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D etective Ray Davidson busied himself writing in a brown leather notebook. Ilene kept a sharp eye on him and his partner. Davidson paid no attention to her. Ilene thought that maybe she should show him around the property, so they could be done with this part of their investigation. Unfamiliar with the house and the mass of land that came with it, but used to taking over, Ilene spoke up. “The girl is down for the night. Any questions, you’ll have to deal with me.”

“No problem, Ms. Silva,” the detective acknowledged, and continued to write. “Give me a minute here.” He closed his notebook so quickly that it made a snapping sound. He tucked it inside his navy-blue jacket and then removed a pocket recorder from his other jacket pocket. “Do I have your permission to record our conversation?”

“Good grief, Ray, I’m not the one you need to question. I’ve just met this woman. You’ll have to wait until whatever drug Tyler gave her wears off, so yes, you can record me,” she said, adding, “For what little it’s worth.”

Tyler and Doc entered the room. “Officer,” Tyler said, nodding. “Ilene, Katherine is not in any condition to be questioned. Maybe tomorrow afternoon. She’ll need several hours for the Ativan to get out of her system,” he explained. “I can tell you what little I know, if that’ll help.”

Detective Davidson had worked his way up the ladder for the past twenty years. At forty-two, he presented an intimidating figure. Six-three, muscular, and lean, courtesy of early morning workouts six days a week. On more than one occasion, he’d used his size and good looks to strong-arm a suspect when needed. Folks accused him of being vain, which he was, to an extent. He’d often been mistaken for the actor who played the superhero Thor in the Marvel Comics movies. His movie-star good looks didn’t take away from his skill as a detective. He knew a bit of the backstory behind the woman upstairs. Ilene hadn’t used her real name when she’d introduced him. He also knew she was an agoraphobe. Blowing Rock was a small town. People talked. He listened.

“Tell me what you know,” Davidson told Tyler, then turned to George and spoke. “Wait a minute before you get started.”

George nodded and returned the camera to his backpack.

“I want a few photos inside before you take off,” the detective explained.

“Yes, sir.” George took the camera out again, waiting for further instruction.

Doc went to the kitchen and emptied what was left of the coffee Katherine had made earlier. He knew where she kept the coffee beans and all the gadgets needed to make coffee. A few minutes later, the freshly brewed coffee scented the large kitchen. He peered out to the living area. “You all care for a coffee?” Doc asked, making himself at home while Katherine slept upstairs.

“Thank you, but no, sir. We’re just here to do our jobs,” Detective Davidson said.

“Ray, you can have a cup of coffee. I’m not going to run to your boss; you know that. I called you here because you’re good at what you do. You know who I can trust. Drinking coffee isn’t going to ruin your reputation,” Ilene said. “You, too,” she told George.

“If you insist,” Davidson said, a slight grin on his handsome face.

They gathered in the kitchen, each finding a spot around the large island. Doc poured cups of coffee while Tyler told the officers what had happened as best he could recall. “Once you view the surveillance footage and take a walk through the house, you’ll have more of a visual of what I just told you.”

Ilene perked up. “There is something else, Tyler. Tell Ray and George about that fan page thing.”

Tyler took a sip of coffee. “Right.”

“Why would Ms. Winnie ”—Davidson emphasized the fake name—“have a fan page?” He truly couldn’t imagine her being a fan of anyone, unless it had something to do with her agoraphobia. Maybe a support group of others with the same issue?

Tyler glanced at Doc, who shook his head slightly. His way of telling him not to break the doctor/patient confidentiality agreement they shared, even though the knowledge wasn’t just a medical issue.

“That’s not for me to tell,” Tyler said. “From what I gather, Katherine is worried about one of . . . ”—he paused—“her friends, a young girl who might be in trouble. Don’t ask me what kind of trouble. She received a phone call at dinner that seemed to upset her.”

“Do you know who her caller was?” Detective Davidson asked.

“No. The phone rang, and she saw the number and hung up without saying anything. Afterward, she seemed antsy. Later, she excused herself to the powder room for a few minutes, and she had the phone in her pocket. When she returned to the kitchen, I could tell she was upset, but it wasn’t my place to interrogate her.” Tyler would not betray her trust.

