you’d be surprised what people are willing to do for far less money.”
“So you don’t know who gave him the money?”
“We’re looking into his life- his acquaintances, friends, family- but it will take some time. He seemed to be a bit of a recluse, and well, we can’t question him.”
“Why not?”
Then I remembered. The image of his lifeless body lying on the road flashed through my mind. I was suddenly cold all over. My chest felt tight. When I was inside the trunk, I thought I would never escape. I knew it was the end for me. I’d never see the light of day again.
“He’s dead,” Theo said matter-of-factly.
“You seem pleased.”
“He was going to kidnap you. Death is too easy for that piece of shit. He deserved worse. The only thing that makes me sad is that he’s not around to be questioned. I would have liked to interrogate him.”
A flash of anger ignited his eyes. I could imagine Theo beating a confession out of the limo driver. I swallowed hard. Sometimes, it was easy to forget Theo was a soldier. He’d survived a war and been through God knows what else. He did not take threats lightly.
“But it’s not a total bust,” he continued. “We know more today than we did yesterday. Like the fact that your stalker has money.”
“How do you know that?”
“Like I said, fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money to most people. He had the means to pay that amount to the limo driver.”
“And now he’s lost it all,” I said with satisfaction.
“Right. But that was always a risk. He had to know his plan wasn’t full proof. I’m sure he’s seen your security detail. He had to know there was a good chance the driver wouldn’t succeed in kidnapping you. I mean, the guy’s just a driver. There’s nothing in his background that hints at experience in kidnappings, or any other violence. He pissed that money away without a second thought. That means money isn’t a problem for him.”
“So, he’s rich. That doesn’t narrow it down much.”
“Most stalkers aren’t wealthy. If we come up with a list of suspects it could help narrow it down.”
“What about the truck that blocked our way? Was he paid too?”
“No. It turns out that was a one-way street. The limo driver turned down that path because he knew he’d run into a delivery truck. They make multiple stops daily to the restaurants and markets along the streets downtown.”
I chewed on the inside of my mouth. Things didn’t look good. We basically had no leads.
“I need to
“So, he’s not the man who sent the letters?”
“No. He’s still out there.”
“I can’t believe there are two men out their willing to kidnap me.”
I stared at my food, poking it with my fork.
“Actually, I’m not sure there are. We found something interesting. When we checked into the limo driver’s history, I expected to find out that his resume had been fabricated, that the man had specifically taken the job to get close to you. Turns out his references were legit. He’s been a limo driver for years for multiple celebrities. They never had a problem with him.”
“So, he snapped?”
“No. My theory is that he was paid to deliver you to someone. He wasn’t stalking you, he was just the deliveryman.”
“The man who sent me the letters paid the limo driver to kidnap me?”
“Right.”
“Who paid him?”
“That’s the problem. We don’t know.”
“Can’t you trace the money?”
“Your stalker paid the driver in cash. We know because he made a cash deposit into his checking account for fifty thousand dollars three days ago.”
“ Fifty thousand ? That’s all?”
Theo made a face. “Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money to some people- most people, in fact.” It had been a long time since fifty grand was a lot of money to me, but I took his point.
“Well, of course, but is fifty thousand dollars all my life is worth?”
“No, of course not. But you’d be surprised what people are willing to do for far less money.”
“So you don’t know who gave him the money?”
“We’re looking into his life- his acquaintances, friends, family- but it will take some time. He seemed to be a bit of a recluse, and well, we can’t question him.”
“Why not?”
Then I remembered. The image of his lifeless body lying on the road flashed through my mind. I was suddenly cold all over. My chest felt tight. When I was inside the trunk, I thought I would never escape. I knew it was the end for me. I’d never see the light of day again.
“He’s dead,” Theo said matter-of-factly.
“You seem pleased.”
“He was going to kidnap you. Death is too easy for that piece of shit. He deserved worse. The only thing that makes me sad is that he’s not around to be questioned. I would have liked to interrogate him.”
A flash of anger ignited his eyes. I could imagine Theo beating a confession out of the limo driver. I swallowed hard. Sometimes, it was easy to forget Theo was a soldier. He’d survived a war and been through God knows what else. He did not take threats lightly.
“But it’s not a total bust,” he continued. “We know more today than we did yesterday. Like the fact that your stalker has money.”
“How do you know that?”
“Like I said, fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money to most people. He had the means to pay that amount to the limo driver.”
“And now he’s lost it all,” I said with satisfaction.
“Right. But that was always a risk. He had to know his plan wasn’t full proof. I’m sure he’s seen your security detail. He had to know there was a good chance the driver wouldn’t succeed in kidnapping you. I mean, the guy’s just a driver. There’s nothing in his background that hints at experience in kidnappings, or any other violence. He pissed that money away without a second thought. That means money isn’t a problem for him.”
“So, he’s rich. That doesn’t narrow it down much.”
“Most stalkers aren’t wealthy. If we come up with a list of suspects it could help narrow it down.”
“What about the truck that blocked our way? Was he paid too?”
“No. It turns out that was a one-way street. The limo driver turned down that path because he knew he’d run into a delivery truck. They make multiple stops daily to the restaurants and markets along the streets downtown.”
I chewed on the inside of my mouth. Things didn’t look good. We basically had no leads.
“I need to
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