“Oh.”
“Yes, oh.” Officer Masterson sat at the counter and took a slice of pizza out of the box and took a bite. “Let’s eat. We will both feel better with something in our stomachs.” He pushed a drink toward Lillian.
Reluctantly, she joined him at the kitchen counter and took a slice of pizza. She slowly took a nibble. “You’re right. This is good pizza.”
They both ate in silence until most of the pizza was consumed. While Masterson cleaned up the counter, Lillian got a flashlight. “It’s near midnight. I usually do my rounds before I lock up the office for the night.”
“I’ll go with you. Give me a minute to change my uniform.” He looked questioningly at Lillian.
She pointed to a door.
Masterson hurried into the second bedroom and closed the door.
Lillian didn’t like the officer sharing the apartment with her, but what could she do. She had caused a pickle for Eva for sure and needed help. Lillian eventually realized that it might be a good idea for Officer Masterson to stay at the motel until Eva came back.
She pushed the thought from her mind that this was the first time she had shared quarters with a man who was not her husband. It made her uneasy, even though she felt she could trust Officer Masterson. The trouble was she had felt she could trust her husband and look where that had gotten her. The truth was Lillian didn’t want to be around men . . . any man ever again.
Officer Masterson emerged from his bedroom in swim trunks and a tee shirt. The thin cotton shirt stretched tightly across a muscular torso. His legs were well-proportioned and showed that he regularly exercised.
Lillian’s chest tightened a little. She compared Officer Masterson’s physique to that of her pudgy beer-bellied husband’s and couldn’t stop herself from admiring Masterson’s athletic body. Lillian looked away, embarrassed at the carnal thoughts that entered her mind.
Masterson took the flashlight from Lillian. “Let’s go,” he said while holding the office door open for her.
Lillian locked the front gate to the property. A key card would be needed to come in and out after midnight until dawn the next morning. She counted the cars.
“Everyone is in,” she related to Masterson. “No key cards should be off the property.”
Masterson grunted and walked quickly around the property’s perimeter, checking the fence. “Anyone could jump this fence,” he muttered, looking concerned.
Lillian didn’t answer.
After they checked the fence line, Masterson checked the outer buildings and lagoon. Several boats were moored in the bay near the lagoon.
Lillian thought the boats looked lovely bobbing in the bay with their night-lights twinkling, but Masterson didn’t like the boats moored so close to the motel.
“I’m going to talk to Mike when he gets back. I think the security of the motel should be stepped up.”
Lillian’s heart sank. “Because of me?”
Masterson gave a whisper of a smile before replying, “No. People are different nowadays. Sooner or later, Eva will get a crazy guest or some druggie will jump the fence and go rampaging through the bungalows looking for drugs. She needs a better security system.”
“I love the Pink Flamingo. If you put up alarms and security systems everywhere, it will destroy the atmosphere of this charming little motel.”
“It can be done in such a way that guests don’t even know there are systems in place,” assured Masterson. “I think we’re done for the night. I’ll get up around three and do another perimeter check. Right now I’m going to take a quick swim in the lagoon. Do you feel confident to go back to the office alone?”
“Of course,” said Lillian.
“Unless you’d like to take a swim with me?” asked Masterson.
“No, thank you. I don’t swim where I can’t see what’s underneath me. I’ll go back. You have a key to the office?”
“Yes. I should be back in about ten minutes.”
“Make sure that you are or else I’ll come looking for you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” grinned Masterson. He liked it when Lillian got a little feisty.
Lillian nodded and quickly went back to her quarters. Heating up some milk, she took the glass of warm milk to her room and shut the door. There she read a book until she heard Masterson come in and go to his room.
Masterson was safe.
Lillian heard him take a shower and go to bed. She felt relieved, but didn’t know why she felt relieved. Lillian continued reading her book until she nodded off with the lights on.
Later she was awakened by the sound of the office door opening and shutting. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was a little after three.
Lillian got up and went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She sat at the kitchen counter waiting for Masterson to come back.
Twenty minutes later, Masterson returned and was surprised to find Lillian waiting for him.
“Everything okay?” asked Lillian.
“Yes,” replied Masterson. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“No problem,” replied Lillian, pouring another cup of hot water. She placed the mug with several tea bags in front of Masterson along with a plate of cookies. “I fell asleep reading.”
“If it’s any consolation to you, the pool water looks good as new. The chemicals that you put in cleared the water. You can have it tested tomorrow, but I’m sure the red in the water was due to food dye.”
“I could just brain Heather. She cost this hotel a great deal of money and trouble, not to mention getting me in Dutch with Eva.”
“I don’t know Eva that well, but if Mike loves her, she must be a pretty good egg. She might be impressed with how well you took charge and corrected the problems.”
“Or she might blame me.”
Masterson took a sip of his tea. “She might.”
“Any word on that boy yet, Officer Masterson?”
“Call me Jim. Remember? I think we know each other well enough to go on a first-name basis.”
Lillian didn’t respond but looked down at her fingernails. She needed a manicure.
“I’m sure your wife will be unhappy about you spending your nights here,” stated Lillian. She blushed when she realized she was fishing for information.
“Not married,” answered Masterson, reaching for a cookie.
“Never?”
“Once, but she called it off. Said she didn’t want to be a cop’s wife.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? I’m not. We would have been terrible for each other.” Masterson looked inquiringly at Lillian. “What’s your story besides the obvious?”
