Behind Closed Doors (32 page)

Reluctantly, Chris reached out and quickly squeezed her hand before turning toward his brother.

“Come on,” Stephanie said, taking her arm. “I’m starving.”

After one last look at Chris, she followed Stephanie into the hallway. She could see Mr. Frederick in an intense phone conversation. She knew she should probably say something to him before leaving, but she didn’t want to interrupt him, and Stephanie was already moving her in the opposite direction.

Instead of taking the elevator, Stephanie led her down a large glass staircase. It gave her the sense of floating since she could see everyone below through the distorted glass.

When they reached the bottom, Stephanie marched them both out a side door. “I got here a little late,” she said. “There were a few reporters lingering out front, so I thought this way might be best.”

Elizabeth paused, looking back over her shoulder at the large glass building.
The restaurant is right around the corner,
she rationalized. It wasn’t as if she was going far, and she had her cell phone on her just in case.

“You coming?” Stephanie asked, looking back.

“Yeah,” she said, picking up the pace.

Jan finally tired of pacing a hole in her living room floor and decided to go out. It wasn’t doing her any good to sit here, waiting like a nervous Nelly. Chris and Elizabeth said they would call when they knew something.

She pulled into Bartlett’s Drug, walked directly to the one-hour photo, and dropped off her pictures. Chris had been bugging her for the last few years to get a digital camera, but her old one worked just fine, and she didn’t see the need to spend that kind of money on something she could do without.

Jan thanked the photo tech and walked back to the pharmacy to drop off her prescriptions.

Gary, the pharmacist, greeted her by name and took the empty bottles. “It’s going to be a good half hour, Jan. We’re a little backed up this morning.”

“That’s okay, Gary. I’m in no rush.”

She walked back up to the front of the store and grabbed a shopping cart. She liked Bartlett’s because they stocked a few grocery items as well. When all she needed were a few items, it was sometimes easier just to come here rather than fight the lines at the big stores. Maybe she was showing her age, but she missed the small, locally owned, grocery stores where you knew everyone and they knew you.

She had just picked up her photos and was flipping through them when someone bumped her cart. She blushed furiously as she came face-to-face with Robert Stephens. Jan may be old, but she wasn’t dead. He was very attractive for his age.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, detective. I wasn’t looking where I was going.

He smiled. “Mrs. Weaver. It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too. Are you here doing some shopping as well?”

“Just needed a few things before I head to the station. Are those pictures?” he asked.

“Yes.” She nodded, eager for an excuse to step a little closer. Jan had been dropping hints all over the place and the good detective just wasn’t getting it.

She shuffled through the pictures from the barbecue at Marilyn’s, showing him a picture of Chris with all the brothers.

“Quite the family resemblance, isn’t there? There’s no doubt these four are related,” he said.

Jan smiled, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere for once. Every other time she’d seen him, it had been all business. “They were a handful growing up. Their mother is a saint.” She laughed.

When she reached the last picture, she felt a twinge of regret. She didn’t want him to leave. For just these few minutes, she’d forgotten about her anxiety, and she could already feel it creeping back in.

“Well,” she said, putting the pictures away, “I guess you’ll need get—”

“Wait.”

She looked up at him.

“May I see those photos again?”

“Sure,” Jan said, handing him the pictures.

He flipped one over. “These were developed here?”

“Yes. Is something wrong, Robert?”

He held up one of the photos. “You see the watermark on the back here?” She nodded. “The pictures left on Ms. Marshall’s car have the exact same watermark. I’ve been checking with every photo place between here and Dayton trying to find a match.”

“So whoever was stalking Elizabeth and Trent had the pictures developed here?”

“I need to find a manager.”

Jan followed him as he strode to the front desk.

When the manager emerged, he flashed his badge and the picture. “Do all your pictures have this watermark?”

“Yes, sir, they do. Is there a problem?”

“How long do you keep your security tapes?”

“The hard copies are kept here at the store for a month, and then we sent them to be archived and then to storage. Why?”

“I think I’m going to need to see those tapes.”

It was a quarter to one, and Chris was worried. Okay, he was beyond worried. Something just felt off. He’d already given his statement, and was now waiting on Paul to finish giving his. Things were taking much longer than he’d thought they would. He had a death grip on his cell phone as he checked the clock once again. Only a minute had passed since the last time. Maybe it was because Elizabeth wasn’t there where he could see her, touch her. No matter what it was, something just felt wrong.

