Page 83 of Putting Out
“He didn’t make an aggressive move or try to attack you in any way?” Mark asked.
“No. Just the mark and then gone.”
“Well, after reviewing the letter, there is an implied intent within the text for this person to want to get close to you or to kidnap you, although it’s not stated directly. The fish sounded like a stunt to get your attention. The break-in is a concern. Another cry for attention.”
“A cry with a ladder and a getaway boat,” Luke enumerated.
“Granted, it’s elaborate, but it wasn’t a kidnapping attempt. Did you call the police?” Kenny and Reilly exchanged glances.
“No,” Luke said for them. “They didn’t want the attention an investigation would bring. Was that a mistake?”
Mark seemed to be thinking of a way to hedge his answer.
“It’s your call. Given the circumstances, I understand your reticence to bring in the police because with them comes the press. What has me concerned, however, is the letter referenced seeing you from a distance, but it felt like he was in the same space as you.”
“Shit,” Kenny muttered, now leaning against the door frame. “I didn’t even think of that. He must have been in Little Creek when we were.”
“That would be my guess. Now, he could have been a resident…”
“Not possible,” Reilly interjected, shaking her head. “I know everyone in Little Creek. I’ve never had any heavy breathers calling the house when I was home.”
“It is possible for someone who harbors a minor fascination for that fascination to turn into obsession when circumstances propel the person of interest into the spotlight.”
Luke’s brow furrowed. “In English.”
Mark paused for a moment. “Some guy back home had a thing for her and it got out of hand when she exploded onto the national scene. I don’t know if you’re aware of this Ms. Carr, but you’re in the news daily. The debate about whether you should or shouldn’t play has gone beyond the world of golf and has become the nation’s newest topic of choice.”
“I’ve been trying to avoid television.”
“If this was someone from your hometown who got a little crazy, the chances aren’t high he would have the determination to follow you down here. But that’s clearly not the case.”
“How the hell did he know where she was going!” Luke shouted. “There were a handful of people who knew.”
“A handful can turn into many more very quickly. Anyone who might have deliberately let it leak. Your agent, a jealous rival…”
Reilly shook her head.
“Okay,” Mark continued. “Well, before I came out here, I looked up Luke’s name on Google. It was obscure but it was there. A small article welcoming him to the Savannah community right after he bought this house. Someone who saw you at the farm visiting, might have put two and two together. So now we have to be talking about someone who has a high level of intelligence with both the drive and the means to follow you. Yet doesn’t appear to be dangerous.”
“Dangerous yet,” Kenny protested.
Mark nodded. “I’m not going to lie. Fascination can lead to obsession, which can lead to something more threatening. I don’t have to remind you of the Hollywood elite who have suffered attacks or…”
“Or Monica Seles who took a knife in the back on the damn tennis court.” Kenny began to pace the space in front of the doorway.
Mark tilted his head in agreement. “However, you’re not there yet with this person. He or she is just trying to get your attention. It may never come to anything else.”
“I don’t want to sit around and hope that’s the case,” Luke stated.
“I’ve already done some checking. The person doesn’t identify himself in the letters. Paper is tough to get prints off of, but we did get a partial on the note that came with the fish. I ran it through AFIS but there were no hits, which could be seen as another good sign.”
“Not knowing who it is, is a good thing?” Luke questioned.
“Knowing this person hasn’t been previously arrested is another indication he’s not a professional stalker. You have to understand these people. Their delusions control them. They will fixate on a person of interest, someone famous, and then they’ll pursue them with single- minded focus until it escalates to a break-in at the person’s home or a direct attack. They’re not thinking clearly enough to premeditate these events or to cover their tracks, so they’re often caught by the police. This person left a can of paint, a ladder. And I noticed an alarm system.”
“It wasn’t set last night.”
“Okay. A lucky coincidence for the perp. If he tries to get inside again, he might not be as lucky.”
