Page 26 of The Rose and the Hound (Ashes and Roses #2)

No one was allowed to visit Rose except for immediate family. I checked, but not because I planned to visit. I just needed to know that her stalker couldn’t get in.

Glenn Maxwell stood before me looking as foul as ever. His hair was messy, and he had a chunk of cheese on his upper lip.

“Why didn’t you call me? I gave you my card and paid you!” I was furious with this moron. He’d waited three days before telling me he’d seen a man at Rose’s door.

“I’ve been busy. Water heater shit itself,” was his casual reply.

“Well, what did he look like? And please don’t tell me he looked like a man in men’s clothing,” I snapped.

“Got a better look this time. Dark hair, kinda tall. Had a cactus tattoo on his right hand.”

Now that I could work with. “Did he say or do anything? Can you tell me anything else? I don’t care how small of a detail it seems to you.”

Glenn scratched his chin, knocking the cheese off his lip with the motion.

“Nah, don’t think so. Huge arms.”

Right. Huge arms, dark hair, men’s clothes, kinda tall, and a cactus tattoo. It would have to do.

By mid-afternoon, I’d spent almost the entire day on Rose’s stalker case. My cop buddy Ethan told me there was no record of that particular tattoo, but that just meant this man hadn’t been arrested at any point.

The worst part of the day was when I was questioned by police. Brett had been highly unimpressed to see two officers enter and ask to speak to me. He gave me an annoyed “I told you so” look and disappeared into his office.

“Has Rose Fennech sent you any gifts?” one of them asked.

“If you’re referring to Rose Myrtle, then yes, she has but I sent her some too. She wasn’t stalking me.” I wasn’t going to get Rose into more trouble, and it was a reciprocal relationship. She shouldn't be punished for that.

I gave them very little information. If Rose was stalking Blake or the doctor, that was on them to sort out, not me. My priority was keeping Rose safe so that she could get well again. They’d been gone about 10 minutes when Ethan texted.

Ethan: Lee Peterson, 28, lives in midtown. Works as bouncer at Club Cupcake. No record but known to deal. Cactus tattoo on right hand.

Now I was getting somewhere. Club Cupcake was a strip joint, a very dodgy one. Looks like I had somewhere to be tonight.

______________

Lee Peterson did have huge arms and dark hair. I sat and drank a whiskey, not wanting to draw attention to myself by entering a strip club and staring at the bouncer. How did he know my Zahra? Why was he stalking her?

I was about to leave when an older woman approached him, kissing him on the lips and pushing her breasts out.

Her face was familiar. I was running through images in my head when it struck me.

Loretta! I’d never seen or met Loretta but a photograph of her leaving court with Rose had been included in the media reports following Dr. Conti’s attack.

Loretta was stalking Rose, but why? I wanted to charge over and confront her, but that wouldn’t be wise, not in front of Lee.

I also wanted to give the police a heads up in case Loretta was framing Rose, which seemed more and more likely given her stalker wasn’t male or obsessed with her in a sexual way.

I hid my face, turning to watch the dancer on stage.

I felt sick about how I’d treated Rose. She must think I hate her.

I turned my head discreetly every now and then to watch her.

I considered pulling out my phone, reversing the camera and watching her that way, but my phone would be pointed toward the dancer, and it would be a great way to get myself thrown out and on Lee’s radar.

On my last head check, I saw that Loretta had already walked away toward the exit.

I drained my drink and followed her to her car.

In the world of stalkers, Loretta was an amateur. She was about to meet a professional.