Avalanche (18 page)

“In the shower?” Pamela asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“In the bedroom,” Red answered, rolling his eyes as he left
the kitchen.

“We’re taking a nap,” he told Kendra as he passed through
the dining room. “Keep the alarm set, the curtains closed, and stay inside. If
anything spooks you, wake me instantly. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Okay. See you later.”

“Sure.”

Red grabbed Pamela’s cell phone from the table, taking it
with him to the bedroom. If another text came through, he wanted to know about
it.

“Kendra?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t answer the house phone, if it rings, okay?”

“Okay.”

Believing the bases were covered, Red closed the bedroom
door behind him. He needed a moment to debrief, to adjust to the fact that he
would be sharing a bed with Pamela again, very soon.

“But I’m not sharing a bed, not really. This is nothing more
than a protection detail. Get that through your thick skull, Starling.”

Bone tired, and mentally drained, Red turned the shower on
hot, hoping the temperature would take away some of the tension.

He couldn’t help but feel he was letting Pamela down,
failing her when she needed him the most. Standing beneath the steamy spray, he
let himself feel the pain he’d been shoving deep inside, ever since Pamela came
back into his life.

He still loved her, there was no denying that.

He still wanted her, wanted the life they threw away.

But she didn’t want him. Hadn’t for a very long time now. He
had to accept it, and somehow, move on. Just as she would do, once the stalker
was caught.

He would have to get over her again, when that happened. But
he’d done it once, he could do it again.

“Who are you trying to fool?” The words were barely a
whisper, but they reverberated through his soul. He had never truly gotten over
Pam. He knew he never would.

~~~

“Touch base with the people on this list, remind them their
new clients are waiting to hear from them.” Pamela handed Kendra a sheet of
handwritten notes. “Send an email, it’s easier, and we have a record that we
made the attempt to get them off of their asses.”

“Sure, no problem. Anything else?”

“Yes, Jade mentioned last night that she planned to drop by
with the contract today. Text her and tell her that I’ll call her this
afternoon to set up a time. Her number is there, at the bottom. Also, write to
the clients who are still waiting for their new reps to contact them, ask if
they would prefer a different referral.”

“Will do.”

“That should cover it, if anything comes up, business-wise,
just hold it until later. If I don’t close my eyes soon, I’ll fall over.”

“Sure, don’t worry. I can handle it. Go get some rest.”

“Thanks, Kendra. You’re a gem.”

~~~

The bedroom was dark when Pamela entered, but the bathroom
door was ajar, enough for her to see the steam building up on the mirror. She
could hear the shower running, knew that Red was probably standing directly
under the hot spray. He liked a hot shower, especially when he had a troubled
mind.

Heaven knew she’d brought him enough trouble lately, it was
no wonder he needed to try and scorch away the worries. If only it were that
simple.

Moving quickly to the right side of the bed, she remembered
that Red always slept on the left, Pamela slid under the covers, wearing sweat
pants and a t-shirt. She preferred not to sleep in so much clothing, but there
was no way she could trust herself to do otherwise.

Every cell of her being needed the comfort of Red’s arms
around her, needed the powerful connection they shared, when their bodies came
together as one.

He would hold her, if she asked, but she knew that it would
be the wrong move for them both. Even if he complied, she would know he hated
being so close to her, and that would only make her feel worse.

Turning her back to his side of the bed, Pamela closed her
eyes and listened to the sounds of the water, shutting off, and of Red sliding
open the shower door.

She could picture his glistening body, all hard muscles and
lean lines, as he toweled off. His hair would be slicked back in places, spiked
in others, from the force of the steamy water.

“Stop that,” she whispered harshly in the dark. “He’s not
yours, not anymore.”

Light spilled into the bedroom when Red opened the bathroom
door, highlighting Pamela’s form in the bed.

“Are you asleep?” Red whispered, somewhat loudly.

“No,” Pamela answered. “But it won’t be long. I’m beat.”

