One Wish (Thunder Point #7)(47)

In the morning, they proceeded as planned. After showering and eating a light breakfast, Troy made sure she was secure in the shop behind locked doors. At midmorning, Seth rang the bell and she let him in.

“Well?” she asked.

“I hope you consider this good news because I do. Your stalker, Bruno, is safely monitored in a group home in Hillsboro County, Florida. He takes his meds and visits his sister regularly and has not been out of contact with his sponsors for even twenty-four hours since entering the group home. According to his sister, he has not had delusions about you for over a dozen years, thanks to his medication.”

“And that’s good news?” she asked. “Then who’s trying to drive me insane?”

“Easy, Grace. It’s a mean prank. But there was no threat.”

“What are you going to do about it?” she asked.

Seth frowned, she couldn’t miss it. “I’m going to be vigilant. I’m going to tell Gina, Carrie, Waylan and Dr. Grant that someone left an anonymous note that frightened you and we don’t know who or why. I’m going to ask them to watch for strange or suspicious persons. That’s about all I can do.”

“Can’t you do something more? Like check it for fingerprints or something?”

“No, Grace,” he said. “I know you feel vulnerable and I’m going to keep my eyes open for this joker, but there hasn’t been a crime. Your shop or residence hasn’t been broken into, no one has threatened you. I have no reason to think you’re in danger. I think you should be cautious and alert—definitely let me know if there’s further contact—but even though it’s suspicious and suggests a link to an old, resolved crime, at this point it’s nothing more than an innocuous note. In itself, the note isn’t even malicious. In fact, it could be a coincidence that the wording is the same.”

“It’s not a coincidence,” she said.

“Stick with the locked doors for the time being, all right?”

“And look over my shoulder a lot?” she asked.

“Look, Grace, when those notes were originally sent by your stalker he had a plan that put you in jeopardy. He hasn’t delivered this note. Do you have any reason to believe anyone means you harm?”

She thought for a moment before she shook her head.

“I think it’s mean, doing that to you. I’ll keep my eyes open. I’ll watch the shop when I’m in town. I’ll tell the other deputies to watch. But it just doesn’t follow that whoever did this wants to hurt you.”

“Of course you’re right,” she said. “But someone did do it to scare me. I can’t imagine why.”

“That’s the mystery, isn’t it?” he said. “You going to be all right?”

She shrugged. “I guess. I’m not going to let something like this beat me. It really pisses me off.”

“Good. It should. Call me if anything happens that worries you. Anything at all.”

“Thanks, Seth. I understand there’s nothing much more that can be done. I appreciate the time you put into this.”

He touched his forehead in a salute. “We’ll be on duty, Grace.”

When he left, she stepped out onto the sidewalk behind him. It was a sunny early April day, but the front of the shop wasn’t as exciting as usual. She hadn’t put out her sidewalk displays because some * had forced her in behind locked doors with a stupid little note. She turned, stomped back into the shop and dragged out her big wooden bunny for Easter. She cranked out her awning. Next, she pulled out a wicker basket filled with plastic daffodils and a sign that read Spring Sale! Then she unpacked her yellow, pink, mint-green and pale blue banner that read Easter Flowers! Order Now! She fixed it over the door. And finally she tore off the note over the doorbell.

Seth was right, she thought. It’s mean and creepy but it’s not an open threat. She would be cautious and safe. She refused to be insanely paranoid. If anyone crazy came at her, she’d beat him over the head with her ceramic tulip sculpture.

However, she did keep the back door locked, just to be sure.

* * *

Ray Anne painted her second bedroom, bought new linens for the bed and reupholstered the window cornices with matching fabric. She did it all herself, as she always had. Although she knew every handyman within a hundred-mile radius, she was also adept at home repairs and decorating. She knew how to hang wallpaper, install crown molding, replace wallboard and a dozen other things. In preparation for Ginger’s arrival, she removed all her clothes, shoes and purses from the closet in the guest room—she had used it for her overflow wardrobe.

There was a small bath and shower in her bedroom and a larger bathroom with tub and shower beside the guest room. She cleaned under the sink and stocked it with bath gels, bubble bath, scented soaps, lotions and sponges. She put candles on the back of the commode and on the side of the tub.

She was nervous as a cat, waiting for her Gingersnap. She didn’t know how she could help her get beyond this dark patch. How does anyone get past it? Poor Al had spent over thirty years trying to move beyond the death of his own baby son.

“I must have held on to that pain as stubbornly as an old bull,” Al told her.

Ginger was driving down from Portland on Monday. At noon she still hadn’t arrived and Ray Anne started to worry. She called her cousin and Dickie said she’d gotten an early start and should be there. Ginger didn’t answer her cell phone when her father called or when Ray Anne called. At two, just about the time Ray Anne was thinking of asking Seth to check with the state troopers to see if there’d been any accidents, Ginger pulled up in front of Ray Anne’s little house.