Read Online Eye Candy by R.L. Stine - Free Book Online

machine as if studying it for clues.
    â€œLet’s hear it. Maybe it’s a caller I recognize. There are some regulars that we get to know.”
    â€œRegular perverts?”
    He shrugged. “Regular phone creeps.”
    I played the message for him. He shut his eyes as he listened.
    â€œ. . . I’ll REALLY mess you up if you ever say no to
me!”
    The words made me shiver this time. Ann-Marie was convincing me this was serious.
    Tommy scratched the back of his neck. He tilted the bottle to his mouth and took a long sip of beer. “I don’t recognize him. It’s a new one. Pretty intense.”
    I had goose bumps on my arms. I tried to rub them away. “Think it’s a joke?”
    He shook his head. “No. But I don’t think you should be terrified, either. There’s a lot of creeps out there. You’ve got to be careful.”
    Tommy took another pull on the beer, draining the bottle, then turned his gaze back to the answering machine. “You have Caller ID?”
    I shook my head. “No. You know. I was trying to save a little money.”
    â€œDid you try star-six-nine? Sometimes you can trace a call back that way.”
    â€œI was so freaked. I didn’t think of it. And then someone else called. Right after I got home.”
    â€œSomeone else called?”
    â€œA guy I met last night.”
    He pushed the button and listened to the message again. He scratched the side of his face. “Can’t place him.”
    â€œI . . . I’ve been dating some guys from the Internet,” I stammered, feeling embarrassed. “You know. A personals Web site. They’ve all seemed really nice. I mean, okay. Not weird or anything.”
    He narrowed those tired eyes at me. “Maybe you should tell me about them.”
    He followed me back to the kitchen. I got him another Corona. I described my dates to him as best as I could. He listened, leaning on the kitchen counter, scribbling on a little notepad.
    When I finished, he sighed. “These men might be okay. But I don’t have to tell you there are a lot of geeks and freaks on the Internet.”
    I nodded. “And you think one of the guys I met—”
    â€œNo, maybe not. Anyone could have stolen your info, you know. Once you register at a site like that, it would be easy for anyone to access all kinds of stuff about you. Did you put your phone number on the Web site?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDoesn’t matter, really. There are still ways they can get it. This guy doesn’t even have to be in New York. He could be in Alaska or Hawaii or somewhere in Siberia.”
    â€œSo I shouldn’t worry?”
    â€œYou should be
careful,
Lindy. But remember this: The guys who make these phone calls, they’re not killers. They’re not tough guys. They’re usually little creeps who live alone. The guys who make these sicko calls are all too timid and fucked-up to be dangerous.”
    I let out a sigh of relief. “I’ll just try to forget about it then.”
    He scratched his neck again, then adjusted his shirt collar. “Well, you should be careful with these guys you’re seeing. But I don’t think there’s reason to be very afraid. Keep in touch, okay? If he calls again, let me know. We’ll see what we can do.”
    At the door, he thanked me for the beers, said it was great to see me again, told me for the tenth time not to be afraid. He hesitated for a moment. I had the feeling he wanted to say something more. But he turned abruptly, pulled the awful yellow tie tighter around his collar, and lumbered down the hall to the elevator.
    â€œThat’s it!” I cried, closing and bolting the door.
    Ann-Marie had just stepped into the room, carrying a copy of
In Style
magazine. “What’s
it
?”
    â€œI’m finished with these Internet dates.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œYou heard me. I don’t know if one of those guys