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Authors: Victoria Houston
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reach her secretary and have the meeting moved to late that afternoon. “Dr. Osborne, Ray—do you two mind sitting in on this?”
“Fine with me,” said Osborne.
“Umm … okay,” said Ray, looking down at his cell phone to see if he had messages. “I might get called out though.”
“This shouldn’t take long,” said Lew. Turning her attention back to Patience and Charles, she said, “Mr. Pradt and Dr. Osborne are deputies who help out when my department needs extra staff. They are long-time Loon Lake residents and know many people in the area. All kinds of people.” A quick grin along with her emphasis on the word “kinds” made it clear that the good, the bad and the ugly were on their radar.
Turning in her chair to face Osborne and Ray, Patience said, “Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate you’re taking an interest in this.”
“Now let’s start at the beginning,” said Lew, raising a pen over the long, narrow reporter’s notebook she liked to use. “When did you first become aware that you were being stalked?”
Patience gave her husband a questioning look. “Oh … about a month ago or so. Charles, would you agree?”
“That’s about when you told me for the first time that you had the feeling someone was watching you,” said Charles.
“Let’s pinpoint this. When was that exactly?” asked Lew.
“Oh, maybe three weeks ago or so.”
“But no specific day and time?”
“Not really.”
Lew tilted her head to give Patience a puzzled look. “All right, Dr. Schumacher. Do you recall where you were when you became aware you were being stalked?”
“Well,” said Patience, “that’s the problem. I just feel someone is watching me all the time. When I come and go from my home, even when I’m in our house—but I never see him” Her husky voice faltered and, leaning forward as if her posture could convince Lew she was telling the truth, she said, “I can’t see the man but I know he’s there.”
Osborne glanced down to see she was gripping the black leather folder in her lap so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Appearing uncomfortable with his wife’s words, Charles shifted in his chair, his soft eyes seeking Lew’s as if to convey a secret message.
Again a spark of something. The guy had charisma, Lew would admit that.
“Has there been any damage or theft at your home?” asked Lew, clearing her thoat. “Locks broken? Your security system tampered with?”
“We have no security system,” said Patience. “That’s why we moved here. We feel—or we felt, anyway—safe. Half the time we don’t even lock our doors. Ever since I was a child, coming to Loon Lake in the summertime, this town has seemed to be a lovely community with lovely people. Why would we need a security system?”
Lew studied the top of her desk for a long moment before saying, “I suggest you lock your doors.”
“We have—I mean, I have,” said Charles. “Ever since Patience started worrying over this, I have made sure our doors are locked at night and whenever no one is home. But we don’t have a security system.”
“Let’s go back to damage or theft,” said Lew. “Anything unusual or missing from your home? Any tampering with your cars—evidence someone has been in or around the garage? The boathouse? Any person you are aware of who might be holding a grudge against you? Or your wife?”
“No,” said Patience and Charles simultaneously.
Lew shook her head. “Then what makes you so sure you’re being stalked?”
“I wish we could give you tangible proof and I know we sound nuts—but Charles and I agree—don’t we, sweetheart?” Patience looked at her husband, who gave a reluctant nod. “We sense that someone is entering our home when neither of us is there. The only real evidence we have is that one time the laptop computer in my home office was left on.”
“You agree, Charles?” asked Lew. “It wasn’t left on by mistake by either of you?”
“No … I
“Fine with me,” said Osborne.
“Umm … okay,” said Ray, looking down at his cell phone to see if he had messages. “I might get called out though.”
“This shouldn’t take long,” said Lew. Turning her attention back to Patience and Charles, she said, “Mr. Pradt and Dr. Osborne are deputies who help out when my department needs extra staff. They are long-time Loon Lake residents and know many people in the area. All kinds of people.” A quick grin along with her emphasis on the word “kinds” made it clear that the good, the bad and the ugly were on their radar.
Turning in her chair to face Osborne and Ray, Patience said, “Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate you’re taking an interest in this.”
“Now let’s start at the beginning,” said Lew, raising a pen over the long, narrow reporter’s notebook she liked to use. “When did you first become aware that you were being stalked?”
Patience gave her husband a questioning look. “Oh … about a month ago or so. Charles, would you agree?”
“That’s about when you told me for the first time that you had the feeling someone was watching you,” said Charles.
“Let’s pinpoint this. When was that exactly?” asked Lew.
“Oh, maybe three weeks ago or so.”
“But no specific day and time?”
“Not really.”
Lew tilted her head to give Patience a puzzled look. “All right, Dr. Schumacher. Do you recall where you were when you became aware you were being stalked?”
“Well,” said Patience, “that’s the problem. I just feel someone is watching me all the time. When I come and go from my home, even when I’m in our house—but I never see him” Her husky voice faltered and, leaning forward as if her posture could convince Lew she was telling the truth, she said, “I can’t see the man but I know he’s there.”
Osborne glanced down to see she was gripping the black leather folder in her lap so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Appearing uncomfortable with his wife’s words, Charles shifted in his chair, his soft eyes seeking Lew’s as if to convey a secret message.
Again a spark of something. The guy had charisma, Lew would admit that.
“Has there been any damage or theft at your home?” asked Lew, clearing her thoat. “Locks broken? Your security system tampered with?”
“We have no security system,” said Patience. “That’s why we moved here. We feel—or we felt, anyway—safe. Half the time we don’t even lock our doors. Ever since I was a child, coming to Loon Lake in the summertime, this town has seemed to be a lovely community with lovely people. Why would we need a security system?”
Lew studied the top of her desk for a long moment before saying, “I suggest you lock your doors.”
“We have—I mean, I have,” said Charles. “Ever since Patience started worrying over this, I have made sure our doors are locked at night and whenever no one is home. But we don’t have a security system.”
“Let’s go back to damage or theft,” said Lew. “Anything unusual or missing from your home? Any tampering with your cars—evidence someone has been in or around the garage? The boathouse? Any person you are aware of who might be holding a grudge against you? Or your wife?”
“No,” said Patience and Charles simultaneously.
Lew shook her head. “Then what makes you so sure you’re being stalked?”
“I wish we could give you tangible proof and I know we sound nuts—but Charles and I agree—don’t we, sweetheart?” Patience looked at her husband, who gave a reluctant nod. “We sense that someone is entering our home when neither of us is there. The only real evidence we have is that one time the laptop computer in my home office was left on.”
“You agree, Charles?” asked Lew. “It wasn’t left on by mistake by either of you?”
“No … I
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