Page 39 of Bound to the Bodyguard

Jerome

The other detective cleared his throat, eyeing me. “If you don’t mind, sir, I have a few questions for you as well.”

My jaw tightened, hands curling into fists at my sides. “Can’t this wait? She needs to rest.”

“This will only take a few minutes.” The detective’s tone brooked no argument. “We found some inconsistencies in your original statement, too.”

My eyes narrowed. “Such as?”

“You claimed by the time you arrived, the assailants were gone. Do you have an alibi for where you were before you arrived?”

“I was at the police station, actually. Good enough alibi for ya?”I bit out. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see to Raven. You can show yourself out.”

The detective bristled, but seemed to think better of pursuing the line of questioning.

“Ms. Fields, we will be getting copies of all the recording, but if you could bring any of the notes down to the station, that will help the investigation as well.”

“I’ll go grab them. They are all in a box downstairs.”

One of the detectives followed me. I wasn’t new to this. Everything about the way they looked at me meant I was a suspect. How could they possibly think I was capable of hurting her? Once they verify my alibi, all would be well.

Can’t let this psycho get any closer.

After handing him the box, they were still asking her questions.

“Ms. Fields, I need you to walk me through everything. Any detail could be pivotal, no matter how small.”

Raven’s eyes, a striking contrast against her porcelain skin, met mine with an intensity that belied her composed exterior. “It started with letters. Then calls at any hour, saying things...knowing things about me that no one should know.”

“Has anyone close to you been acting differently lately? Any unusual encounters?”

“Everyone seems to be on edge, but that could just be because of the situation. My life is an open book to the public; I don’t know where to start.”

“That’s what I’m here for. We’ll find this person.”

The detectives finally left, and I sat next to Raven. “You must be exhausted.”

“My nerves are shot.”

“Well, I have two of my ex-military buddies coming over to stay downstairs tonight. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

My military buddies were all about helping and since they had access, we listened to some of the recording pulled. I donned the headset, hitting the play button. The voice that slithered through the speakers was distorted, a deliberate rasp designed to cloak its true timbre. I listened intently, closing my eyes as if shutting out the world would amplify any hidden truth in those taunting words.

Nothing is random. One of the phrases that was repeated in the recordings. Patterns often emerged from chaos, and it was my job to discern them. There was a cadence to the stalker’s speech, a particular pause before he mentioned Raven’s name—a reverence, almost.

Obsession, but to what end? Most of her inner circle would jump in front of a bus for Raven. Loyal to a fault... which leaves us with what? An outsider? Or someone playing a long game?

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. A mountain of data, yet the peak was still shrouded in fog. But somewhere within this avalanche of information lay the key to unmasking Raven’s tormentor.

Think. Patterns, behaviors, access… maybe, it’s someone who’s been hiding in plain sight, someone who’s jealousy has been simmering undetected beneath layers of admiration.

My eyes narrowed as I reached for another file. If the stalker was part of Raven’s world, they had just made their first mistake. And I didn’t plan on letting them make another.

“Three cases. Same MO. And look at this...” I pointed at the screen, “Each victim had a sudden rise to fame or came into a significant fortune right before the incidents began.”

“Someone’s targeting stars on the rise.”

“Or creating their own twisted constellation,” I added darkly. “They’re selecting their targets, watching them ascend, then deriving pleasure from instilling terror just when they’re at their brightest.”

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