Avalanche (5 page)

“He was in my house, Red. That’s pretty damn close!”

“But you weren’t here. And you won’t be alone, here or
anywhere else, until we catch this creep.”

“You can’t babysit me, twenty-four-seven.”

“No, but I can make sure that someone is with you, round the
clock.”

“I can hire a bodyguard, if you think that’s best. I don’t
expect your deputies, or your friends, to spend time protecting me.”

“First of all, they’re your friends, too. Or at least they
will be, if you allow it. Secondly, my deputies are sworn to protect the citizens
of Starsdale, you qualify. No need to hire someone, Pamela. Save your money.
Let me do my job.” Red’s mind was racing, trying to figure a way to give Pam
the protection she needed.

“Sharon said her dog would protect me, is that true?”

“Hershey is great,” Red nodded. “I’ve personally seen him
tear into a man who broke into Sharon’s home. You’ll be fine, if he’s with you,
but I want someone outside the house as well.” Red saw the frown, and the worry
lines, on Pamela’s forehead. “Don’t fret, Pammie, I’ve got this.”

Pamela couldn’t help but smile at the familiar nickname. He
only called her ‘Pammie’ when he was trying to calm her down, or purposefully
irritate her. Either way, it worked.

“Okay,
Redling
, I believe you.” Pamela turned and
left the room.

“Hey, don’t call me that! You know how much I hate it,” Red
grumbled good-naturedly, following her to the bedroom.

“Tit for tat, babe. Remember that.”

Pamela unzipped the bag and tossed it open. Without any
apparent plan, she emptied several drawers into the case, then disappeared into
the closet.

Red had never seen her pack so willy-nilly before. She was
always so together, each item of clothing was folded, or rolled, and placed
perfectly in the suitcase. He often teased her about it. But now, she didn’t
seem to care how her things landed, she just tossed them in.

Moving to the bathroom, Pamela returned with a smaller case,
one that fit inside her suitcase. Zipping it closed, she turned to Red.

“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s get out of here.”

“If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I’d never have
believed it.” Red shook his head as he grabbed the suitcase and followed her
through the house.

“What?”

“The way you packed. Who are you and what have you done with
Pam?”

“Very funny. I assumed that we didn’t have time to waste,
right? I can unpack at Sharon’s in a few minutes, so no need to make a fuss.”

“Still, where is Pam?”

“Hush. You’re so annoying sometimes, you know that, right?”

“So you’ve told me.” Red watched as she locked the door.
“Can I have the keys? I’ll drop them by in the morning, when I’m finished
dusting for prints.”

“Sure.” Pamela handed them over without a qualm. “I
seriously doubt that you’ll find any prints, except for mine, and maybe my
parents. I’ve had the place cleaned several times since they died, but I’m sure
there are still some of their prints hanging around.”

“You’re probably right, but it’s worth a look. I’m more
hopeful that we’ll find footprints. We had a good rain here the other day. The
ground’s still soft.”

“I hope you do find something, anything to tie Chandler to
the stalking.”

“I know you’ve arranged to stay with Sharon, but the door’s
always open at my house. I’ve got two bedrooms, you’ll be comfortable there. No
funny business, I promise.”

“Thanks, we’ll see how long this drags out. I wouldn’t want
to wear out my welcome at Sharon’s.” Pamela had another plan in mind, one that
would allow her to live in her own place. But it was too soon to tell Red; she
was too tired to argue with him anymore tonight.

“More coffee?” Sharon held the pot poised above Pamela’s
cup.

“Please,” Pamela nodded, then patted Hershey on the head.
The giant dog had taken a liking to her instantly. “Your home is lovely, thanks
again for sharing.”

“My pleasure, really. Hershey’s already in love with you,
and I’m sure that Cocoa won’t be far behind. She tries to be just like him.”
Sharon leaned down and stroked the smaller Dane.

“Where’s JB? Still sleeping?”

