Page 53 of A Brambleberry Summer

He had also been involved in stalking investigations and knew just how difficult the perpetrators could be to prosecute. Most laws were weak and ineffective, leaving the victim virtually powerless to stop what could be years of torture.

“This went on for months,” Jen said. “I can’t explain how emotionally draining it was to be always afraid.”

Rosa made a small sound, her features distressed. He sensed she was upset for her friend but had to wonder if there was something else behind her reaction. Why wouldn’t she tell him her secrets, like Jen was finally doing?

“I understand,” Wyatt said quietly. “I have worked these kinds of cases before. I know how tough they can be on the victims.”

“Aaron was relentless. Completely relentless. I changed my number, my email, closed down my social-media accounts, but he would find a new way to reach me. He...started making threats. Veiled at first and then more overt. When he mentioned Addie in one of his messages, I quit my teaching job and moved closer to my sister, about an hour away, but the night after I moved, my tires were slashed. Somehow he found me anyway.”

So things had taken an even uglier turn. Wyatt wasn’t surprised.

“How did you end up here?”

“Rosa happened to reach out to me out of the blue, right in the middle of everything. We hadn’t talked in a while and she was just checking up on me. Calling to wish me a happy birthday. I didn’t want to tell her, but everything just gushed out and I finally told her everything that had been going on.”

She squeezed Rosa’s arm. “I don’t know what I would have done without her. I was telling her that tonight. She invited me to come stay with her here for a while. She offered me a job and an apartment. It seemed perfect, and honestly, I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I only wish I had known earlier what was happening to you,” Rosa said, looking guilty. “I should have called you sooner.”

“Don’t ever think that. You reached out right when I was at my lowest point and offered me a chance to escape.”

Jen turned back to Wyatt. “I packed up what we had and drove as far as Boise. Maybe I watch too muchDateline, but I traded my car on the spot at a used-car lot, in case Aaron had put some kind of tracker on my vehicle, then I drove here.”

“That was smart.”

“I don’t know about that. I had a nice little late-model SUV with four-wheel drive that was great for the Utah winters. Now I’ve got a junker. It was probably the best swap the dealer ever made. But it got us here to Brambleberry House, where I have felt safe for the first time in months.”

“I am so glad,” Rosa said.

“I can’t tell you how nice it has been not to constantly look over my shoulder.”

“Do you think he’s given up?” Wyatt hated to ask but didn’t have a choice.

Her expression twisted with distress. “I want to think so. I hope so. But I don’t know. I don’t know how to find out without possibly revealing my new location.”

“He was obsessed,” Rosa said, placing a protective arm around her friend. “Jenna is only telling you a small portion of the things this man has done to her.”

Wyatt hoped the man had given up, though he worried that by fleeing, she had only stoked his unhealthy obsession.

Moving several states away might not be enough to escape a determined stalker, especially not one with law-enforcement experience.

“Thank you for telling me this. I know it wasn’t easy, but you’ve done the right thing. I’ll do what I can to help you. You said his name is Aaron Barker?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you have a picture or description?”

“Yes. I can email you a picture and also link you to his social media.”

“Texting me is better. He might have hacked into your email.”

“He’s done that before but I changed my account and password.”

That might not be the deterrent she hoped. Someone determined enough could find ways around just about anything.

“Once you get me a picture of him and a description, I’ll pass it around to other officers in the local PD and sheriff’s department so we can be on the lookout. You’re in Cannon Beach now and we take care of our own.”

“Thank you.” Jen looked overwhelmed to have someone else on her side. He understood. Victims of stalking could feel so isolated and alone, certain no one else would understand or even believe them and that their ordeal would never end.

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