“Me, too. The shower felt good, though.” Feeling awkward
with just a towel wrapped around him, Red stepped into the closet to dress.

“This is strange, isn’t it?” Pamela asked, when he joined
her on the bed.

“Yes, a little. But it doesn’t have to be.” Red lay down
flat, staring up at the ceiling. “It’s nice to have the blackout curtains in
here. The room feels just like it does at night.”

“Mom installed them in all the bedrooms. She said the snow
was so bright in the winter that it lit up the rooms, even at night.”

“She’s not wrong,” Red agreed, chuckling. “They’re still
calling for snow this weekend. I need to call and check on that load of wood I
ordered.” Crossing his arms over his chest, Red closed his eyes. “Remind me to
do that when we get up, will you?”

“Sure,” Pamela said, enjoying the semblance of normalcy.
They’d always used to talk about everyday things, just before they went to
sleep. “Thanks for doing that, I can’t believe I forgot.”

“We didn’t need to order firewood in LA,” Red smiled.
“You’re not used to the cold.”

“True, I can’t remember the last time I saw snow fall,”
Pamela sighed, rolling over onto her back. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Watching it fall is nice, but dealing with the crap
afterward is not. You’d think that people who’ve lived here all of their lives
would know to put chains, or snow tires, on their cars. You wouldn’t believe
the amount of accidents we deal with every winter. Nothing serious, just
bump-ups that could have been avoided if folks used common sense.”

“You seem to like being a cop,” Pamela observed, hearing the
affection in his complaint.

“I do, but only because I’m in Starsdale. There’s something
about coming back, coming home to the people who’ve known me all of my life.
It’s comforting, in a way, and very satisfying.”

“I can tell. You’ve found your niche.”

“What about you, Pam? What’s next for you? Starsdale has
changed a lot since we were teenagers, you might find that it’s home again for
you, too.”

“I do like being back here, and I love your friends. It’s
nice to be part of a group. Honestly, I’m not sure what’s next for me.”

“I’d like it if you stayed.” Red tried to keep his words
light, as if he was speaking to a friend, not someone who held his heart in the
palm of her hands.

“You would?” Pamela asked, surprised.

“Of course. We can still be friends, can’t we? Think about
it, we’ve gone almost eighteen hours without fighting. I think that’s a record
for us.”

“Friends? Yes, of course. Maybe that’s the secret. I mean,
we didn’t really argue all that much in high school, it was only when we got
together that the battles began.”

“Exactly. I admit, I was angry with you for the break-up,
how it went down, the house, the ring, all of it. But now, I’m not angry with
you anymore. I hope that we can be friends, after all this is over.”

“I really need to find that ring. I can’t believe you left
it in a box in the bathroom.”

“I would appreciate it,” Red said softly. He only wanted it
back to keep it in the family. He couldn’t imagine giving it to anyone else
except Pamela.

The cell phone, lying on the bedside table, beeped. Both of
them jumped at the unexpected noise.

“Is it him?” Pamela asked, sitting upright.

“Bastard!” Red saw the text, then tossed the phone back onto
the table. “It’s more of the same, says he can’t wait to see you.” Red didn’t
mention the word ‘dead’ or the exclamation marks. Pamela didn’t need to know
everything.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” Red turned to look at
her, saw that she was still propped on her elbow, watching him.

“Sure.” Pamela slowly lowered her head to the pillow. She
couldn’t shake the distinct feeling that Red was leaving something out.

The phone beeped again.

“
He can’t protect you.
”

And again.

“I’ll be watching.”

And again.

“You’re mine.”

“What the hell is going on?” Pamela asked, hearing Red
growl.

“He’s having fun, that’s what.” Red told her, reading the
text as they scrolled through, one after the other.

The threats kept coming, each one short, and to the point.
Each one with the same underlying message.

“He’s never done this before,” Pamela sat up, read the
messages over Red’s shoulder.

