Page 38 of Behind the Scenes

They could handle a couple blocks in chilly New York City.

Chapter Twelve

“Hey, Hunter, canwe talk?” Paul asked as he approached him in the kitchen. He’d only wanted to grab a drink, but it looked like he’d have to deal with questions about Alexis too. Of all the hassles on this assignment, not being able to escape the people who lived in this penthouse apartment was quickly becoming the worst.

He was starting to understand why Alexis wanted to get away.

Opening the refrigerator, he stuck his head in to look at his choices. “Sure. Give me a sec, okay?”

Paul mumbled something as Hunter stood staring at the containers on the shelves. Milk, orange juice, filtered water, tea bags, and coffee. None of them thrilled him, so he grabbed the pitcher of water and poured himself a glass. He knew Paul stood anxiously waiting to begin his spiel about how Alexis needed to be more careful and how he worried about her, but he intentionally made him wait, preferring to put off the conversation until he couldn’t anymore.

The reality was that Paul wouldn’t be telling him anything he hadn’t already thought himself. He just had a different tactic to make her take more care with her security than Paul. He preferred a less confrontational approach, one that didn’t include blowing up every time something happened that he didn’t like.

Two glasses of water later, he turned toward her manager and smiled. “Ever get so thirsty that you could drink a gallon of something? I swear it’s like I’m dehydrated. I wasn’t even in the mood for water, and here I’ve downed two glasses of it and could do two more.”

Preoccupied with the topic he wanted to discuss with him, Paul shook his head. “No, not really.”

Hunter set his empty glass in the sink and turned around to lean against the counter. Folding his arms across his chest, he decided he’d tortured Paul for long enough. Five minutes of having to stand there and wait hadn’t calmed him down any, but it had amused Hunter a little.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Paul?”

His mouth dropped open and his eyes grew big, like he couldn’t believe Hunter didn’t know what he wanted to discuss. “Lexi, of course. Something has to be done about her. I can’t go through another day like today.”

“I agree. We definitely don’t need another day like today.”

Even agreeing with Paul didn’t seem to make him happy, though. He shook his head back and forth like some kind of crazy blond bobblehead doll and flailed his hands around in front of him.

“Well, I’m glad we’re in agreement on that, but what are we going to do about it? She can’t just go running off to Atlantic City whenever she damn well feels like it!”

Hunter took a deep breath and nodded. He didn’t necessarily agree with Paul’s exact statement, but he agreed with the sentiment. He had a feeling how they’d ensure what happened that morning didn’t happen again is where they differed.

“I’ve got it under control. Trust me. I don’t believe she’s going to be sneaking off with Lauren again.”

That promise didn’t serve to lessen Paul’s exasperation. If anything, it only made it worse. But Hunter wasn’t just bragging. He trusted that if Alexis wanted to leave the house again, she’d let him know. He didn’t know if that trust was misplaced or not, but he had a feeling he’d find out soon.

Either way, his style didn’t include emotional outbursts and threats he couldn’t or wouldn’t back up. Unfortunately, that seemed to be all of what Paul had to offer. Hunter may not have known Alexis well at all, but he understood human nature and treating her like some misbehaving child wouldn’t get them anywhere.

“What do you mean you’ve got it under control? You don’t even know her. Trust me. This isn’t the first time she’s done something like this, and it won’t be the last. One of these days she’s going to make some damn foolish decision and pay the ultimate price for it.”

Hunter patted him on the shoulder, hoping to get him to calm down. “Relax. It’s all under control. I swear you have nothing to worry about. Now about this stalker. She got another letter today after she left. Alexis doesn’t know about it yet, but I want you to take a look at it and tell me what you think?”

His announcement that another letter had come completely shifted Paul’s focus from Alexis’s poor choices that morning, so now he sagged against the counter next to Hunter. His excited expression drooped along with his body, giving him a defeated look.

“Another one? I had really hoped they’d stop once she moved here. I guess I’m lucky Persephone could send you when she did. Between Alexis and this madman, I’m going to be grey by the end of the month.”

Hunter pulled the letter out of his back pocket and laid it on the counter in front of them. “Take a look and tell me if anything jumps into your mind about this.”

Leaning over, Paul studied the letter for a minute as Hunter re-read it for the fifth time that day.

I HOPE YOU’RE LOVING NEW YORK AS MUCH AS I AM. I LIKE LA BETTER, THOUGH. WHEN ARE WE GOING BACK THERE, ALEXIS? SEE YOU SOON.

He let out an audible sigh and shook his head. “What is with this guy? Now he’s sending her letters about the weather?”

Hunter tapped on the note to get Paul to focus on what the stalker had told them through his words. “Look, I think we have to consider the idea that the stalker was in LA when he started and now is here in New York. I wasn’t sure at first with the snow globe, but I think this shows us he’s travelled with her.”

Paul stood up and stared at Hunter with wide eyes. Whispering, he asked, “Are you saying he’s someone on her staff here?”

“I don’t know. Was each one of them thoroughly checked out before they were hired?”

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