Page 20 of Bold Encounter
Genevieve stared at image after image of herself with Abe from the night before.Walking to Nola's hand in hand.Sitting across from each other at dinner.Standing close together outside the restaurant, then getting into his car.It was all too much.
"He was following us," she whispered, feeling violated."He was watching us all night."
Abe's expression was grim as he flipped through the photos.They were taken from multiple angles, and at different locations."Whoever shot these has resources and has been tracking us."
Genevieve sagged against the doorframe."I wonder how long he's been watching.I mean, if he was there last night, how many other times has he followed me without me knowing?"
Abe guided her into the apartment, closing the door behind them."Let's sit down and talk about this."
She sat on the edge of her sofa."These pictures are so clear and detailed.He must have been really close to us."She trembled, more likely from anger than fear."What else has he seen?What else does he know about my life that I don't even realize?"
"That's what we need to figure out," Abe said."In stalking cases, this kind of surveillance often goes on longer than the victim realizes."
"Stalking…that's what this is, isn't it?I keep thinking maybe I'm overreacting, that it's just Jason being his usual controlling self.But this…" She gestured to the photos."This is something else entirely."
He nodded."This is systematic surveillance and, for all we know, he had someone else follow us, a person we wouldn't recognize."
Genevieve stood and paced."I've seen movies where the stalker has a whole wall covered with photos of the target sleeping, eating, and going about their daily life."
The thought made her stomach churn.How many times had she walked around her apartment in a towel after a shower?How many private moments might have been violated without her knowledge?
"It's possible that he's observed private moments," Abe said, and she appreciated that he didn't try to sugarcoat it."The level of detail in these photos suggests he's been watching for a while."
"How could he know we were going to Nola's?We didn't plan it ahead of time."
"He could have been following us from when we left your building, or he hired someone to follow us."Abe's voice was calm but serious."We need to assume he knows more about your routines than we're comfortable with."
Genevieve wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling exposed even in her own home."This is so much worse than I thought.When he first showed up at the wedding, I figured he was just being his old, obnoxious self.Even the break-in, I thought maybe it was impulse.But this…" She gestured to the photos."This is planned.This is deliberate."
"Yes, it is."Abe stood and moved to her, placing gentle hands on her shoulders."And that's exactly why you're not handling this alone.Stalkers escalate, Genevieve.They start with watching, then move to contact, then to intimidation, and it can get much worse from there."
"Worse how?"The question slipped out before she could stop it.
"Physical confrontation.Assault, even.Sometimes they try to eliminate what they see as people who are interfering with their access to the victim."
The words hit her like a punch to the gut."You mean he might actually try to hurt you, because of me?"
"He might try," Abe said."But I'm trained for this, Genevieve.I know how to handle dangerous people."
She appreciated that he wasn't minimizing her fears or trying to convince her she was safe when she clearly wasn't.His honesty and willingness to treat her concerns seriously, instead of dismissing them, made her trust him even more.
Genevieve stiffened."What can I do?"
"Tell me about any times you felt like you were being watched but couldn't see anyone, or phone calls when no one spoke," Abe said."Maybe there were people asking questions about you or your schedule.Was there anything like that?"
She thought back over the past few weeks, trying to remember anything unusual."There was a night about two weeks ago when I came home from a performance.I had this feeling like someone was watching me in the parking garage, but when I looked around, I didn't see anyone."
"What time was this?"
"It was maybe one in the morning.I told myself I was being paranoid because it was so late, and the garage was mostly empty."
"That wasn't paranoia.You should trust those instincts."Abe made a note in his phone."What else?"
"The doorman mentioned last week that someone had been asking about me.I didn't think much of it at the time because sometimes fans or people from the industry ask around."
"What kind of questions?"
"My schedule, when I usually come and go.The doorman said he didn't give out any information, but…" Genevieve felt sick."If it was Jason, he would have found other ways to get what he wanted."