“Do you mind telling me why you were here tonight?” Davidson asked.

Doc spoke up. “Is that necessary?” He put his cup in the sink, then took the barstool beside Tyler. “He’s a doctor.”

Detective Davidson scribbled in his notebook. With the camera dangling from his neck, George leaned against the refrigerator, listening to his superior.

“Ray, the reason I called you is your propensity for discretion. You too,” Ilene said to George. “I want you to dust for prints, check the perimeter of this massive house, and see what your thoughts are after you view the surveillance video. I didn’t ask you because of your good looks. Or yours.” She nodded in the deputy’s direction. “If you feel you can’t be discreet, leave now.”

“Tell me what you think I should know, Ms. Silva. If there is an online predator, it’s highly possible they could be involved in this.” Davidson closed his ever-present notebook.

Ilene understood Katherine’s reluctance to call the authorities. These two were stiff as boards. She knew Ray but not George. Ray said he was the best and could be trusted. What in the hell happened to “you do me a favor; I’ll owe you one in return”? Ilene knew the old ways of dealing with investigations were no longer like they were at the height of her career, but still—she’d expected Ray and his partner to cut her some slack. She hadn’t planned on forcing them to do what she asked. She’d made it quite clear what she expected. “I know absolutely nothing about an online friend or predator. I just met the woman myself.”

“We’re getting nowhere, you guys. I wish I had more to tell you but, as Ms. Silva said, I’m a doctor, and I can’t talk about my patient. Other than to tell you I just met her yesterday, too,” Tyler said. His gaze hardened when he looked at the detective.

“Then your visit yesterday and tonight are medically related?” Davidson pushed.

Beyond frustrated, Ilene raised her voice. “Ray, it’s none of your damned business. I asked you here to investigate a break-in, not interrogate my friends. Can you focus on that? Maybe we can look at those videos now?”

“Understood,” the detective replied. To George, he said, “See if you find any prints on those French doors and the desk while I look at the surveillance videos.”

“Now, that’s the Ray I know,” Ilene said. “Tyler, do you know how to access the video?”

Tyler took a deep breath and realized he only knew how to use Katherine’s cell phone to access the images. “Her cell phone. I saw her put it in her pocket earlier.” He wasn’t going to go to her room and start feeling around in her pockets. “Ilene, if you wouldn’t mind?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re afraid to touch her? Never mind; I shouldn’t have said that. Of course I will do it. Give me a minute.” She swiftly left the kitchen, her movements as regal and precise as ever.

“She’s got quite the mouth on her, but she means well,” Doc informed the men.

For the first time that evening, the detective smiled. “Obviously I’ve dealt with her before. I know how she works.”

Tyler relaxed somewhat, satisfied with Ilene’s choice. He’d known Ilene since he was in his teens. She’d moved into the house next door to his parents during his sophomore year of high school. His mother had been curious about their new neighbor and made friends with her immediately. Ilene spent more time away from her place than in it. Though he hadn’t known her profession at the time, his parents did. He’d been sworn to secrecy when Ilene told him in his senior year.

“Good to know. I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side,” Doc said. “She’s a good old gal. Sometimes.” He smirked.

“Old gal!” said Ilene, announcing her return to the kitchen. “I won’t forget that, Franklin.” She tossed two cell phones on the counter. “That girl is so wiped out. I thought she was dead for a minute, until I checked her pulse. Tyler, you might want to check on her.”

“I will. She’ll be fine,” Tyler told her. “It’s how the medication works.”

All eyes were on the cell phones in the center of the island.

Detective Davidson spoke first. “Since these phones are evidence, I can’t let you keep them. Is there a paper bag I can use?”

Ilene grabbed the phones with the same crumpled napkin she’d used when she took them out of Katherine’s pocket. “This is not on the books, Ray, or have you forgotten? Maybe I should speak with your superior, as you seem to have a memory issue.”