He was just about to dial her cell when his phone rang. “Elizabeth?”

“No. It’s Detective Stephens. I’m guessing she’s not with you.”

“No.”

“I thought you were going to court with her today.”

“I did. There was an incident with Abigail Carter and Paul, and I had to stay behind to file statements. I was hoping we’d be done by now.”

“You need to find her.’

Chris stayed on the phone while went to find Paul. “What did you find out?”

“Stephanie Manning’s the one who’s been stalking her.”

“Her friend, Stephanie?” Chris said, halting in his tracks just before the door.

“Yes,” he said. “We got lucky. She had those pictures developed at a drugstore near your house. They have her on tape, dropping off and picking up the pictures on the night in question. She’s our girl.”

Chris’s stomach churned. Elizabeth considered Stephanie a friend so she wouldn’t be on her guard. “Elizabeth’s having lunch with her right now.” He said and pushed his way through the closed door that would lead him to his brother.

At his entrance, Paul looked up and stopped mid-sentence, abandoning his statement. “What is it?

“I’ll alert the Columbus PD,” Detective Stephens said. “Do you know where they were going?”

“Lugi’s. Stephanie said it was nearby.”

“I’ll see if they can send a patrolman. They can at least pick her up and hold her for questioning.”

Chris was already on his way out, knowing that Paul would follow. He was halfway to the elevator when he asked, “Anything else?”

“If you happen to find Mrs. Manning first, don’t let her know you’re on to her. We don’t know what she’s capable of.”

“Where is this place?” Elizabeth asked as they turned left down an alley.

“Not too much farther. It’s this little out-of-the-way place. Not too many people know about it yet, which is perfect. The food’s great, and the atmosphere is to die for,” Stephanie said.

It was the middle of the day so there was plenty of light in the alley, but other than the two of them, it was completely deserted, which seemed odd to her.

Stephanie stopped so abruptly Elizabeth ran into her back. “Oh. Sorry.”

“No harm done.” Stephanie smiled, straightening her suit jacket. “You ready?”

She looked at the door in front of them. There were no signs indicating a restaurant or commercial venture of any kind. “Here?”

Stephanie nodded. “This is the back entrance, of course. I figured it would be better for you to keep a low profile today. Plus, I know the owners, so it won’t be a problem.” With a flourish, Stephanie opened the metal door. “After you.”

She cautiously took a step inside. There was enough light to see, but just barely. To her right was a concrete staircase that seemed to go on forever. In front of her there was a short hall that ended at what looked to be a freight elevator. She didn’t see the entrance, back or front, to a restaurant.

“Where—”

She felt a sharp pain as something hit the back of her head, and then nothing as her world went black.

Slowly, Elizabeth began to register the sounds around her again. There wasn’t much, just the mild hum of electricity. She tried to open her eyes, but the second the light hit them, she was in incredible pain.

Where am I?

“Welcome back.”

“Stephanie?”

She laughed. “Who else would it be?”

Elizabeth tried to sit up, but that was then she realized her hands were tied behind her back. She could feel something hard and cold digging into her wrists. She took her time sitting up and propping herself against the hard wall. Just as slowly, she tested her eyes again. The sun was bright. There were windows everywhere with a magnificent view over the city. A familiar view.

She suddenly realized where they were—Jared’s downtown apartment. His firm was right across the street. But why were they here?

“I thought you were my friend. Why are you doing this? Did the Carters—”

Stephanie slapped her hard across the face, and her head whipped around with the force of the blow. It was mild compared to what she’d experienced with Jared, but he’d rarely gone for her face. He tended to stick to the areas that were easily covered by clothing.

She felt cold inside. This was someone she trusted. The friend who’d stuck by her when everyone else had turned their backs. Jared had lost all but her outward loyalty long before she’d left him. Stephanie’s betrayal hit her harder than anything Jared could have ever done to her.

Emptiness settled in her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Her former friend walked across the room, ignoring her. She noticed the place was still exactly the same as she remembered it. When she’d moved to Springfield, she’d handed it over to a property management company here in town. She still owned the place, but they were to lease it for her and take care of any maintenance. From the looks of things, no one had moved in yet.