Obsessed (The Lizzy Gardner Series) (15 page)

CHAPTER 32

Forty-eight hours after Dr. Madeline Blair was attacked and then taken to the police department for questioning, she was released. With a lawyer at her side and no proof of wrongdoing, the police were unable to make an arrest.

In order to get the investigation started, Lizzy needed a list of names—family and friends. She still had a lot of questions for Madeline. Afraid to leave her house, Madeline insisted they meet her at home.

Because Lizzy would need help with the investigation, she’d asked Hayley to join her. Hayley had already arrived, her car parked at the curb. She’d brought Kitally, Lizzy’s newest employee, along with her, and the two girls were leaning against the car, waiting.

After Madeline allowed them inside her home, quick introductions were made. Madeline looked much better than the last time Lizzy had seen her. She wore formfitting athletic wear and running shoes. Her hair was tied back, which served to accentuate her high cheekbones.

Once they were seated in Madeline’s living area, Kitally and Hayley pulled out their laptops and Lizzy paper and pen for taking notes.

Lizzy spoke first. “As you know, Madeline, I called this meeting together because we can’t begin an official investigation until we’re familiar with all the facts of your case. I realize the past few days have been tough, but we won’t be able to help you until we look at everything.”

Madeline nodded.

“About the night you were attacked, do you recall anything unusual—for instance, any strange smells?”

“Moldy, stale,” Madeline said. “He smelled like death.”

“How about his voice? Can you describe it for us?”

“In my opinion, most men tend to sound monotone,” Madeline said. “This guy’s voice had much more range. It’s hard to explain, but I guess I would say his voice sounded borderline feminine. Quiet for the most part, but then he would get angry and his voice would crack with emotion.”

“Did he have an accent?”

Madeline shook her head.

“And you never got a glimpse of him?”

“No. I couldn’t see him at all.” Madeline’s eyes widened. “He did make a strange noise with his tongue and he tended to crack his knuckles every so often.”

Lizzy wrote it all down.

“What about the neighborhood?” Kitally cut in. “Did anyone around here see anything? Or what about you, have you seen anything suspicious in the area lately?”

Lizzy sighed. She’d explain the rules to Kitally later when they were alone. There was a pecking order. She asked the questions first, and then if she missed anything, her assistants could speak up.

Madeline held a file on her lap. She flipped it open and handed Lizzy a flyer. “I did find this in my mailbox yesterday. My neighbor Mr. Whitton, a retired MP, passed out flyers to the neighborhood after his wife noticed a Honda Civic parked at the curb for hours.”

“If you could give me the Whittons’ address, I’ll pay them a visit,” Lizzy said.

Madeline pointed out the front window. “No need to give you an address. They live in the blue-and-white house right across the street. You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks,” Lizzy said, moving along. “Can you tell us what your daily routine was before you began receiving strange items at your doorstep?” Lizzy had already filled Hayley and Kitally in on the specifics of what Madeline had been through, so there was no need to repeat what she already knew.

“I used to run every morning around seven. I stopped after I realized I was being watched.”

“After your run, what did you normally do?”

Madeline gestured toward the file in her lap. “I wrote it all down for you. After my run, I would usually make myself breakfast, take a shower, maybe do some laundry or run a few errands—grocery store, post office, hair salon, et cetera. I like to be at my office on Madison by two o’clock. That’s when I determine what I’ll be talking about on my show that day. If I have a special guest I want to have on the air, I’ll plan weeks in advance.”

“Did you say the Honda Civic the neighbor saw was silver?” Hayley cut in.

Madeline nodded.

“This article I found online,” Hayley went on, “says that David Westlake was seen talking to a man driving a silver Honda Civic.”

“Good work,” Lizzy said. “Could you bookmark that page and see if you can find the name of the man who saw David Westlake, or the security company’s name?”

“I’ve got it.”

“Great, let’s make it a priority to talk to him.” Lizzy tapped her pencil against her chin. “How about restaurants? You said Monty’s Bar & Grill was one of your favorites. Do you usually eat lunch out?”

Madeline nodded. “I go there a few times a week. Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. Same table, same waitress . . . Amber, the young girl you met when we had lunch.”

It took another twenty minutes to find out which bank Madeline used and also her nail and hair salon, post office, grocery store, et cetera. It was time to move on to her personal life and family members.

Kitally stood.

“What is it?” Lizzy asked.

“I need to use the bathroom?”

“Down the hall to the left,” Madeline told her.

“Any sisters or brothers?” Lizzy asked next.

“One of each. Both older. My brother recently moved to San Francisco. My sister lives downtown. Mom and Dad moved to Folsom a few years ago.”

“Any ex-boyfriends or old roommates—anyone who might hold a grudge for any reason at all?”

“I have a few ex-boyfriends, but offhand I only know what two of them are up to. One is married, living in Los Angeles, and the other guy is living the good life on the beaches of Thailand.” Madeline handed Lizzy a list of names. “Here’s a list of everyone I know, family and friends. But I really don’t think it could be anyone I know.”

