Page 45 of K-9 Prime Target

“Please don’t tell Nina I said anything. I don’t want her to think I don’t believe her. And all of us on patrol have been watching for this guy. We just haven’t seen him.”

“He’s good at being invisible,” Liam said. “But he’s real. I promise.”

“Right.” The barista called her name. “I have to go. Don’t say anything to Raz about this, either.”

“I won’t.”

She collected her coffee and left. Liam walked toward his car, Renee’s words niggling at him. First Marlena, now Renee was doubting Nina. Were other people dismissing her fears as imagination, a desire for attention, or some manifestation of post-traumatic stress? He didn’t believe any of that. Were he and Nina the only people who believed she was really in danger?

He stopped several feet from his rental SUV, his gaze fixed on the piece of paper caught beneath the driver’s side windshield wiper.

After a moment, he took out his camera and clicked off a few shots, panning the area for any sign of Nicholson. But he spotted only a young couple at the far end of the lot, emerging from the car they had just parked.

He approached his SUV cautiously and lifted the wiper blade with gloved fingers, then unfolded the note.

You can’t take my darling from me. She’ll always be mine.

Like the others, this contained no signature. There would be no prints. Nothing to tie it to Nicholson. Nothing to persuade the sheriff to take the threat seriously.

He folded the note and tucked it into his jacket pocket. He wouldn’t show this to Nina. No need to upset her. But Liam would be even more vigilant. Maybe it was time to set a trap, to see if they could catch this person red-handed.

Chapter Twelve

“I promise, Nina, we’re taking your concerns very seriously.” Doug’s voice on the other end of the line sounded as suave and professional as ever. “We’ve distributed Nicholson’s photo, and resort security is on alert. If he’s spotted, security will remind him that he is obligated to avoid contact with you.”

“Excuse me if that doesn’t make me feel very safe,” Nina said. “Whatever happened to reserving the right to refuse service to anyone?”

“SkyCrest Resort has a firm commitment to customer service,” Doug said. “That means every customer. As of now, Aaron Nicholson hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“He’s stalking me,” Nina said, struggling to keep from screeching the words. She pinched the bridge of her nose, where a headache was building.

“He saw you on the ski run and he left.”

“He left after I called for help.”

“He probably realized he could get in trouble for violating his parole. That doesn’t mean he intended to do more than speak with you. And the photos he left weren’t threatening, either. We don’t even know if he left them. You have other fans, I’m sure.”

She ground her teeth in frustration. Everything Doug said was technically true. But he hadn’t been trapped in a room with Nicholson. He hadn’t read the hatred in the other man’s eyes. “Make sure security knows what he’s been up to,” she said. “The more they know, the more they’ll be in a position to help me if I need it.” She didn’t really believe that, not at this point. The only people she really trusted to help her were Liam and her fellow ski patrollers.

“Of course.”

She ended the call, then released Sky from her kennel, left ski patrol headquarters and headed for her car. She’d call Liam after she got home and tell him she was too tired to see him tonight. She wouldn’t be very good company in her present mood.

She was sliding into the front seat of her car when her phone rang again. Liam’s number flashed on the screen and her heart beat a little faster. “Hey,” she answered.

“What would you think about me coming over to your place tonight?” he asked. “I need to talk to you about something, and I could make dinner.”

“What do you need to talk about?”

“Just something that came up. I was thinking boeuf Bourguignon and some wine, then we could discuss some ideas I have for dealing with whoever is harassing you.”

“You know how to make boeuf Bourguignon?”

“I’m actually a good cook. You don’t have to do anything. Just relax.”

This is what she needed. Not curling up under the covers and reminding herself that she needed to be strong, but someone to coddle and comfort her and remind her she wasn’t alone. She blinked back stinging tears. “That sounds amazing,” she said.

“I can meet you at your place in half an hour or so.”