“No, he was up and out of here at sunrise. Glad he didn’t
wake you. He had a shoot in Morristown, but he’ll be back around lunchtime.”
Sharon refilled her own cup, then sat across the bar from Pamela. “What are
your plans today? Would you like to come with me to the restaurant? Red said
that you shouldn’t be alone.”

“Thanks, that’s kind of you. I’d love to see the place.
Could we pick up my car on the way? Red mentioned he would have someone
stationed outside the house, but I’d rather not inconvenience the department,
if I can help it.”

“Why don’t we check with Red, before we get your car? He may
want us to leave it at the diner. If your car’s parked here, it’s a red flag.”

“I didn’t think of that.” Pamela frowned, then nodded.
“Okay. I do have some calls to make, and some loose ends to tie up. Does the
restaurant have Wi-Fi?”

“Yes, absolutely. We can take Hershey with us. He can stay
with you at Cliffside; we don’t have an event scheduled today. You’ll have
privacy, but we’ll be close by. Does that work?”

“Yes, thank you. I’m so sorry to be such a bother. I’ve been
dealing with this alone for so long, that it feels strange coordinating with
another person.”

“You’re not a bother! Stop saying that. I know we weren’t
exactly friends in high school, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends
now. Around here, we look out for our friends.”

“That’s another thing that’s foreign to me. In LA, everyone
is so busy. The only ‘friends’ I had were the people I worked with. And my
clients. Now, all of that is going away.”

“What did you do in LA?”

“I had my own talent agency. It was small, but it paid the
bills. I left so suddenly, I still have clients to place elsewhere.
Fortunately, I have a wonderful assistant who’s been a great help.”

“What will you do, now? We don’t make a lot of movies, or
television, in Starsdale.” Sharon chuckled at the thought.

“I really have no clue. I can take a little while to decide,
though. I’m not even sure that I want to stay in Starsdale. It just made sense
to run home, you know?”

“I get it,” Sharon smiled. “There’re lots of changes going
on around here. You may find a niche that you like, something that will let you
stay.”

“You never know,” Pamela smiled back. “At the moment, I’m
taking one day at a time.”