He shook his head. “My bad. I’m used to normal, routine investigations. Sorry,” he said, a bit sheepishly.

Ilene placed both cell phones back on the counter. “As long as we’re clear, and this is off the books, let’s see the damned video. We’re wasting too much time. Tyler, can you access the security footage? Is there a password or anything else I don’t know?”

“I’ll try,” Tyler said. “She used her iPhone, not that other phone. She had it in her jeans pocket.”

“She did; the iPhone was in her back pocket. This burner phone was in her front pocket.” Ilene’s curiosity was piqued as she wondered about the burner phone. Was there more to Katherine’s story than what she’d told them?

Tyler scanned the apps on Katherine’s iPhone, stopping when he saw the app for the security cameras. He clicked on it, surprised when he wasn’t asked to enter a password. He was sure when he watched her open the app in the bathroom earlier that she’d logged in using a password. Apparently, she never signed off, which made sense, as she’d been frightened. He opened the footage. “Here it is,” he said, and gave the phone to the detective.

Ilene stood closer to Ray so she could view the footage. “Stop,” she said after viewing for a minute or so.

“Ms. Silva, I see it too.” Detective Davidson used his thumb and forefinger to expand the screen, then clicked on the photo of the figure wearing the hoodie. He continued to scroll through the images, clicking various images and enlarging them. Then, when he had finished, he emailed the pictures to his own phone. “I have a friend who can run these through facial recognition,” he explained. “See this?” He held up one of the screenshots he’d enlarged for them to view. “The side of the face when they’re looking at the cameras. I’m pretty sure this is a man who didn’t realize his hoodie wasn’t completely hiding that part of his face. Or maybe he’s unaware of the camera. I won’t ask if any of you all recognize this guy. It’s hard to tell, but technology is pretty damn good. With luck, my buddy will enhance what he can, then run it through the program. George will put a rush on the prints. I’ll have to get all of your prints to compare to any unknowns.”

“Mine are already on file,” Ilene said.

“Doctors have to have background checks, so I have prints on file as well,” Tyler told him. “I never thought they’d be used in an investigation, but they’re all yours. I assume you know where to locate them.” He said this last part a bit sarcastically. The cop was overbearing, and Tyler wasn’t sure he liked the guy. He found him arrogant.

“Same,” Doc said. “It’s been several years, though prints don’t change.”

The detective had his recorder on the counter, recording every word they said. The green light stuck out like a sore thumb. “I need Ms. Winnie ’s permission to contact the security company.”

“Ray, stop with the act. You know who she is—the crazy lady on the mountain. I’m not going to give out her personal information, like her name. She’s a recluse for a reason. You can ask her what name she goes by when she’s awake.” When Ray asked Ilene for a favor, she’d make sure to run him through the wringer, as he was doing now.

“Sorry—don’t take it personally, Ilene. I’m trying to help out. I’m just set in my ways,” Ray said. “Give me a break here, okay?”

“Just do something. I promised I could fix this. I told Ms. Winnie I’d do whatever I could, and I want you to continue to refer to her as such until she decides to tell you otherwise.” Ilene turned to Doc Baker. “Right, Franklin? You know I always keep my promises.”

Doc raised his brows. “Of course. You haven’t let me down yet.”

George returned to the kitchen. “I’ve finished the prints. Not too much—broken glass, just a couple of panes. Appears it was hit by something.”

Tyler couldn’t help it; he had to speak up. “Ilene, don’t refer to her as ‘the crazy lady on the mountain.’ It’s demeaning,” he said. It wasn’t right, and here they all were, in her home, while she was knocked out on medication, talking about her as if she didn’t exist.

“Don’t be so touchy. It’s nothing personal.” Ilene snickered.

George cleared his throat. All eyes were back on him. “I’m going outside to see what I can find.”

“Thanks, George,” Detective Davidson called out. “He’s a workaholic. What about this fan club thing? I want to take a look at her computer. At least let my forensics guy see if he can find anything threatening.”

“No, you can’t take her computer. It’s a work thing. We wouldn’t want to overstep our boundaries. It will have to wait until she gives her permission,” Tyler said.