“Screw this,” Red snarled, turning the phone off. “Let him
send as many as he likes. We don’t have to read them.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

“Why not? He can’t get to us, Pam, not really. This is his
only way to try and get under our skin. But this only works if we let it. We
can read the damn things later,
after
we get some sleep.”

“I’m not sure that I can go to sleep now.” Pam’s voice
trembled slightly.

“Of course you can, come here.” Red rolled over to face her,
lifting the covers so she could slid over to him, if she wanted.

“Are you sure?” Pamela asked, wanting more than anything to
span the distance between them.

“Positive. I promise to be good, no hanky-panky.” Red raised
his eyebrows up and down, trying to make her laugh.

It worked.

“Okay, thanks.” Too burned out to question the decision,
Pamela slid into his arms, placing her head on his shoulder.

“There, that’s better.” Red sighed, enclosing her against
him. “I’ve got you, Pammie. Relax, and close your eyes."

“Mmmm,” Pamela sighed against him, feeling his strength, and
his warmth. “I’ve missed you,” she breathed. The words escaped without thought,
Pamela didn’t even realize that she’d spoken aloud.

Red couldn’t believe what he heard, didn’t want to question
it, dared not hope that it was true. Pam was exhausted and vulnerable now, he
couldn’t take anything she said as gospel.

But it still felt wonderful, holding her like this again.
She fit perfectly against him, she always had.

Snuggling her closer, Red felt that all was right with his
world. Nothing going on outside this cocoon mattered. Together, they were
invincible.

Red lay still, and awake, long after Pamela had dropped off.
It felt so right, so natural, having her in his arms again. He never wanted it
to end.

Why does it have to end? Why can’t we try once more to make
things work?

The thoughts would not leave him. Instead, new thoughts
sparked, ones where he and Pamela were together, married, living happily, in
Starsdale, or someplace else.

But would she go for it? Would counselling help them learn
to work through whatever issues made their relationship so contentious? Had
they grown enough, separately, to make being together even possible? The
questions had no answers, but one thing became clear.

Red wanted to try. Life with Pamela was infinitely better
than life without her.

Listening to the soft sounds of her steady breathing, a
peaceful lull fell over Red, just before he fell asleep. It was the sweetest
thing he’d ever known.

The voice of madness taunting every thought, the killer
smiled to think of the torment Pamela and her knight in shining armor would
endure, before the game was finished.

The texts were simply a prelude to the grand finale, a way
to weaken their psyches for the coming event.

Sheriff Red Starling had been a surprise. An obnoxious
obstacle, at first, but now he was integral to Pamela’s just reward.

The bitch had to die, that had been the plan, all along. But
now she would die knowing that her treachery had killed the man she loved.
Revenge was so much sweeter, when pain was the weapon of choice.

Imagining the torture, the depth of her sorrow as the bitch
watched her true love die filled the killer’s soul with joy. It was only a
matter of time, now. Everything was in place. Soon, an avalanche of pain would
befall the slut, Pamela, and her brave hero, Sheriff Starling.

She couldn’t wait.

“Pumpkin delivery,” Dana stuck her head in the door at
Cliffside, after two quick knocks.

“Hey, come on in,” Jade looked up, smiling. “How did you
know I was ready to take a break?”

“Just psychic, I guess. I brought you a few pumpkins, in
case you wanted to make Justin a pie, or something.”

“Thanks, they’re lovely. But I wouldn’t know how to begin
making a pumpkin pie. I can use them to decorate, though.”

“Sure, whatever floats your boat.” Dana dropped the basket
by the door. “What’s that you’re working on?”

“I’m trying to weave these string lights together to make a
bird’s nest,” Jade answered, pushing the jumbled lights aside in frustration.
“But it’s not working. Not yet. What are you up to, besides delivering
pumpkins?”

“I just left Chelsea, we had a nice visit searching for
wedding dresses online.”

