Page 21 of Freeing Ruby

“I drink it black, thanks.” He watches me for a moment. “You’re awfully quiet this morning. Is everything okay?”

I nod as I take a sip of my coffee. I can still feel his gaze on me. “Nothing happened last night.”

He nods as he takes another bite of food. After he swallows, he says, “Is that a good thing or bad?”

“I’m just wondering what you’re thinking.”

“About what?”

“The stalker. I’m afraid you’ll think I made it up.”

He sets his coffee mug down. “No, I don’t think you made it up. I really don’t have an opinion yet.”

I realize I have nothing to show for my claims, not one shred of evidence. In hindsight, I wish I’d kept the notes, but at the time they creeped me out and I just wanted to get rid of them. As for the dead animals, I could have showed the roadkill to Darren before I had him throw them away. Then I’d have a witness. I’ve been so stupid. I missed so many opportunities to gather evidence. And now when I have someone here, someone willing to believe me, I have nothing to show him.

“Ruby?”

Startled, I glance at Miguel. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked you, what’s wrong?”

“I just realized that I should have kept the notes and taken pictures of the roadkill. Then I’d have proof. Or, I could have shown it to Darren. Then I’d have a witness. But instead I have nothing.”

“Hey, it’s okay. People generally don’t think about things like that when they’re scared. Don’t worry. We’ll get the evidence.”

I wish I was as optimistic as he is.

After breakfast, Miguel demonstrates how to arm and disarm the new security system. The security code is my birthday, which makes it easy.

“The alarm is tied in to a twenty-four-seven call center at McIntyre Security. If it goes off, they’ll call you to ask if everything’s okay. Honestly, most alarm events are simply accidents. Just give them your code word—pumpkin—and they’ll cancel the alarm. If you don’t answer their call, or if you don’t give them the correct code word, they’ll summon the police immediately. If you’re under duress—if there’s someone in here with you—give the call center an incorrect code word. That will tip them off that you need help.”

He makes me practice arming and disarming the system a few times. Then he installs an app on my phone and shows me how to use it to control the system remotely—like from my bedroom.

“Will you be all right on your own for a little while?” he asks. “I’d like to go talk to your building manager about putting cameras in the hallway.”

“Sure, I’ll be fine. I need to get to work anyway.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Either in the office or in the maintenance room. Both are on the ground floor.”

I nod. “I won’t be gone long,” he says, and then he lets himself out the door.

I lock up after him and head to my studio.

Chapter 9

Miguel

The apartment manager’s office, which is located across the lobby from the mailroom, is locked. There’s a “BE BACK SOON” sign hanging on the door. So I go in search of the maintenance room, which is just around the corner on the ground floor. That door is wide open, and I hear a loud banging sound coming from inside the room.

I knock on the door frame and walk inside to find a man dressed in a pair of dirty overalls standing at a workbench, hammering a piece of metal. He’s lanky, with thinning brown hair and brown eyes. “Are you Rick?”

The man stops hammering and glances up. “Yeah.” He looks me over and narrows his eyes. “Who’s asking?”

Wow, great social skills with this one. “The name’s Miguel Rodriguez. I’m a friend of Ruby Foster up in apartment 2B. She’s been having some issues lately, and I was hoping I could put some surveillance cameras in the hallway outside her door.”

“What kind of issues?”

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