or where he lives. He could be from Austin and followed you all the way to Oregon to begin his reign of terror. You can be sure he has already cased your condo and your parents’ ranch and knows every move you make. The Pendleton police are sending me a list of stalking victims in the Pendleton area in case there’s a way to link him to your case.
“If he’d wanted to kidnap you to compel your parents to pay a ransom, it would have already happened. So we can conclude money is not his motive. Though you didn’t see him in Albuquerque, we know he was out there somewhere putting a note on your windshield and phoning you in the middle of the night in Bandera. According to your schedule, you have another rodeo in South Dakota in two weeks. For the time being I imagine you’ll be training here in Austin every day until you leave. He’s probably planning to do something to you while you’re not on the road. Remember—he feels invincible.”
When she heard Cy’s assessment of the situation, he noticed she’d lowered her head, causing the strands of her molten hair to catch the light from overhead.
“So far you’ve had your handler and other people around while you’ve been taking care of your horses. But he’ll assume you’ll be alone in your condo part of the time for the next two weeks. The beauty of this plan is that when he comes after you, I’ll be there watching for him. When he makes his move, he’ll discover your husband on the premises. Do you have any questions?”
Now was the time for Kellie to tell him she couldn’t go along with his plan. He held his breath, waiting for her parents to voice their objections. Instead, her mother looked at her daughter with an anxious expression.
“His plan sounds solid, but how do you feel about it, honey?”
He watched Kellie nervously moisten her lips. “I’m thankful I won’t have to be alone.” She looked up at Cy. “Even if it means everyone will think I’m married, I want that disgusting creature caught.” Her voice shook.
TJ sent Cy a silent message. I’ll be damned.
“Before you go home with your parents, I’ll need your key to the condo and your phone, Ms. Parrish.”
“All right.” Her hands trembled as she rummaged in her purse for those items and handed them to him.
“What’s the code to get into the garage?” She told him. “Keep your mailbox key.”
“Oh. Okay.”
He looked at his watch. “Give me six hours, then all of you come to the condo with any luggage you took on the road and I’ll let you in. Pick up your mail on the way in, but don’t go through it. Act as normally as you can. We’ll talk details inside your condo so we’re all tuned in to the same channel.”
Kellie’s father shook Cy’s hand again. “Our daughter didn’t tell us what had been happening to her until this morning. It’s a nightmarish situation and we’re very grateful that you’re willing to take her case. We’ll all be praying this plan works.”
“Thank you for helping her,” Kellie’s mother said with tears in her eyes.
“It’s our job and I’m happy to do it. I’ll see you later.”
He watched Kellie walk out with them. Cy knew in his gut that this stalker didn’t want money. He wanted to do her harm. She’d said he looked as if he was in his late twenties. He wondered how many women before Kellie had already been terrorized by him. The stalker fit the general profile for a predator who was usually from eighteen to thirty.
After they left TJ’s office, Cy turned to his boss. “Her condo is in West Austin. I’m going to need help to set things up before they arrive.”
“This is a high-priority case. Vic just finished a case and is in the building right now. I’ll ask him to assist you before assigning him a new case.”
Nothing could have pleased him more. “Thanks, TJ.” There wasn’t a lot of time. They’d have to assemble a team fast.
Not long after he’d returned to his office to send the artist’s sketch to the database, Vic walked in. “I’m all yours.” He planted himself on a corner of the desk. “That stint on the radio must have put the boss in a good mood.”
“It was so important to him, he actually went along with my plan.”
“Which is?”
“Outrageous, but Ms. Parrish agreed to it, too, rather than leave the circuit. She wants to win that championship. I figured she would put her desire to achieve her lifelong goal over her fear of this stalker. We’re going to pretend to be married so I can protect her day and night.”
“What?” Vic’s black eyes narrowed. He got to his feet. “You’re kidding me.”
Cy gave his friend a sharp look. “Can you think of a better way to get the job done?”
They’d known each other a long time. “Hell, no. It’s genius, but—”
“But it doesn’t hurt that she’s a beautiful woman, right?” He couldn’t help but read his friend’s mind. “I’ve examined my motives and have decided that even if she were someone else, it wouldn’t make a difference. She’s been working her whole life to achieve her goal. For her to quit now would be the end of her dreams, not only for this year, but maybe forever. Anyone with her kind of skill and drive deserves all the help she can get.”
“I agree with you.”
“This guy is a creep who’s been tormenting her for a month. She told him she was married so he’d leave her alone. All that did was fan the flames, so I’ve decided it’s time she produced a husband. I want to catch this stalker, Vic, and believe this is the best way to capture his attention and nab him.”
“Where do you want to start?”
“We’ll get a surveillance team set up in the van to monitor her when I can’t be with her.” Cy handed him the sketch.
Vic studied it for a minute. “You know who he looks like?”
“Yup, but let’s not go there. In case he’s camped out by her condo, you and I will impersonate roofers so we can get in around the back of the building through her garage without him suspecting anything. I want to lift any fingerprints we can find. We’ll rig the interior with a camera. Let’s move.”
He folded her list of names and numbers and put it into his pocket. The note she’d given the police needed to go down to the lab. He already had a list a mile long of things to be done before she arrived with her parents. They’d need wedding rings.
* * *
KELLIE CHECKED HER watch as her father drove them to the front of her condo in her parents’ Volvo sedan. Six thirty p.m. She still couldn’t believe what she’d agreed to. She and the striking Texas Ranger had to pretend to be married starting tonight!
What have I done? She closed her eyes. You’ve done what’s necessary to survive.
“Come on, honey. Let’s go in and have dinner. You haven’t eaten all day.”
“I couldn’t.” But her parents had insisted on picking up some barbecue for all of them.
She hadn’t had an appetite since this first started. As for sleep... Nothing seemed real. That monster could have been following them from the ranch. She almost expected him to suddenly appear at the mailbox.
The normal number of bills had stacked up. She put the mail into her purse before getting back in the car. Her mom had been over to her condo several times this past month to water her plants and make sure everything was all right. Thank goodness the Ranger would find her house clean and in good shape. There were times when it looked a mess.
She eyed the condo. No one would know the secret it was holding. If everything had gone as planned, then the Ranger was inside. A vision of the way he’d looked when she’d bumped into him in Bandera was indelibly impressed in her