“Starsdale is not exactly a boutique mecca,” Jade nodded,
smiling. “No wonder she’s shopping online. Did she have any luck?”

“No, but she has time. She knows exactly what she wants, so
she may end up having something made.”

“She’s very lucky,” Jade said, somewhat wistfully. “I mean,
a lot of women drown in the details, but not Chelsea. Now that she’s decided on
an intimate ceremony, she’s very clear about the specifics. The party for the
town, however, is another matter entirely.”

“Luckily, she has you to help her with that. How are you
liking your new job, anyway?”

“I love it. Even if the book takes off, I’ll keep doing this
for as long as they’ll have me.”

“Really? That’s wonderful to hear. I’m glad to see you so
happy. You were due, Jade.”

“You’re right, I was,” Jade laughed. “But I sure never
expected to find Justin. I didn’t see that coming.”

“Sometimes the universe sends us exactly what we need,
whether we know we need it, or not.” Dana picked up the light mass and started
to make a few adjustments.

“Coming to Starsdale was the best thing I’ve ever done.
Thanks for convincing me to do it. And for making me feel so welcome.”

“You don’t have to thank me, I love having you here. Robert
and I knew that you would be happy, plus I think he wanted to keep an eye on
you.”

“Probably. He’s worse than a big brother, but I love him for
it.”

“He means well,” Dana grinned, then gave up on the lights.
“Crap,” she said, glancing at her watch. “It’s nearly noon. I told Robert I’d
be home for lunch, but I still have to drop some pumpkins off for Pamela and
Red.”

“They’re coming by here this afternoon, or I’m going there.
Leave them with me, I’ll see that they get them.”

“Are you sure? That would be great. Robert accused me of
meddling this morning, so he’ll be happy to know I didn’t go near them.”

“Meddling? You? Never!” Jade laughed, reaching over to give
Dana a hug. “You mean well, too.”

“Thanks, I think,” Dana laughed, returning the hug. “I think
they make a great couple, don’t you?”

“Who? Red and Pamela?”

“Who else?”

“Yes, and no. They seemed to get on great last night. But
that wasn’t the case when they joined Justin and me for dinner. I understand
not wanting to live life, always arguing. Who would want that?”

“No one, but the flip side to all that arguing can be pretty
great,” Dana grinned.

“Great make-up sex notwithstanding, I would prefer a
peaceful life, to one in constant turmoil.”

“When you put it that way, I agree. Anyway, I hope they work
it out. They both deserve to be happy.”

“Tell Molly that Justin and I plan to take her riding this
weekend, if that suits you guys.”

“She’ll be thrilled, but I won’t mention it until you
actually show up. I’d hate to see her be disappointed,” Dana winked as she
opened the door.

“Nice,” Jade rolled her eyes. “As if we would do that to
Molly.”