“That’s all we can do.”

~~~

Red stood at the tree line, bordering Pamela’s property.
From this vantage point, he had a direct line of sight to the porch, where
Pamela said she was sitting when the phone rang. He’d already put in a
requisition for the phone logs on the house line, but he knew better than to
expect any results before business hours next week.

So far, he’d found multiple sets of prints inside the house,
but he suspected that Pamela was right, they all belonged to her, or her
parents. Or the cleaning people. Or the cable guy, from three years ago. The
one thing he felt certain about was that he would not find any prints belonging
to Chandler Chase.

Looking down, he saw where the ground had been swept over,
probably by one of several brushy limbs in the vicinity. Whoever was stalking
Pam knew how to cover their tracks.

Taking another stroll around the perimeter, he looked for
other places where the perp may have stood, watching Pamela as she moved
through her day. The place was much too private, a good thing, unless you were
being stalked.

He found two other locations with brush marks covering what
must have been footprints. One with a line of sight to her bedroom window, the
other in direct view of the living room window.

His gut told him the stalker had been here more than once.
He’d probably been here all week, or most of it.

“Dammit, why did you wait so long to talk to me?” Red
clenched both fists. “He could have killed you, and no one would have known.”

Mulling it over, Red realized what he’d said. The stalker
could have killed her, at any time. It was so private here, that no one would
hear her scream, or even know to check on her. So why didn’t he?

Why go to the trouble to make a phone call, send her running
scared, and risk getting caught?

“Because it’s a game. He wants her terrified, probably gets
off on it.” Red growled, in answer to his question. “If that’s the case, buddy,
bring it on.”

Red was itching for a fight. He’d love to get his hands on
Chandler Chase, whether or not he was the man stalking Pamela. He hated the
thoughts 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 kitchen.

“Stay close to the kitchen, and keep the doors open, between
the two. Also, make sure to lock the outside doors at Cliffside.”

“Yes, Sir. Anything else?”

“Yeah, keep your phone handy. I’ll check in later.”

“Oh, Red, can I pick up my car? Sharon said you might want
to leave it at the diner.”

“Actually, I plan to bring it back here, to your house. I’ll
also set up surveillance cameras, just in case he gets brave and decides to
come inside again.”

“You’re putting cameras inside my house?”

“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, I suppose not. Are you placing any outside?”

“Yes, but later. I need to order special cameras that work
at night.” Red didn’t tell her he’d already placed the order, at his personal
expense. “Don’t worry, Pam. I’m doing everything possible to catch this guy.”

“I know. Thanks.”

“Stop thanking me, for heaven’s sake. Just follow the rules,
alright?” The request came out harsher than he realized.

“Yes. Of course. Goodbye, Red.” Pamela hung up feeling like
a scolded child. He really hated her, but he was determined to do his job. This
is what it had come to, between them.

“Was that Red?” Sharon asked, coming into the room.

“Yes. He said he would bring my car to my house. Make
Chandler think that I’m home. He’s setting up cameras, hoping to catch him.”

“That’s good, this should be over soon, then.” Glancing up,
she noticed the look on Pamela’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she sighed. “Everyone’s being so kind, I have
nothing to complain about. You and JB have opened your home, and your life,
just to babysit me, and Red is doing everything he can to keep me safe.”

“But?”

“But it’s just so damn obvious that he hates me. I can’t
stand it. He keeps telling me he’s doing his job, but he practically bit my
head off, just now, for no reason.”

“Red? Really? That’s not at all the easy-going man I know,”
Sharon frowned, trying to reconcile the two images of her friend. “Red is one
of the best people I know. I can’t believe he would be angry with you, given
everything that you’re going through.”

“Well, believe it!” Pamela jerked on her sweater, then
stopped. “I’m sorry, maybe it’s me. Red and I have always had more than a few
sparks between us. Good, and bad.”

“I get it. No one can make me as angry as JB, but we always
find our way through it. I love him, much more than I hate him, if you know
what I mean,” Sharon chuckled.

“Yes, I do. Maybe that’s what’s going on with me and Red.
There’s too much history, too much unresolved anger, on his part, at least. I
should’ve realized how he felt, before I came here.”

“What happened with you two? Why did you break up? If you
don’t mind me asking.”

“It’s a long story, I’d really rather not get into it.
Suffice it to say that we wanted different things. On top of that, we were
fighting, more than anything else. There’s such a thing as too much passion.”

“I’m not sure I agree, but we’ll table it for now,” Sharon
winked, making Pamela laugh.

“That’s not what I mean!” Pamela dropped her phone into her
bag, feeling lighter, thanks to Sharon. “
That
side of passion was never
a problem for us. It’s probably why we hung on for as long as we did. That, and
because we loved each other so damned much.”

“That could be why Red is so angry, now. Maybe he still
loves you.” Sharon watched Pamela closely, hoping to gain a clue as to how she
really felt.

“I seriously doubt that! Red made it clear, the first day I
was in town, that he didn’t want me here.”

“I was there, remember? He was perfectly cordial, before he
ran off after those kids.”

“On the surface, yes. But I saw the look in his eyes. He
hates me, Sharon. There’s no getting around it. But that’s okay, it’s better
this way. As soon as he “does his job”, we can go back to avoiding each other.”

“That’s kind of hard to do in Starsdale.”

“I guess that gives me my answer, then. I’m not staying in
Starsdale, not after this is over.” Pamela didn’t hear the wistfulness in her
own voice, but Sharon didn’t miss it.

“You shouldn’t make any plans, just yet. Give it time, see
how everything plays out. The one thing I know for sure is that Red hasn’t seen
anyone romantically, not since he moved back. That says something about the way
he feels for you.”

“Yeah, it speaks volumes about how much I hurt him.” Pamela
shook her head as she followed Sharon and Hershey out of the door. “Can we drop
this, please?”

“Sure, consider it dropped. But if you ever want to talk
about it, I’m here.”