rules you’ll need to follow. Then be prepared, it’ll get
worse, maybe a lot worse. But if we’re ready, we’ll catch him and
get him out of your life.”
Stella spoke up for the first time, “What
does she need to do?”
Shawn cast a quick glance to Stella and
returned to Morgan. “Are you hiring me?”
Morgan glanced at Stella.
“You should. This is getting out of control,”
Stella urged.
She looked at Shawn. He waited for her
response, and a little flicker of irritation rippled through her.
She glanced down and fingered the green tourmaline ring on her
right finger. “Too fast,” the voice in her head warned. Her first
instinct was to resist. Think things through, have a plan. She
didn’t have to do this. “No thank you” was an option. But since the
phone calls this morning, she’d been dancing to her stalker’s tune.
When he made his next move, then what? She pressed her lips
together and took a deep breath. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
Shawn nodded. “Okay. I’ll have a contract
sent over to the store for your review and approval. We’ll need
your signature tomorrow.”
Morgan stared at her new bodyguard and tamped
down her immediate reflex to stand up and say she’d changed her
mind. His no-nonsense attitude reassured and irritated her at the
same time.
“What does Morgan need to do?” Stella asked
again.
Shawn leaned forward in his chair. “Okay,
first, no contact. Let your phone calls go to voicemail so they can
be screened. We don’t want to encourage him by letting him talk to
you. Next, vary your routine. Mix things up and he’ll be thrown off
balance. Then we gain the advantage. Last, you’ll amp up the
security. I’m assuming the jewelry store has an excellent system,
but what about here?”
“I have an alarm and a monitoring service.”
Morgan replied.
“Deadbolts on the doors?”
“Yes.”
Shawn rose from his chair. “Good. Let’s take
a quick walk through. I want to make sure everything is locked and
all’s clear.”
Morgan stood up. “Where do you want to
start?”
“Let’s start with the garage and the
entrance,” Shawn said.
Morgan paused. Should she lead the way or
would he? She waited for him to make the first move for a few
seconds, then she cracked a nervous smile. “Follow me.”
For the next twenty minutes, the trio went
from room to room as Shawn checked locks and possible hiding
places. Once the inspection was completed, they returned to the
living room.
“I want Matt, my partner, to come and check
the outside and evaluate how we can make things more secure.
Tonight, one of our security cars will patrol your house several
times. What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“I have to tape a television interview at
KDEZ at eleven a.m.”
“Okay, I’ll pick you up at nine. From now on,
when you are out in public, someone from Sonoran Security will be
with you.”
“Morgan, do you want me to stay with you
tonight?” Stella asked.
Morgan smiled at her friend, thankful for her
moral support. “No, I’ll be okay.”
Stella looked over at Shawn.
“You and Morgan can decide. With the house
locked up and the security car outside Morgan won’t be in any
danger,” he said.
“Stella, you don’t have to stay.”
Stella paused. “Are you sure? I have to be at
a home inspection in Chandler at eight a.m., but I can
reschedule.”
“No, don’t cancel. Go home and get a good
night’s sleep.”
“All right, but if something happens or you
change your mind, call me.”
“Right after him,” Morgan replied nodding in
Shawn’s direction.
Stella picked up her purse and stood up to
leave. “Shawn thanks for coming over. Tell Matt I said, hi.”
Shawn flashed a relaxed smile at Stella,
“Will do.”
Morgan noted his blue eyes twinkled as he
smiled. She wondered if there was some unspoken conversation going
on between the two of them. They’d worked together for a while last
year and shortly after, Stella broke up with her boyfriend.
“I
Heidi Hunter, Bad Boy Team