Page 81 of Mountain Freedom
She grabbed my hand. “What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.”
I was as relieved to see Greg standing on Allison’s porch as I was irritated to see Miller with him. As soon as we got out of my truck, I took her hand in mine and we headed up together. I didn’t miss the look the men exchanged at the sight of it.
Greg held a hand up and stopped us from coming up the porch. “I tried calling you both but couldn’t get an answer. We were starting to get worried.”
“Sorry,” I explained, with a stab of guilt. “We were at the lake. Left our cell phones in the truck.”
His face was grim. “I had an update on Russell. When I couldn’t get you on the phone, I drove to your apartment. Came here next when you weren’t there. The front door was open. Someone left a message.” He glanced at Allison. “You sure you want to see this?”
“We’re sure.”
He nodded and moved to the side. “Looks like we’ve got a stalking situation going on here.”
We walked up the steps into the house. Allison’s face turned to shock when she saw the ugly display in her entryway. Pictures of us, from just hours before, making out in the lake. Her roses, chopped to pieces. Torn lace. And a note.
Greg picked up the letter with his gloved hand, holding it out for us to see.
You’ve been naughty, Allison. You belong to me, and you always have. You’ll regret it if you ever let that man put his hands on you again.
“Mike,”Allison said, shaking her head. “It has to be. But I didn’t—I don’t—” She looked like she was going to be sick.
I put my arm around her, practically holding her up for support. “She needs to sit down,” I said in a tone that didn’t leave it up for discussion.
Greg nodded, gesturing toward the living room. He and Miller followed with dark expressions on their faces.
“Tell me more about this Mike,” Greg said, taking the seat across from the couch where Allison had sunk down the minute we got inside.
“He’s my ex,” she said. “He cheated on me and I broke up with him right before I moved here. He wants me back. He’s sent flowers and called my mom and even showed up here last weekend.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand. He’s always been a little different. But I didn’t know this side of him. When we were together, he didn’t seem to care what I did. Now that we’re not, he’s become obsessive.”
“You’ve met him, right?” Greg asked, directing the question to me.
“I have.”
“Your thoughts?”
I glanced at Allison, not wanting to hurt her by saying too much. “I’m not a fan. He’s territorial. Sleazy. It was clear when I met him that he was possessive over her, even though they weren’t together.”
“You think he’s behind this? Were we wrong about Russell?”
“I don’t know,” I said slowly. “Mike’s been harassing her for sure…”
“But?”
I shook my head. “Russell was a slam dunk for the previous break-ins. But he has no connection with Mike. Plus, Allison, Mike was fine with you sleeping with Dr. Barkley to get that job, right?”
“Right,” she confirmed, realization dawning on her face.
“So he’s harassing you and wants you back, but he also has a history of pretty loose boundaries. Hard to believe he’d fly off the handle about us kissing. Unless something’s changed.” I mulled it over. “A switch that drastic would require a trigger of some sort. If that’s true, we need to find out what that is. And it still doesn’t explain Russell’s involvement.”
Greg tapped his pen, setting his mouth in a firm line. “Hold up. Before we go down that path, what’s the story with this Dr. Barkley?”
Allison explained, blushing as she recounted what had happened with him. Greg took careful notes, taking down the whole story, then exchanged glances with Miller again as they stood up to leave.
“What are you thinking?” I asked, even knowing he wouldn’t answer. It was killing me to be on the outside on this one. Everything in me needed to be bouncing ideas off of Greg, working together the way we normally did. Trusting Allison’s safety to someone else—even the man I’d trust with my own life—was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
“I think you two should stay with me and Janet tonight,” Greg said, giving me a pointed look. “Allison’s a target, but you are too now.”
