Page 20 of The Rose and the Hound (Ashes and Roses #2)
“So, you haven’t seen anyone else around? Maybe someone who’s been here when Rose isn't?” Glenn Maxwell was useless. He was completely unobservant. I needn’t have bribed him for access to the building because he obviously didn’t care who walked in here, welcome or unwelcome.
He picked his teeth and swallowed the bounty. “Sorry, got corn stuck in there.” This man was disgusting. He had no right to be near my Zahra.
“Nah. Like I said, heaps of people come in and out of here. I could keep a special watch out. You know, with the right invention?”
He held out his filthy hand. “We got ourselves a deal, fella!” I shook it gingerly, slipped him the cash, and pulled back quickly. I needed disinfectant.
“Watch out for anyone near Rose’s mail slot or her door,” I instructed him as I walked away.
“Hang on, I did see one guy.” Glenn said. “Dunno whose place he went to, but I bumped into him, and he put his head down, like he didn’t want to be seen.”
“What did he look like?”
“Late 20s, early 30s maybe. Short dark hair. Just wearing usual man clothes.”
Man clothes? How helpful.
“Did he come in a car? Did he talk?”
“Dunno. Just bumped into him and then kept walking.”
“Thanks. You’ve got my card. Call me if you see anything else.
And don’t talk to Rose about this.” He nodded and saluted me.
I had to get my Zahra out of this building.
I hadn’t eliminated this repulsive man as a suspect yet, but he was pretty far down on the list. He had zero sophistication, and the only kind of effort he seemed to make in life was for cash or beer.
I would have to run a background on him.
Back at my office, I made a list of potential suspects.
Blake and Harriet Evans wouldn’t be Rose’s number one fans, neither would Dr. Vincent Conti or his wife Lenora.
I was going to have to ask Rose if she’d stalked anyone else.
There was also Paul and his wife. Though he seemed more upset than angry, I hadn’t heard from him since that day, despite sending a follow-up text.
These behaviors don’t usually arise from nowhere, so it’d be a safe bet that she’d started, even in a small way, by stalking other men.
I didn’t want to tell her about her stalker, but she’d need to be alert if this person turned out to be dangerous.
Yes, I’d have to talk to my Zahra. I was becoming increasingly angry at this stalker.
He was threatening the safety of my Rose and ruining our stalking dance, our foreplay.
Me: I need to speak with you about your stalker, Rose.
My Zahra: Sure. Any new leads? I haven’t heard from him in a few days. *sad face*
I’d have to stalk her. She was feeling lonely.
Me: He’s probably been busy but I’m sure he’s thinking of you.
He had been busy, busy tracking down his competition. We set up a time to chat the next day. I nominated a local café, hoping to create a more of a “date” atmosphere than we’d have in my office or her apartment. I also didn’t want to risk running into Glenn and having him say something stupid.
In the meantime, I would check out the Evanses and Contis.
_____________________
Blake and Harriet appeared to be home. There were two cars in the drive, and I could see movement behind the living room windows. Knocking on the door, I noticed a very intense security system. Rose had shaken these people. There were cameras, an alarm, and a Ring doorbell.
“Yes?” A woman’s voice asked. I couldn’t see her. She’d opened the front door, but we had a wire security door between us, designed so that she could see me but I couldn’t see her.
“My name is Ryan Vasili. I was hoping to speak to Blake Evans.”
I heard footsteps and then a male voice.
“I’m Blake Evans. What is this about?”
The sounds of a toddler laughing and a young baby crying rang out behind him.
“I was wondering if we could talk about Loretta Swan?”
The door opened, and a man in sweats emerged, motioning me further outside.
He looked late 20s or early 30s, dark hair, and was wearing “man clothes,” but then half the men in this state probably matched Glenn’s vague description.
We stood on the front lawn, with Blake glancing frequently back at the house.
He obviously didn’t want his wife to hear this conversation.
“What about Loretta? I really don’t want to talk about that time in my life.”
“I think Loretta may be my mother. I was given up for adoption and I’m trying to find my parents.
The only lead I could find was the mention of her daughter Rose in the news articles.
I know that was an awful time for you, but I have to start somewhere, so I’m begging you for any information you may have. ”
He looked at me sympathetically but retained his defensive body language.
“I had maybe two interactions with that woman. Ever. I know nothing about other kids she may have had, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she had a whole bunch. Her daughter Rose created hell in my life, and I’d appreciate not seeing or talking to you again.”
“Do you have any contact with her daughter? Do you know where she lives so that maybe I could talk to her?”
“No idea. I know she got parole. Probably changed her name given the media reports about her. She should still be locked up. My advice is to stay away. If you see her, run the other way.”
His face was sincere. If he didn’t know where Rose was, and didn’t even know her new name, he would be unlikely to be stalking her.
“Okay, thanks man.” I handed over a card I’d had made in my fake name. Ryan Vasili was my go-to fake identity for this kind of work, so he had his own card with his own number.
Blake took the card and shook his head. “Really Ryan, run the other way.”
Part of me wanted to slug this man. He’d thrown out bad signals to my Zahra when she was unwell.
He wasn’t blameless in this. At best, he’d been na?ve or flattered.
At worst, he was a cheater. Dr. Conti was unlikely to have opened the door to Rose, but she was at the peak of her illness when she knew him.
This man in front of me had driven her there. He didn’t understand my Zahra.
I waved and headed to my car, mentally crossing Blake off my list. Dr. Conti was my least likely suspect. He was a professional and had been hurt by Rose. He wouldn’t invite contact like this. Perhaps his wife though?