Page 80 of Tell Me (Savannah 3)

No one. You were the target, Nikki. You and Reed both know it.

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He answered his own question. “No one. This message was for you, Nikki.”

She couldn’t deny the obvious. She was making someone very nervous, and in a sense that was a good thing. It meant she was getting close to something, she just didn’t know what.

Yet.

Fortunately, Reed had arrived at the cabin in record time, beating the animal control folks, who had captured the snake, and two other officers, who had helped him do a quick search of the house and grounds. She’d told him about the other copperhead she’d seen inside, one she was almost certain was smaller, and the feral cat, along with what she saw as a “dark figure” in her rearview mirror, but on first sweep, in the darkness, the officers had found nothing. No second snake. No cat. No human lurking in the shadows.

However, Reed had taken the warning seriously, not even allowing her to drive back to Savannah. Her SUV was being taken to the police garage, where it would be dusted for fingerprints and examined for any other evidence, including the set of keys she’d taken from Uncle Alex’s den. Those, she thought, could be hard to explain.

Then, of course, she would have to have the damage to the car assessed, and she hoped it was still functional, as she planned to drive north to meet with Lawrence Thompson as soon as possible.

She’d already texted Trina and begged out of their meeting tonight.

“Really sorry,” she’d texted after sending a quick message about what had happened. Of course, the text had prompted a call in which she’d explained in further detail about the snake, cabin, car, and rescue.

“This is getting dangerous,” Trina had said.

“Yeah.”

“You’ve put new meaning into ‘stirring up a viper’s nest.’ Well, just be careful, and I’ll take a rain check on the drink. You’re not getting out of it.”

Now, as they reached the outskirts of Savannah, the rain had stopped, the sky clearing, a slice of moon visible over the city skyline.

“Maybe this time was just a warning, but who knows if this yahoo won’t escalate? This is personal, Nikki,” Reed said. “Morrisette and I are investigating too. That’s no secret, but whoever this is came after you.”

Cradling her cup, she took a long sip and felt the coffee warm her from the inside out. “I know.”

They drove in silence for a few minutes. Then Reed said, “I took the camera you found on the fence into the lab.”

“And?” she prompted, not liking the tone of his voice.

“And you were right. Looks like someone’s been spying on your apartment.” He explained about the second lens in the tree and how they were trying to find out who had purchased it. He’d spent the day on the case. After interviewing Roland Camp and his most recent girlfriend, he and Morrisette had returned to the station. He’d been on his way to her house with a couple of electronic specialists from the department when he’d gotten her panicked call about the snake.

“That is so sick.” Nikki’s blood ran cold all over again at the thought of someone watching her in her private life. She saw herself doing the most mundane of chores, sitting cross-legged on her bed watching television, working at her desk, playing with her animals, and cooking. What about when she used the bathroom, took a shower, or was trying on sexy lingerie in front of the mirror? And all her phone calls, or just her stupid mutterings to her animals. Could he hear her, listen in? The skin on the back of her arms actually pimpled at the thought. She was beginning to feel completely and utterly violated. “What pervert is doing this?” she wondered aloud.

And if they had been taped, how long before images might be leaked to the Internet? Lost in thought, she chewed the rim of her coffee cup. She pictured herself singing off-key in the shower, flashing her breasts as she warbled into a bar of soap, and mentally groaned. “This could be bad,” she whispered, her stomach clenching.

“Trust me,” he said, sliding her a quietly determined glance, “we’re going to find this freak and shut him down.”

“Do that.”

Slowing, Reed guided his car through the city streets, and as they passed Forsyth Park, she looked at the tiered fountain, now lit strategically, sprays of water illuminated in the night. The oak trees stood guard, Spanish moss dancing ghostlike in the breeze.

No one was loitering in the park right now, but she couldn’t help but think of the man she’d seen observing her on her run, the dark figure. Not necessarily a man, Nikki. You didn’t get a good enough look at the figure, did you? You just took off running.

“You know,” she admitted now, “I’ve had this strange feeling that I’m being followed.”

“What? When?” He cranked the Caddy’s wheel as he turned into the alley that ran past the side of her house.

“That’s just the thing. It happened before I even knew Niall was going to change his testimony.” As he parked the car, she explained about the stranger in the park, then mentioned the black BMW that had nearly run her over in the crosswalk.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” He snapped his keys from the ignition.

“Because I didn’t want to worry you.”

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