Page 75 of Beckett
“When she left, she didn’t come straight back to Pawsitive,” I explained. “She wanted to make sure no one was following her. I’ll get the info about exactly where she went, but she said it was for a few hours. Maybe we can get something from those places.”
“Tracking her by how she got paid or where she stayed at a motel requires pretty sophisticated computer knowledge. It’s not simple,” Aiden said, ignoring the huff Travis let out—everythingwas simple to Travis when it came to computers. “This isn’t some random obsessed ex-boyfriend.”
“No, it’s someone with a specific grudge,” Hunter said. “Someone who thinks Audra wronged them badly enough to justify over a year of systematic torture.”
“But she said she couldn’t think of anyone she’d hurt,” Coop pointed out.
“Doesn’t mean she didn’t,” Aiden said pragmatically. “Could be something she’s not even aware of. Something from her past she doesn’t even remember as significant.”
I nodded. “The timing of when the stalking started… There has to be a trigger. Something that happened around that time that got this stalker ramped up.”
“I’ll look into that too,” Travis said, fingers still moving nonstop on his keyboard as he talked. “See what I can find.”
“What about the physical evidence?” I didn’t want to even think about this, but it could be a key factor. “The brand on her neck—that took time, planning. He had to subdue her, have the tools ready.”
“Suggests someone with medical knowledge or experience with torture,” Aiden said clinically. “The precision she described, making sure it scarred but didn’t cause life-threatening damage—that’s controlled violence.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. We all recognized controlled violence. We’d all been trained in it.
“Military?” Coop suggested.
“Could be,” Hunter said. “Or someone who has spent time in prison. Branding happens there for various reasons.”
“I don’t want to rain on any parades,” Travis joined in. “But it could just be someone with enough rage to research how to hurt someone in a way that the police might think she did to herself.”
That led to silence for a while.
“The friend who got mugged,” I said, remembering that detail. “Was obviously the same guy. He’s not just hurting Audra—he’s hurting anyone who gets close to her.”
“Isolation tactic,” Aiden said. “Make her toxic to be around. Make her believe she’s putting others in danger just by existing near them.”
My fists clenched. “It worked. She was leaving tonight to protect everyone here.”
“But she didn’t,” Hunter pointed out. “She stayed. That means she trusts you.”
“I’m going to fucking well make sure that trust isn’t broken.”
Everyone gave murmurs of agreement.
“Lachlan needs to know,” Hunter said. “He’s the sheriff, and he’s going to want to be involved.”
“Sheriff status aside, he’s also my best friend,” I added. “He’ll help without making it official if we need him to.”
“Good. We’ll need local law enforcement cooperation without the bureaucracy.” Hunter’s expression was granite. “Travis, I want everything you can find on this stalker. Digital footprints, patterns, anything that might tell us who we’re hunting.”
“Already on it,” Travis said. “I’ve got seventeen different searches running. Credit card fraud connected to her social, any police reports with theeye for an eyephrase, emergency room admissions in the cities she mentioned?—”
“Emergency room?” I interrupted.
“She said he slammed her face into concrete. That would have needed medical attention, even if she didn’t go herself. He might have needed it too if she fought back.”
I hadn’t even thought of that angle. This was why I needed my team.
“I’ll check the grocery store at first light,” Aiden said. “Look for physical evidence, talk to employees, see if anyone noticed anything unusual.”
“I’ll go with you,” Coop added.
“My question is…why let her keep running?” Hunter asked. “Why not take her or kill her outright?”