“Exactly what type of work does Ms. Winnie do?” Detective Davidson asked Tyler.

Doc took over. “It’s a computer tech job. I don’t know all the details, but as long as I’ve known her, she’s worked from home.” He didn’t elaborate any more than necessary.

Tyler glanced at Doc. “I’m not sure what company she’s employed by. Apple, Microsoft, maybe?” Tyler knew this wasn’t true, but it kept Katherine’s computer out of their hands for now. He wasn’t a whiz with computers; couldn’t access hers even if he tried. But he was smart enough to realize she wouldn’t want her Friendlink page up for review without her permission.

“Since this is off the books, I won’t insist,” the detective said. “If you find any threat directed at Ms. Winnie , I’d like to know. Wouldn’t want to discover I missed any hint of a stalker or an unhappy boyfriend.”

Tyler agreed. “I may be speaking out of turn, but I don’t believe any of her Friendlink”—he almost said fans again, but caught himself—“connections are responsible for this break-in.” And Tyler felt sure there wasn’t a boyfriend involved. It didn’t take a detective to figure out that Katherine hadn’t been in a relationship for a long time. She’d said as much earlier. As a psychiatrist, he was an expert on human behavior. While he hadn’t performed a clinical evaluation, it wasn’t required in this particular situation. She had panic attacks and was an agoraphobe. In her own way, she’d been up-front about this with him and Doc. From his short time with her, she appeared to be a high-functioning, successful author. Her success was real, not imaginary, as it might be with one suffering from a delusional disorder or psychosis of any kind.

Again, he hadn’t an ounce of her medical history to make a real diagnosis. She’d been traumatized, and her way of protecting herself was to remain in her safe space. Which happened to be a mansion on one of North Carolina’s many magnificent mountains, close enough to the Blue Ridge Parkway to have a view most would envy. Tyler could see how easy it was for her to live as she did. With modern technology and a fortune at her disposal, Katherine’s lifestyle was manageable until tonight, when her personal space had been violated.

“Let’s hope not. Internet scams are on the rise. Folks have been fooled too many times. Men prey on women. Some have gone as far as to stalk and kill. Women aren’t always the victims; men are often victims, too. I don’t like telling you all this, but be aware,” the detective continued.

Doc shook his head. “No, she’s too smart to be taken in by an online romance or whatever they’re calling it these days. Dating games.”

George returned to the kitchen with his black box closed up. “I have enough to work with. I took the liberty of walking around the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary. This is a huge property. I can’t cover it all on foot, though I didn’t see anything suspicious in the areas I searched, other than her horses are in a tizzy.”

“I’ll check the horses,” Doc said. “They’re here temporarily while a fella’s new stables are being finished. Tyler, you know more about Carson than I do. It’s been a while since I’ve spent time with him. Is he capable of this?”

“Never,” Tyler said emphatically. “He’s as clean as they come.”

“You sure?” Ilene asked. “Those are the kind that usually have something to hide. Remember Ted Bundy, a good-looking man in the prime of his life.”

“Of course—who doesn’t remember that whacko? If Tyler is sure, then you should be, too,” Doc said to Ilene and Detective Davidson. “I’ll be back. I want to see for myself what’s got them into such a, uh . . . tizzy ,” he said, emphasizing the last word.

“George and I will come with you, just in case,” Detective Davidson said. “I think we’ve done as much inside as we can. I’ll send someone over in the morning to replace the glass. Ilene, as soon as I have any information, you’ll be the first person I call. When the lady wakes up, maybe she’d be willing to talk to me tomorrow? Off the record.”

“I’ll ask her,” Tyler said. “I can contact you through Ilene.”

“Not necessary,” Davidson said, removing a card from his jacket. “Here, call me when she’s ready. My personal cell number.” He took a pen from his pocket and jotted the number down. “Keep this private if you can.”

“I’m a doctor. I keep my patients’ personal lives private. Thanks.” Tyler wanted to say this woman I care about , but that was too much too soon. The detective was not his style. However, he’d owe him, if he could figure out who had broken into Katherine’s house.