Page 11 of Rebels and Roses

Did I? No wonder they came easily to me this morning.

“Then take them to heart. Not everybody is involved in a super-secret plot to infiltrate your life and uncover the skeletons in your closet.”

Frankly, you’re not that fascinating.

Cooper had called Finn this morning, making sure that he had time to meet with them. He’d filled in the lawman with the barebones details, but he was sure that there would be more questions for Tom.

Finn waved them into his office at the back of the building, closing the doors behind them after inquiring whether they wanted water, coffee, or perhaps a cold soda. Tom had opened his mouth to put in a refreshment order, but then snapped it shut when Cooper gave him a warning look.

They weren’t here for beverages and a cookie. This was business. Besides, Tom had been sucking up coffee since before sunup. Cooper would have been flying on the amount of caffeine the younger man had ingested in the last three hours.

Finn prompted Tom to tell his story, encouraging as much detail as possible. He and Cooper didn’t speak until the younger man was finished. Tom’s gaze darted from Cooper to Finn and then back again, waiting for their response.

“So? What do you think? I’m not crazy. I’m really being followed.”

“I don’t think you’re crazy,” Finn said, steepling his fingers together as he sat across the desk from them.

Really? Because I’m not so sure.

Cooper, however, didn’t express those thoughts out loud.

“Let me ask you a few questions,” Finn went on. “Do you feel as if you’ve been followed or watched since you came to Winslow Heights? Or on the way here? In the airport? On the plane?”

“No,” Tom said with a shake of his head. “Thankfully, no. I actually feel pretty safe here. I don’t think they know I’m here. At least not yet.”

“They?” Finn asked. “You think it’s multiple people?”

“Well…I don’t know for sure,” Tom stammered, his cheeks pink. “I mean…it has to be, right? One person can’t be everywhere all at once. There would need to be at least two people doing this. Maybe more.”

“Okay, I have questions, but I’m going to cut to the chase,” Finn said. “I can ask you all sorts of details, but I only met youtoday. You know yourself and your life far better than Cooper or I ever could. Who do you think is doing this?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Tom replied. “I wish I did. I don’t think I’ve pissed off anybody that I know of. I can’t imagine who might do this.”

Christ on a whole-wheat cracker.

“What about the girlfriend you’re cheating on?” Cooper queried. “You don’t think she might be pissed off?”

“She doesn’t even know that I’m seeing anyone else.”

Finn cleared his throat and looked studiously down at the notes he’d been taking while Tom had been telling his story.

“What you mean to say is that she hasn’t told you that she knows,” Cooper corrected. “If she knows, she might tell you or she might not. Or maybe she suspects, and she wants to make sure. You can’t say for certain say that she doesn’t know. I don’t know how they do it, but women often know. They know somehow, and you don’t have to tell them shit.”

If Cooper had a nickel for every time he’d seen some asshole get caught cheating all the while thinking they were completely under the radar…

“Erica would never do that to me,” Tom denied. “She loves me.”

Finn was rubbing at his temple where Cooper was sure a nasty headache was blooming.

“Let me see if I have this straight,” Finn said. “You think you’re being followed and watched. You are also cheating on your girlfriend at the same time. Do I have this right? Son, I think you might need to open your eyes to a few more possibilities. I’m not saying that she’s having you followed, but this might warrant you finding out for sure.”

“Have you told her you think you’re being followed?” Cooper asked. “What does she say?”

“She says that I’m imagining things. Even after my apartment was broken into. She said that it didn’t prove anything.” Tom leaned forward in his chair. “I can’t just ask her if she’s having me followed. What kind of question is that?”

“It might throw her off balance if she’s the one doing it,” Finn replied. “She won’t expect you to question her, and she just might admit it. If she’s the one, of course. I’m not saying that she is. I’m just saying that it’s a possibility that you should look into.”

“I don’t think I can do that.”

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