Page 41 of Shadowing Her Stalker

“Ms., uh, Investigator Gleason, I’m here with Special Agent Wyatt Dawson of the Arkansas State Police. Do you mind if we put you on speaker?”

There was a moment of hesitation on the other end, then a curt response. “Sure.”

Cara pressed the speaker button, then nodded at Wyatt. “Investigator Gleason, this is Agent Dawson. I work with Agent Parker and am currently with Ms. Beckett. What can you tell us about these reports of a fire at her property?”

“Are you currently in police custody, Ms. Beckett?” Investigator Gleason asked. “Isn’t it the middle of the night in, uh, Arkansas?”

“It is, but I am not,” Cara answered, stiffening at the implication. “Agents Dawson and Parker are working on a case in which I was the victim.”

“I see,” the other woman answered in a cautious tone.

“Ms. Beckett has been the target of several credible threats to her safety,” Wyatt informed her. “One of those threats turned into a reality when she landed in Little Rock. I am here with her now as both an investigative and protective partner.” He caught her eye and held her gaze. “Tell me, what does ACTS stand for?”

“Arson Counter-Terrorism Section,” she replied crisply.

“I see,” he replied.

Cara only whispered, “Arson.”

“You believe someone set the fire intentionally,” Wyatt prodded.

“I’m afraid so. I’m happy to hear you were not in the structure at the time, Ms. Beckett. Can you confirm whether anyone else should have been on the premises in your absence? House or pet sitter? Guests?”

“No. No one.”

Cara pressed her fingertips to her chin to keep it from trembling. She loved her house. It was the one extravagant purchase she’d made since the app took off, and she’d spent countless hours making it her sanctuary. Now, because some jerk hacker decided to post her address for all the trolls to see, someone had violated her sanctuary. Again.

“How bad is the damage?”

“Looks worse than it is,” the woman on the other end assured her. “You’ll need to contact your insurance company and get someone out there to start restoration. It may take a while, but in my estimation, the house should be habitable again.”

“I’m assuming you found evidence the fire was set intentionally?” Wyatt asked.

“We didn’t have to look very hard. They left gas cans in the yard. And before you ask, no, we weren’t able to get any physical evidence from them. I’m assuming our firebug wore gloves.”

“I see.” At a loss for how to proceed from here, Cara sought Wyatt’s steady reassurance again.

He nodded to her cell phone. “We’ll ask Ms. Beckett’s assistant to help with the insurance and getting the place secured. Has Agent Parker shared any information with you on the case we’re working here?”

“Only to route all attempts to contact Ms. Beckett through your office for the time being.”

“Thank you. I do have some information I can share. I think it may be helpful to you. If you would send me your email address, I will send you a link to the files. I warn you, it’ll be encrypted and will ask for about everything but your blood type and the guarantee of your firstborn son.”

He said the last in a lighter tone, but Cara couldn’t even muster the weakest smile.

The other woman chuckled. “My son is acting every minute of his fifteen years these days, so if you want him, you are welcome to him.” She paused to take a breath. “I’m curious to see what you have in your file, Agent Dawson. As long as it doesn’t have one of those ‘click on pictures of bridges’ things,” she added. “And Ms. Beckett?”

“Yes?” Cara responded in a reedy voice.

“I’m very good at catching firebugs,” Shanna Gleason assured her.

Cara straightened her spine and inhaled through her nose as if taking in the other woman’s confidence. “I’m sure you are. Thank you,” she added, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

She ended the call but didn’t relinquish the phone.

Wyatt looked down at her and sighed, his expression troubled. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you until I knew more.”

“No.” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Don’t shut me out. What I don’t knowcanhurt me, Wyatt. It can hurt me badly. I don’t want you withholding information from me.”

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