“Sibling rivalry?”

“No way. All three of us are proud and supportive of each other’s accomplishments.”

“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to talk to your family members and coworkers.”

“That’s not a problem.”

Kitally returned to the room holding a magazine. Lizzy was about to lecture her about touching other people’s things when Kitally opened the magazine and held it up for all to see. The inside pages had been cut up; some pages had one missing letter in the header, others were cut to shreds. “Didn’t you say Dr. Blair received a note made out of letters cut from a magazine?” Kitally asked.

Madeline paled.

Lizzy came to her feet. “Set that on the table, will you? Whoever was in this house obviously left more than just a wallet for the police to find. If you’re OK with it, Madeline, I think it’s time we all take a look around to see what else we can find.”

Madeline agreed.

“I have an evidence kit with latex gloves in the trunk of my car.” When Lizzy returned, everyone put on a pair of gloves. Without further instruction needed, Hayley focused her search in the dining room/kitchen area, and Kitally made her way upstairs.

Madeline stayed where she was, her face pale.

“We need to search every bit of this house,” Lizzy explained, “turn every room upside down. I don’t think it would be wise to wait for the police to show up with a warrant and find any more surprises. Every bit of this house, every drawer and closet needs to be—”

“I think this guy is using a bump key,” Hayley interrupted.

Lizzy and Madeline followed her through the kitchen and to the back door. Hayley pointed to the doorknob. “If you look close enough, you can see tiny scratches. The window next to the door has been tampered with, too, which tells me that’s probably how he got inside the first time. It’s easier to make a bump key if you can get the door open. If he got inside, he could have keys to every door in the place.”

“How does a bump key work?” Madeline wanted to know.

“It’s easy. You just need an old key that fits the lock and a file.”

It was hours later when Lizzy and Hayley joined Kitally upstairs. On the bathroom floor, they found a used syringe that Madeline insisted she knew nothing about. A window repairman was fixing all the locks and making sure every window in the house was secure.

“How’s it going?” Lizzy asked Kitally.

Kitally was in Madeline’s bedroom. “I’m almost done,” Kitally informed them. “One more drawer to check—oh, would you look at this?” Kitally held up a vibrator. “It’s one of those dual-action rabbit thingy-boppers.” She turned it over in her hand. “Huh. I first heard of this thing on a
Sex and the City
episode. I need to get myself one of these.”

Lizzy looked at Hayley.

Hayley shrugged and walked away.

It was late afternoon by the time they finished. The locks had been changed and the window repairman had just left. Hayley and Kitally were waiting outside. That’s when Lizzy told Madeline it would be a good idea for her to hire all-night security. Lizzy also thought it would be best if she returned to her normal routine. For the next week or so, Lizzy would meet Madeline at seven in the morning for a run in the park.

“I won’t be able to keep up with you,” Madeline said. “I haven’t run in weeks.”

“I’m not exactly breaking any records,” Lizzy told her, “but either way it won’t be a problem since I’ll be doing more looking around than running. If we want to find this guy, we need to get you out of this house.”

“I guess this means we’re going fishing and I’m the bait?”

“Exactly.” Lizzy stepped outside and added, “I noticed a gun vault in your closet.”

Madeline nodded.

“I suggest you keep a gun loaded and close at hand.”

“I will. Thank you for your help. You’re the only one who seems to understand what I’m dealing with here. My family thinks it will all just go away if I pretend it’s not happening and the police have blinders on. I don’t want to give up my life for this maniac.”

Lizzy didn’t know what to say. Three million people were stalked every year. Too many people wanted control and thrived off of making others miserable. She knew what it was like to feel tightness in her chest every time she heard a creak or quicken her pace if a breeze caused a tree branch to sway. Only recently had she learned to relax within the safety of her own home.

Madeline rubbed her arms as if she were cold. “We need to find David and Chris before it’s too late.”

Lizzy’s heart went out to the woman. At this point, they didn’t have much to go by. But sooner or later this man, whoever he was, would start making mistakes . . . Lizzy was counting on it.

CHAPTER 33

Hayley and Kitally left Lizzy at Madeline’s house and drove directly to Roseville and the interview they’d arranged with Andrew Morales, the man footing the bill for their search for his missing brother-in-law, Owen Santos.

Andrew’s wife left a tray of hot tea and cookies on the dining room table for them before she made herself scarce.

Andrew rested his elbows on the table, hands clasped, and said, “What have you found out so far? Any leads?”

“No leads yet,” Hayley said. “In fact, your sister, Robin, doesn’t seem too eager to find her husband.”

Andrew sighed. “She’s angry, that’s all. When I first hired you all to find Owen, I had no idea my sister was so bitter.”

“Because of the other women in his life?” Kitally asked.

“Apparently,” he said. “I can’t imagine it, though.”

“Why is that?”

