Page 34 of Royal Hacker

From: B. Waterville

To: Patty Beckett

Subject: Things will get back to how they were

Patty,

I can’t stop thinking about you and how beautiful you are and how beautiful your body is. Over the years, you have become the most beautiful princess. I can’t wait until you are queen and I’m standing by your side. I know other people who read this may find it “creepy,” but you will know the difference.

Yours forever,

Waterville

A few more emails were the same, but they were becoming more demanding, and the stalker was starting to become more aggressive in his emails around the time Patty came to my club.

From: B. Waterville

To: Patty Beckett

Subject: My long-lost love

Patty,

You could have been with me, but you chose another over me. I saw you last week going to a sex club. My perfect Patty shouldn’t have been going to places like that. You are too angelic to be having sex of that nature with strange men. You are very special to me, and what you did has brought misery into my life. I’ve been waiting and waiting for you, and you never come or answer my emails. I love you and want you to be a part of my life. If you don’t change your behavior, I’m going to have to step in and not wait for you to come to me, my love.

Yours forever,

Waterville

I needed to find a pattern in the emails that would help me figure out what his tactic was. Patty’s emails were the only ones that became more personal. The emails to the other women hadn’t seemed to have as much emotion in them.

From: B. Waterville

To: Patty Beckett

Subject: You will be mine again

Patty,

I’m sorry, my beautiful queen. I had to expose your identity. You weren’t listening to me. I told you to leave Sam, and you haven’t done whatyou weretold. You have one week to leave that woman-beating asshole before I expose his business to the media. I will also be coming for you in one week. I almost have your room ready, and we will be together forever.

Yours,

Waterville

There was something about the emails we were missing, something that would help us. I took out a pen and started looking for words that would pop out. The emails were the key to figuring out the stalker’s identity.

Right when I was about to give up, it came to me. We kept analyzing the actual email when what we needed was to look at the subject line. I ran through all the emails again, and it was confirmed. He kept using a particular turn of phrase. I noticed he knew too much about her past. He kept talking about watching her for years. I stood up with the emails and headed toward Neal. “This has to be a fucking clue. Goddammit, if it’s not, I will lose my shit.”

“Let me see.” Neal grabbed the paper from my hands and looked at all the references to her past and how he has watched her for years. He turned back to the computer and continued to watch the video from the deli.

Finally, Neal replied, “It goes with what I have been looking into. This guy at the deli that made Patty’s hot cocoa slipped something in it. The first pass, I missed it. The man looked familiar. I’ve been trying to place him. I can’t seem to figure out where I recognize him from. I’m working on facial recognition. Just give me a few hours. I will find out who he is. I know he’s the key.”

I knew Neal was doing everything he could, but a few hours was not going to cut it. I needed her back immediately. I wanted her in my arms.

Patty had been missing for eight hours when Neal finally stood up from the monitors. “Fuck!” he grunted.

Everyone stood at attention and walked over to his position. The image that was pulled up was an overweight guy in his early thirties. He looked like a typical IT guy. His hair was greasy, and he had Coke-bottle glasses. His face was covered with pimples.

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