Page 31 of Stalked

“Never heard of it.”

“I’d be shocked if you had. It’s a tiny town north of Atlanta, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Population just over fifteen hundred.”

“What was in Ellijay?”

“Nothing whatsoever. That’s just where my money ran out.”

She stared out the window for a long time.

“Did Ellijay end up being good or bad?”

“Good. Definitely good. I needed to get some money right away, so I asked the couple who owned the small café in town if I could wash dishes or do any odd jobs just for the day, for cash.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ammons—Jim and Cheryl—said yes. I washed dishes a couple of days and didn’t really have anywhere to go.”

Steve’s teeth gritted but he didn’t say anything.

“Cheryl invited me to stay at their house, which was above the café. I slept in their son’s room. He had died in the army a long time ago.”

“And you had no notes or communication with the Watcher the whole time?”

“Nothing. I thought maybe he’d moved on or I was out of the territory he considered ‘his.’” She shrugged. “Or maybe he had followed me but once he saw I was pregnant, I no longer interested him.”

Any of those scenarios were possible.

“I definitely didn’t tell the Ammonses about him,” Rosalyn continued, shifting on the seat to get comfortable. “I didn’t want to take a chance with their lives. Plus, Jim was already pretty paranoid since their son died due to a military communication breach or something. Jim and Cheryl live completely off the grid. No cell phone, no television, no computers or internet.”

“I’m glad you had someone to help you.”

“They’re amazing. Gruff and not very talkative, and pretty old-fashioned. When I found out I was pregnant, I was afraid they might turn me out, but they didn’t even think about it.”

“Why did you leave? If the Watcher had lost track of you, why didn’t you just stay in Ellijay?”

From the corner of his eye he could see Rosalyn’s hands begin twisting in her lap. “As I was getting further and further along in my pregnancy, I began to think about the future. To worry that the Watcher was playing some sort of game. That maybe he was waiting until the baby was born and then would take me or both of us.

“I like the Ammonses a lot, but they’re older, in their seventies. They couldn’t take care of a baby. So I decided to call Lindsey. To just meet with her and see what shape her life was in.”

She glanced at him, then out the window quickly. Obviously there was more to the story.

“And?”

“And what?”

“And what are you trying to get away with not telling me?”

“Nothing. It’s not important.”

“Rosalyn, anything having to do with you and the baby is important.”

She shrugged. “I had Lindsey meet me in Pensacola because I was going to try to talk the hotel into giving me your info so I could contact you.”

“For what, money?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Steve wished he could cut off his own tongue.

Rosalyn didn’t look at him, just shifted her weight so her back was to him and she was looking completely out the window.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” He wished he could see her face.

“Yes, you did. At least part of you did. The part of you who knows me as someone who lied, stole from you, then showed up pregnant with what may or may not be your baby. The part of you who doesn’t want to be taken in again.”

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