“He’s not exactly a ladies’ man and I never saw him leave the house much. In fact, I never understood what Robin saw in him. When I would visit, Owen was usually on his computer in the den. He’s quiet, nerdy, hardly ever says two words to anyone other than his fish.”

“His fish?” Kitally asked.

“They have a koi pond in their backyard. If he isn’t on his computer, he’s outside talking to the fish.”

“Talking to them.”

He smiled. “That’s right. Every fish in that pond of his has a name, too.”

Kitally lifted her eyebrows and nodded slowly. “All right then. Only talks to his fish.”

Andrew looked over his shoulder as if to make sure nobody was listening in on their conversation. “Anyhow, like I said, I’d have to see it with my own eyes before I could imagine him taking up with another woman.”

“But then why else would he leave?”

“I guess to start a new life. Robin showed me their bank account. He withdrew two large sums, cleaning out their savings and retirement account only a few weeks before he disappeared.”

“Are you sure he withdrew the money and not his wife?”

He nodded. “Police already checked all of that out. When the bank showed them proof that he was the one who withdrew the money, they dropped the case.”

“If Robin doesn’t want to find her husband,” Hayley said, “maybe we should back off.”

“No,” Andrew blurted, shaking his head. “I refuse to let that man off the hook. He has two daughters who need looking after. They’ll both be in college before long. I love my nieces, but I have my own kids to look after. I don’t care how angry Robin becomes; I don’t want you to stop looking for him. We need to find him. I’m going to make him pay back every cent he took out of that bank account. Most of that money belongs to Robin and the girls. He needs to come back home and be a man, face his responsibilities.”

“We need information,” Hayley said, “but your sister refuses to let us talk to her daughters.”

“I was afraid of that.” He stood. “They’re in the back room with my daughter. It’s my day to pick the kids up from school and keep them until dinner. That’s why I asked you to come today.”

Andrew walked to the back of the house and returned a few minutes later. “This is Abbi,” he said, “and this is her younger sister, Lara.”

He had the girls sit down in the chairs facing Kitally and Hayley.

Abbi, the older girl, aged sixteen, was not happy, while Lara, fourteen, couldn’t keep her eyes off Kitally’s rainbow dread. Hayley found it difficult to believe they were sisters. Abbi had straight black hair framing dark eyes and a set jaw while her sister, Lara, was all smiles and dimples beneath a wild display of curly brown hair.

After Andrew took a seat at the far end of the table, Abbi said, “What’s this about, Uncle Andrew?”

“These women work for the private investigator I told you about. They’re here to ask you a few questions, that’s all. I know your mom doesn’t like to talk about it, but we need to find your father.”

“Why?” Abbi asked.

“Because your father has responsibilities. He took your mom’s savings, the money she needs to put you girls through college. You want to go to college, don’t you?”

Abbi wanted nothing to do with any of this. Definitely her mother’s daughter.

“Don’t you miss your dad?” Kitally asked.

“No,” Abbi said, too quickly.

“I do,” Lara said. “Dad used to tuck us in at night and tell us a new knock-knock joke every day.”

Abbi glared at her sister. “Mom already told you she’d buy you a whole bunch of knock-knock joke books.”

“I miss Dad,” Lara shouted. “I don’t know why you and Mom hate him so much.”

“We don’t hate him. You don’t know what you’re talking about. He left you. He left
us
,” Abbi said. “Why don’t you get that?”

Lara hit the table with her small fist. “This is why I want Dad to come home. You and Mom haven’t been the same since he left. Nothing has been the same. You guys never smile or laugh.” Lara looked at Hayley. “We used to do things together. We all used to laugh all the time.”

While the younger girl continued on with a list of the good ol’ days, Hayley noticed a twitch in Abbi’s jaw. The girl obviously didn’t feel the same way about her father as her younger sister did. She was a cutter. Abbi wore a long-sleeved shirt and when she saw Hayley looking at the collection of crisscross scars on her wrists, she tugged the sleeves lower until her hands were covered, too.

“Let’s all calm down,” Andrew said. He looked at Hayley and Kitally. “Any more questions?”

Kitally looked at Abbi. “I was hoping you could tell us about the last time you saw your dad. What was he wearing? What was he doing?”

Abbi’s jaw clenched.

“Just answer the question,” her uncle prodded, “and then we’re done here.”

“I don’t remember,” Abbi said.

“That’s not true,” Lara cut in. “You told me that the last time you saw Dad he was feeding the fish.”

Abbi blushed. “Yes, I forgot. He was feeding the fish.” She turned angry eyes on her sister. “Why don’t you remind me what he was wearing that day, too? Did I tell you that?”

Lara’s eyes narrowed. “I hate you.”

“That makes two of us.”

Lara shoved her chair back from the table and ran off.

“Girls, girls,” their uncle said, trying to get things under control as he went after the younger sister.

For the first time since she entered the room, Abbi looked Hayley straight in the eyes and said, “Mom is not going to be happy to hear about you two coming to speak with us today.” She came to her feet. “I think we’re done.”