Hearts Divided (Cedar Cove #5.5)(47)

“So anyone who wanted to could look up the code and learn how to use it.”

“Technically speaking, yes. I’m sure the details are available on the Internet somewhere, since most things are these days. Using the code orally would be almost impossible for anyone except a Navajo because the language itself is extremely complex. It’s almost unintelligible to anyone except a native. But to write it—” Winifred tapped the essay in front of Chloe “—that’s quite easy, really. All you’d have to do is look up the English letters of the alphabet and the Navajo words assigned to them.”

“But these don’t look like words.”

“I know. Whoever wrote them neglected to hyphenate them where needed. For instance, ‘yildoc’ is really Yil-Doc, and ‘jadholni’ is Jad-Ho-Loni. Nonetheless, it’s clear to me that the Navajo code is the basis for the words enclosed in parentheses.”

“And the first word is Jake. Why would someone encode his name in an essay given to me?”

“That’s the real mystery, isn’t it?” Winifred’s expression was solemn. “Let’s finish going through the letters in parentheses and see what words we have when we’re done.”

Several moments later, Chloe and Winifred stared at the three names.

“Jake Morrissey, Chloe Abbott and Kenny Dodd,” Winifred read slowly. “Why is your name here, Chloe? And who is Kenny Dodd?”

“I don’t know, Gran, but I’m going to find out.” Chloe took her cell phone from her purse and dialed Jake’s number.

Six

When Jake received Chloe’s call, Gray was at his apartment. They arrived at Winifred’s house together, Jake’s Porsche closely followed by Gray’s SUV as they pulled into the circular driveway.

Chloe met them at the front door.

“What happened?” Jake demanded, his gaze running over her, searching for signs of damage.

“Come into the kitchen. Gran can help me explain.” She said hello to Gray, standing behind Jake. “I’m glad you’re here, Gray. You need to hear this, too.”

She led them down the hall to the kitchen and introduced Gray to Winifred.

“Sit down, gentlemen.” Winifred gestured at two empty chairs and looked at Chloe. “Why don’t you start, Chloe.”

Chloe nodded and, as succinctly as possible, told them about the essay and the encoded words.

Gray turned to Jake. “Who’s Kenny Dodd?”

“He’s a kid who died in Afghanistan.” Jake’s face was grim. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time when I detonated a charge I’d set to take out a bridge.”

Chloe’s heart cramped at the expression of stark pain that flashed across his features. He feels responsible for that young soldier’s death.

Gray whistled softly. “So the stalker is connected to the military, not to your demolition work.”

“Yeah,” Jake said. “I guess so. We’ve been looking in the wrong place, at the wrong people.”

“No wonder we didn’t find anything.”

“Whoa.” Chloe lifted her hand. “What are you saying? You’ve ‘been looking.’ Is this my stalker or your stalker?”

Jake’s eyes were unreadable, but they met hers without flinching. “It’s possible the person following you may really be after me.”

Chloe could only stare at him, speechless, as scenes from the last few days ran through her mind—the man outside David’s shop window, the eerie feeling that someone was following her on campus, the blue sedan driving by her house after the symphony. The man was stalking her because she’d met Jake?

“Gray and I suspected that might be the case. You told me the feeling that someone was watching you didn’t start until after the photos of us appeared in the Tribune,” Jake continued.

“That’s true,” she murmured, frowning.

“The photo may have been the catalyst that caused the stalker to link you with me.”

Chloe thought about the group of photos that had accompanied the article and cold fear gripped her. “My grandmother was in those pictures, too.”

“Have you noticed any strangers watching you, Mrs. Abbott?” Jake asked. “Maybe a car following you when you leave the house?”

“No. Nothing like that,” Winifred said firmly. “And I would have noticed.” She turned to Chloe. “Why didn’t you tell me what’s been going on?”

“I thought it was probably a student with a crush on me, Gran. It made me nervous because it’s a little creepy, knowing someone might be stalking me, but I wasn’t really afraid for my safety.”

“And there’s every reason to believe you shouldn’t be afraid, even now,” Gray put in. “As we’ve said, the primary target appears to be Jake. Someone’s been shadowing him for weeks, and the fact that you’re having the same experience so soon after the photos were made public indicates you’re a secondary interest.”

“You’re sure? Because I won’t leave town if Chloe’s in danger.” Concern shaded Winifred’s voice.

“Gran’s taking the Queen Victoria cruise ship to Victoria, B.C., in the morning,” Chloe explained, answering Jake’s unspoken question. “It’s only an overnight trip—a birthday gift from a friend.”