Page 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Logan picked up AJ’s phone from the table. “What is it?” He tucked her under his arm as he looked at the screen.

Another text message dinged.

Let go of her, Logan. You neglected her. Let someone who will care about her have her. You had your chance and ruined it.

Logan set the phone on the table and wrapped his other arm around AJ too. In her ear he whispered, “I wonder how he knows I’m holding you.”

She shuddered in his embrace. “He must be watching us.”

Logan glanced at the windows. The blinds were closed. It was overcast, so he hadn’t thought to open them when they arrived with dinner. Were there cameras in the apartment? As much as he hated the idea, it was the next logical thought.

“I’m calling Will.” He didn’t let go of AJ while he dialed Will’s number. When he answered, Logan said, “Are you guys headed back to the ladies’ apartment soon? More eyes would be helpful. We need to play hide and seek.”

“We’re on our way already; should be there in about five. You suspect there is something hiding in there?”

“Yep. I’ll explain when you get here.”

“I say call Adam too.”

Logan hung up with Will and called Adam. He remained vague, but Adam didn’t ask any more questions.

Logan held AJ until the door opened.

AJ jumped but remained tucked against him.

Zara walked in followed by Will and Adam.

She said, “That’s a sight for sore eyes. Not that I’m okay if the creep scared you again, but I knew you two would make a cute couple.”

Logan shook his head. “We were the cutest couple ever.”

“Are. We’re still married, remember.”

He loved that AJ could still have a sense of humor even when she was scared out of her mind.

Everyone gathered around, and Logan released AJ with one arm and turned to their friends. “I believe there is at least one camera in this apartment. We were hugging and AJ got these texts.” He showed them the phone.

Will raised an eyebrow. “Hugging? Just hugging?”

“Shut it. The point is: the blinds are closed. Only way I can think of him knowing this is by watching us. But if there is no way to see in from the outside, he must be watching from inside.”

Adam nodded. “Seems reasonable. I say we spread out and search everything. Probably should check outside too. But whatever you do, don’t touch anything directly. Maybe, just maybe he used his bare hands to plant them.”

“I have a box of gloves.” Zara disappeared for a moment and came back.

They all donned gloves and began searching. Adam out front, Logan in the kitchen, Will the living room, and the women looked through each other’s bedrooms.

It wasn’t long before each of them shouted, “Found one.”

Adam came back in saying he found two. One that covered the driveway, another that covered the stairs and door to the apartment.

Zara came out of AJ’s room. “I found two in there.”

Adam asked, “Has anyone checked the bathroom?”

AJ shook her head. Logan followed her to check.

She walked into the small room. “I think I’m going to throw up if there is one in here.”

“I might have to kill this guy if there is.”

“Zara said two were in my room. I don’t always change in the bedroom, but I do on a regular basis.”

Logan’s blood ran hot. Whoever this jerk was, he had gone too far. And if there was a camera in the bathroom too …

Logan and AJ looked through the bathroom but didn’t find anything obvious. Not that any of them had been obvious. The tiny little cameras operated on a battery and sent out the signal wirelessly. There was one place he hadn’t checked yet.

“Do you have a step stool?”

“I’ll get it.” AJ disappeared for a moment and then arrived back and handed him the stool.

After unfolding it, he climbed the first step and popped the cover off the exhaust fan.

Inside was another tiny camera. It took all his willpower not to crush the vile little device.

AJ wrapped her arms around her waist. “So, not only did he come into my home, but he’s been watching me? How long?”

Logan shook his head. “There’s no way of knowing. I mean we can find out what the battery life is on these things and that will give us a slight idea, but …”

They went out to the living room, and Logan handed Adam the camera from the bathroom.

Will’s face turned bright red. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!”

AJ said, “Unfortunately, no.”

Will clenched his fist in front of him. “If I get my hands on this guy—”

AJ touched his arm and nodded to Zara, who had gone pale. Will turned to her and drew her to his chest.

AJ spun to Logan. The anger and fear that mixed together in her eyes was a force he was glad he wasn’t the target of.

He rested his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get him. I will do everything in my power to.”

Was he going to be able to protect her? This stalker had taken things from a “romantic” level to one driven by much more carnal desires, and from there it wouldn’t be a leap to violence.

But Logan couldn’t be with AJ all the time.

And Zara. After all she had been through recently, she looked like she was going to crumble. Even if she wasn’t directly being targeted, her space had been violated, again.

They needed to get to the bottom of this before anything worse happened.

Beep. Beep. Beep .

AJ hit the stop button on Granny’s timer before removing the chicken and rice casserole from the oven. After finding all the cameras in her apartment last night, she refused to be there alone, so she’d asked Granny if she’d like some company for the evening while Logan and Zara both worked second shift.

“I think it’s ready, Granny.”

The older woman shuffled into the kitchen. “It smells amazing.” She came up beside AJ. “And it looks beautiful too. I’ll get the salad out.”

They fixed the salad and their plates, then sat at the dining room table.

The casserole was entirely too hot to eat. After Granny prayed, she said, “Tell me about what’s changed with you and Logan. Because I happened to look out the window yesterday afternoon and saw him coming back to the apartment with you. I want all the particulars.”

AJ chuckled and poked at the too-hot casserole while telling Granny all the details from the last four days. She knew about the fire, but AJ hadn’t had the opportunity to tell her everything.

“You know I want more than the facts, dear. How do you feel about it all?”

Warmth flooded AJ’s cheeks. “I’m cautiously excited. He changed so fast, I feel like I’m suffering from whiplash.”

“I think that means he has truly forgiven you. That boy had a brick wall of unforgiveness fortified around his heart. But when he released his grip on it, the wall collapsed. Sounds like he also let Jesus in immediately to sweep it away.”

AJ nodded. “Thank you for all your prayers.”

“Prayer is a powerful thing. That wall may be gone, but you two have a lot to rebuild. I will continue praying. You are praying for him too?”

“I try. I have been. I wish I was more consistent praying for him every day.”

“It takes discipline. But it is of utmost importance. I noticed the biggest difference in my marriage when I was consistently praying for your grandpa. And it wasn’t only about God working in his heart. By praying for him, God worked in my heart too.”

AJ nodded. “I believe that, have felt that. I wish I knew what to do to rebuild our marriage.”

“Keep following Jesus. If Logan is pursuing Jesus too, you’ll naturally grow closer. Praying for him and encouraging him in his walk is the best way to do that.”

The casserole had finally cooled enough, so silence fell between the women as they ate.

She hadn’t told Granny much about the stalker or how scared she was because she didn’t want to worry her. They had a nice dinner and decided to watch a Cary Grant movie together afterward.

But the entire time, AJ felt like she needed to watch over her shoulder. She closed all the curtains much sooner than Granny would normally, but she didn’t protest. Granny was astute enough that despite AJ’s lack of forthrightness about the stalker, the older woman would understand what was going on.