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“It’s my cousin, Lisa,” he said. “The guy who was stalking her in Meridian has found her here.”

Three
    â€œOh, no,” Wanda Nell said. “How did he find her?”
    â€œSomebody at the hospital where she used to work.” Jack’s face was set in grim lines. “When Lisa started getting phone calls again, she said she called around at the hospital in Meridian and found out a cop had been asking questions about her. She figures somebody told him she’d moved to Tullahoma.”
    â€œDidn’t she tell them that the guy stalking her is a cop?”
    Jack shrugged. “She only told a couple of people at the hospital where she was moving. One of them must have slipped up somehow.”
    â€œCome on and sit down,” Wanda Nell said, leading Jack to the counter. The few tables in the open part of the restaurant were occupied. “Let me get you some ice tea.”
    â€œI could use a stiff shot of bourbon,” Jack said as he followed Wanda Nell and sat down. “I’m so angry about all this.”
    â€œActually, I can get you some if you really want it,” Wanda Nell said. She could raid the liquor stash set aside for the party.
    Jack shook his head, smiling briefly. “No, really, tea is fine. I was just talking.”
    â€œWhat’s Lisa going to do?” Wanda Nell said as she poured tea into an ice-filled glass. She set it in front of Jack. “Is she going to move again?”
    â€œNo,” Jack said after a sip of his tea. “At least, not for a while, anyway. She doesn’t want to run anymore. At this rate, she’d have to move to the other side of the country to get away from this jerk, and she doesn’t want to do that.”
    â€œI don’t blame her,” Wanda Nell said. “She should be able to live where she wants to and not have to worry about some piece of slime like that.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what’s worse, a guy like that stalking a poor girl, or marrying her and killing her for the insurance.”
    â€œWhat on earth are you talking about?” Jack stared at her.
    Wanda Nell could have kicked herself. She couldn’t believe she’d let that slip out. She glanced around. No one was sitting close to Jack. She leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. “It’s this guy they’re having the bachelor party for. Mayrene told me he was married twice before, and both his wives died in accidents.” She snorted. “Except nobody really thinks they were accidents.”
    â€œAnd this guy is a cop?” Jack asked.
    â€œYeah,” Wanda Nell said. “Can you believe it?”
    â€œI would have said it was hard to believe, before I heard about what Lisa was going through because of a cop. But now I’m willing to believe just about anything.” Jack’s right hand tightened around his tea glass.
    â€œWhen did this happen?”
    â€œJust an hour ago,” Jack said. “I’ve been with Lisa, trying to calm her down, since not long after I called you to make sure you were up.”
    â€œWhere is she now?”
    â€œAt my house,” Jack said. “She’ll be okay there for now, but it probably won’t take the guy long to find her. I don’t know what we’re going to do. I think she should call the police, but right now there’s just no talking to her. Maybe when she calms down she’ll be more willing to listen to me.”
    Wanda Nell placed a hand over his fist. “I know it’s rough on you, honey, because you’re trying to help her. You’ve just got to be patient with her. I think what we need to do right now is get Lisa to a safe place, somewhere this guy wouldn’t think of looking for her. That will make her feel better.”
    â€œBut where?” Jack asked. “Out of town somewhere? She has to work.”
    â€œI know,” Wanda Nell said. She surveyed the room again.