See Me(127)

“There was no reason to apologize. They’ve been very gracious. Especially about me kicking in their door.”

She shrugged. “To be honest, it was pretty impressive. Doors generally keep people out, but this one didn’t even slow you down. They feel better knowing that you’re here.”

He nodded. Moonlight spilled in through a crack in the drapes, washing the living room with a silvery glow. “I wanted to tell you that the way you dealt with Lester was amazing. Not everyone would have been able to stay calm in that situation.”

“I wasn’t calm. I was terrified. Every time I closed my eyes tonight, I kept seeing his face. And it was just so… weird. I kept getting the feeling that he was more afraid of me than I was of him, even though he was the one with the gun.”

“I don’t understand it, either.”

“I wish the police had found him. I hate knowing that he’s still out there… following and watching and planning and hiding. What good will a restraining order do if they can’t serve him? And what if he shows up again before they do? I thought about leaving town, but what if he follows me? Or tracks me somehow. I mean, even I didn’t know I was going to be here tonight, so how did he know? And how did he know I’d be at the bar?”

“I’ve been wondering about those things, too.”

“And? What am I supposed to do? I just want to feel… safe.”

“I have an idea. It might be a bit over the top, but…”

“What is it?”

He told her.





CHAPTER 26





Maria





M

aria was sleeping on the couch when she felt Colin kiss her good-bye and whisper that he’d be back by eight o’clock. She was dimly aware of him slipping out the garage door. Surprising herself, she was able to get a few more hours of sleep before the sounds of the household roused her.

Over coffee, she shared Colin’s plans with her family. They listened with surprise. Her parents would have preferred that she stay where they could keep an eye on her, but they understood Colin’s reasoning and accepted her decision, asking only that she stay in touch.

Colin showed up at her parents’ house around eight with a disposable cell phone and followed Maria back to her condo. There, she showered, changed into jeans and a white T-shirt and black pumps, and packed an overnight bag. By nine, they were at the courthouse, where Maria completed and filed the necessary paperwork for the 50C. Margolis had been good to his word again; the clerk said that they’d get it before the judge to sign before the court convened for the day.

Using the disposable phone, Maria texted Margolis her number and asked that he keep her informed as to any progress regarding Lester Manning.

To her surprise, Margolis called less than half an hour later and asked to meet with her at a coffee shop. “It’s a couple of blocks from the courthouse, and we’ll be able to talk in private,” he said cryptically. She felt good about the fact that she’d filed the paperwork and decided to go with Colin’s idea. For the first time since all this had started, she’d acted instead of reacted. While there was no guarantee that they’d be able to serve Lester with the court order, taking the initiative made her feel as though she had some semblance of control.

At the coffee shop, she and Colin sat in a corner booth where they could watch for Margolis’s arrival.

When he finally walked through the door half an hour late, it took only a second for him to spot them. As he wove his way between tables, Maria noticed the way the fabric of his ill-fitting blazer tightened around his biceps. Like Colin, Margolis seemed to spend a lot of time in the gym.

He paused near the register to order a cup of coffee and then slid into the booth across from Maria and Colin. When he glanced at Colin, she thought she detected a trace less of his usual animosity.

Or then again, maybe she was just imagining it.

“Any problems with the Fifty-C this morning?”

“No,” Maria said. “And thank you for your help. It’s clear they were expecting me.”

He nodded. “Judge Carson will be in court today. I left word with his clerk, so there shouldn’t be any holdup. If you don’t hear from them, let me know.”

“Sure,” she said.

The waiter came by, dropping off the cup of coffee. Margolis waited until he left before speaking again.

“How did you hold up last night?” he asked Maria.

“I didn’t sleep well, if that’s what you’re asking. But at least Lester didn’t come back.”

He nodded. “I checked this morning and he wasn’t spotted on any of the patrols, either. But he’ll turn up. A guy like that tends to stand out and make people nervous, which means that calls come in. I’m confident someone will let us know when he shows up.”

“If he’s still in town,” she said. “For all we know, he could be back in Charlotte by now. Or God knows where else.”

“If he is, he’s not in the hospital. I checked this morning. No sign of him. You should also know that I had my friend drive past the Manning place this morning. No sign of him there, either in the garage apartment or the house.”

She nodded.

“On another note,” he went on, “I spoke with the sheriff’s department, and they’re okay with me serving Lester when we do find him. That’s actually good news. It’s not always that easy. But I’d hate for Lester to be located and then not get served because there are no sheriffs readily available and he disappears again before they can.”