“Sometimes you just can’t help yourselves, right?” Dana
ducked out of the door, laughing.

~~~

“JB enlarged the faces in both images,” Red told Pamela,
when she emerged from the bedroom. “Come and take a look.”

“How long have you been up?” she asked, coming to stand
beside him.

“Not long. What do you think? Does the shape of the face
seem familiar at all?”

“It’s really difficult to say with the black mask covering
every detail. Am I crazy, or does it seem feminine? The narrow nose, the high
cheekbones, I don’t know, but both faces appear to have a woman’s features.”

“JB said the same thing. It’s definitely possible, but where
does that leave us? Does believing the stalker is a woman jog your memory? Can
you think of anyone who could be angry enough with you to threaten death?”

“No. It doesn’t help at all,” Pamela rubbed her forehead as
she walked to the kitchen. “Where’s Kendra?”

“In her room, I guess. I haven’t seen her since I came out
here.”

“Have you looked at the text messages?”

“No, not yet. I’m sure he’s, I mean she’s, not saying
anything different. It feels strange to think of the stalker as a woman. From
what I understand, that’s pretty rare. Female stalkers usually target their
boyfriends, or someone they’re infatuated with, not another woman.”

“Most of the earlier texts were sexually threatening, why
would a woman do that?”

“To throw you off. Male or female, it’s still a game to him
or her.”

“I thought I heard voices down here,” Kendra came to the top
of the stairs. “Did you two have a nice nap?”

“Yes, thanks,” Pamela answered, still staring at the
computer screen. “Were you able to take care of those emails?”

“Every one. No replies, yet. And I let Jade know that you’d
be in touch. Oh, some guy delivered a pile of wood. I didn’t meet him, he never
even came to the door.”

“That would be Raymond. He’s not known for his people
skills,” Red glanced up, met Kendra’s eyes. For a split second, he felt a chill
race down his spine. Then it was gone.

“That’s okay, I wouldn’t have answered the door, anyway. Sheriff’s
orders!” Kendra laughed lightly, saluting Red as she passed. “Are you hungry? I
can whip up a few sandwiches, if you like.”

“Nothing for me, thanks,” Pamela answered, continuing to
stare at the images on the screen. There
was
something familiar about
the shape of the face, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“I’ll get something in a bit,” Red said, his forehead
wrinkled. The chill had felt like a warning, but he didn’t know why. What was
it about Kendra that suddenly made him wary?

“I should call Jade, see when she’d like to meet.” Pamela
jerked herself away from the screen. Staring at the image was only giving her a
headache. She would look again in a while.

“Okay, I’ll take a look at those messages, see if the creep
had anything new to say.”

“You received more messages?” Kendra asked, poised in the
kitchen doorway.

“A few. We cut the phone off, so we could get some rest.
They didn’t mean anything, just his usual annoying drivel.”

“I thought we decided…” Pamela stopped talking when Red hit
her leg.

“I know we decided not to read them, but I think I’ll take a
look, just the same. Call Jade. I can run you over there anytime.” Red turned
to Pamela, shaking his head slightly. He hoped to hell she got the message.

“Okay, I’ll call her on the land line.” Pamela looked as
confused as she felt. Obviously, Red didn’t want her to mention that they now
thought the stalker might be a woman, but why not? Surely he didn’t suspect
Kendra?

Heading upstairs to change, Pamela searched for any other
reason that Red might have to keep their suspicions from Kendra. She was in as
much danger as they were, she deserved to know the truth.

As usual, Red was probably being too cautious. If the
stalker was a woman, then Kendra was a suspect, by virtue of her sex, no other
reason. Kendra had been in the room when many of the texts had come in. She’d
been home asleep, when the last package was delivered. Thanks to the blasted
cameras Red had placed everywhere, Kendra could not have left the house without
being seen.

What was he thinking?

Red waited until Pamela was out of sight to pull up the
messages. He knew better to ignore the warning his body gave him, and he wanted
to test the theory.

“Listen to this one,” he said, chuckling. “
You’ll be
sorry for everything. See you soon,
” he read. “How lame could this guy be?
Oh, here’s another one,
‘You’ll die a slow death.’
Oooh, I’m shaking in
my boots.” Red glanced up as Kendra came to the table. “I think this guy’s been
watching too many bad movies.”

“You seem pretty cavalier for someone who’s just received a
death threat,” Kendra frowned, sitting down opposite Red. “Or is he threatening
Pamela?”

“Who knows, at this point? These messages are getting old,
stale. He needs some new material. I’m beginning to think that our scary
stalker is nothing more than a scared child.” Red laughed, shaking his head. “I
mean, think about it. He’s a coward, hiding behind a phone line. Even the gifts
he’s leaving her are childish. A googly-eyed heart and a doll.”

“A voodoo doll is not a toy, Red,” Kendra narrowed her eyes.
“What are you saying, that you no longer think Pamela is in danger?”

“I’m beginning to seriously doubt it. Look at this, he sent
a message every five minutes this afternoon, like clockwork. Any stalker worth
his salt should know that this is overkill. If we
had
left the phone on,
by the fourth or fifth text, we would have been over it.”

Kendra said nothing, but Red noticed that her left eyebrow
twitched. It was enough.

“You know, Kendra, I’m thinking that you might want to go on
back to LA. I’ll keep an eye on Pamela. I really don’t think this is as valid a
threat as it first seemed.”

“I think I’ll let Pamela tell me that,” Kendra said, her
irritation shining through. “I came here to help her, remember?”

“Yes, of course,” Red replied smoothly. “I only mention it
because I know that being here is probably an inconvenience for you. You have
family in LA, right?”

“No, my family is in Kentucky.”

“Friends, then. There had to be a reason that you moved to
la-la-land.”

“I moved because I wanted to work in the entertainment
industry. That’s difficult to do in Kentucky.”

“How long have you been living there?”

“About six months.” Kendra’s answers were becoming more and
more curt.

“So, Pamela gave you your first job, then.”

“Yes. I was lucky to find her so soon.”

“And now you’re out of a job, or will be, soon. That must
sting.”

“Not really. Pamela said she’d help me find something else.
She’s also offering me a very generous severance.” Kendra tilted her head
sideways and peered at Red. “You know, Sheriff, if I didn’t know better, I’d
think you were interrogating me.”

“Sorry, hazard of the job, I’m afraid. I’m just trying to
get to know you.”

“Are you certain that’s all?”

“Of course. What possible reason would I have to interrogate
you?”

“None that I can think of.” Kendra’s eyes hardened as she
stared at Red.

“You don’t like answering questions, do you?”

“I don’t like being grilled, which is what this feels like.
What’s up, Red? Why the inquisition?”

“No reason, sorry if I offended you.” Red held up both hands
in surrender.

“What did you say this time, Red?” Pamela heard Red’s apology
as she came downstairs.

“Nothing, really. I was just asking Kendra about moving to
LA.”

“Her sister moved out, a few years ago, right Kendra?”
Pamela asked, heading for the kitchen. “I think I will have a sandwich. Can I
get anyone else one?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind,” Red answered, not taking his eyes
off of Kendra. “You said you didn’t have family in LA.”

“I don’t. My sister doesn’t live there any longer.” Kendra
stood quickly, turning her back to Red. “I’ll help Pamela.”

Red jumped up, following Kendra into the kitchen.

“I think I can manage a couple of sandwiches, guys,” Pamela
laughed, when she saw them both walk in. “Jade said any time before five this
afternoon is fine. We can head over after we eat, okay?”

“Sure. Will you be coming with us, Kendra?”

“If Pamela wants me to, yes.”

“You’re probably ready to get out of this house, so yes,
come.” Pamela tossed her a smile. “Red, grab us something to drink. Since
you’re both in here to help, Kendra, would you get the chips from the pantry?”

Kendra felt Red’s eyes on her as she crossed the floor.
Something had put the good Sheriff on high alert.

She wondered what it could be.

~~~

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us? The fresh air
might do you some good,” Pamela didn’t want to leave Kendra here alone, without
any protection. But Red insisted it would be fine.

“I really don’t think Kendra is in any danger from the
stalker. As I told her earlier, I’m beginning to doubt whether or not the guy
is even a threat to you. She’ll be fine, as long as she keeps the doors locked,
and the alarm on. We won’t be away for long.”

“If you say so,” Pamela wondered at the sudden turn-around
in Red’s opinion on the stalker. It didn’t make sense, but she played along, as
he obviously wanted her to do

“I’ll be fine, Pamela. Don’t worry. It’s broad daylight, and
I’ll make sure to keep everything locked up tight. I just don’t feel up to the
drive. Those mountain roads are steep and winding. Not a good match for an iffy
stomach.”

“I’m sorry that you don’t feel well. Can we get you anything
while we’re out? Some ginger ale?”

“That sounds great, thanks. But don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, okay. Call me if you think of anything else.”