“Went to college. Got a degree in accounting. Met a man. Fell in love. Got married. Had a daughter. Did not live happily ever after.”
“Miss your daughter?”
“I regret to say that my daughter turned out to be much like her father. Once she reached the teen years, we were never close. It makes me very sad, but it is what it is. If we had been on better terms, I might have stayed. I figured that I had only one life to live and I was not going to waste it on two selfish people, so here I am.”
“You had the guts to leave. Some women don’t.”
“Do you have any children, Officer . . . I mean Jim.”
Masterson shook his head. “That’s been a regret, Lillian. Not having any children.”
“You should find someone. You still have time to have children.”
“What about you?”
Lillian looked down at her empty mug. “I don’t think being married again is in the cards for me. I can’t even think of being happy one day. It’s all I can do to find the energy to work and prepare myself for the divorce.”
“That’s pretty sad to hear,” responded Masterson. “I hope things change for you.”
“Thanks.” Lillian looked at the clock. “I better get back to bed. I’ve only got a couple of hours before I have to open the office.”
She got up and started toward her bedroom.
“Lillian.”
“Yes.”
“Things will get better. You’ll see,” assured Masterson softly.
“I hope you’re right, Jim, because I feel empty inside.”
“You worry about your divorce. I’ll take care of your stalker problem.”
“I would appreciate that.”
“I’ve got your back.”
Startled, Lillian turned and stared at Jim. “What I would have given to hear my husband say that to me and mean it. It might have saved our marriage.” Without waiting for a response, she entered her room and closed the door.
Masterson thought Lillian was one of the saddest women he had ever encountered. He was determined to put an end to Salvador’s tormenting her.
If only he could find him.
O
fficer Masterson took a short flight to Jacksonville and was in the school’s administrative office by 9 a.m. There was talk of privacy issues until Masterson waved his badge around and talked about getting a warrant.
Reluctantly, the administrator gave Masterson Salvador’s address and class schedule. Masterson tipped his hat in thanks and after checking his watch discovered that Salvador should be in his first class.
With map in hand, Masterson hurried to the biology building where Salvador should be learning about the reproduction methods of amphibians.
He quietly entered the classroom and sat in the back of the large lecture hall looking for Jeremy Salvador. He didn’t see him.
Distracted by Masterson’s rather ominous appearance, the professor asked Masterson if he needed something.
“I’m looking for a Jeremy Salvador,” replied Masterson, looking at the faces of the students turning around in their seats to stare at him.
The professor looked at his seating chart and then pointed to a young man slumped down in his seat, jacket collar high around his face. “Jeremy, would you be so kind as to go with this officer into the hallway so as not to distract the class any further?”
The young man didn’t rise from his seat.
Frustrated that his class was interrupted, the professor tried again. “Go on, Jeremy. The class needs to continue.”
Reluctantly the young man rose from his seat to face Masterson.
The only problem was that the young man wasn’t Jeremy Salvador.
“L
et me get this straight,” snapped Eva. She had just gotten back from her honeymoon and was immediately confronted with a crisis. It put her off kilter. “A kid whom I’ve never met is stalking one of my employees and is interfering with the running of the Pink Flamingo to such a point that I am losing money.”
Lillian hung her head in shame. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you, but I didn’t realize that Jeremy would take things so far.”
Masterson butted in. “Most women don’t understand the danger they are in until it’s too late. All stalkers should be taken seriously. Jeremy is mentally unbalanced. Anyone who would fake going to college and then pays someone to take his place so he could continue his rampage of fear is very ill. I have an APB out on him right now.”
Eva looked at Mike for guidance. “What do we do, babe?” she asked. “I don’t want this around Jenny.”
“I’ve already packed my bag and am looking for a new place to live,” whispered Lillian.
“I think that is best for now,” declared Eva. “But . . .” she looked at her husband for guidance.
Mike, in turn, looked at Masterson. “What do you suggest, Jim?”
“I agree with Eva that Lillian should live someplace else until this is over. Her being here just brings negative attention to the Pink Flamingo,” advised Masterson.
Lillian’s heart sank.
“However, I think I have a plan that might draw Jeremy out and put an end to this nightmare for everyone,” uttered Masterson, looking at Lillian’s crestfallen face.
“Don’t worry, Eva,” lamented Lillian. “I won’t ask for my job back. I know I have put you in a horrible position.”
Eva bit her lip in consternation. “When this is over, you can have your job back, but I just can’t put Jenny in the crossfire while this is going on. She is over here too much. This Jeremy could get on the property without our knowing and do something to her.”
“I agree,” replied Lillian, her heart sinking. “You must protect your family.”
“But I don’t want to leave you out in the cold either,” revealed Eva. “It’s just that Jenny and the Pink Flamingo are my first priorities.”
Mike turned to Masterson. “You said you had a plan. What is it?”
Masterson gave a big grin. “I’m going to lay a trap and use Lillian as bait.”
Lillian looked around at everyone’s expectant faces and said, “Oh, great. I hope this doesn’t leave me dead in some alley.”
Masterson looked tenderly at Lillian. “Not on my watch.”
Mike glanced at Masterson and then looked at Eva with his eyebrows raised. The thought occurred to him that his good friend and football buddy might be going soft on a woman. Mike grinned.
Must be something in the water.
“I
t’s not much,” offered Masterson. “Eva and Mike bought the building a few months ago and haven’t had time to do any remodeling.”
Lillian looked around the outdated and dirty apartment. “Beggars can’t be choosy. Is anybody else living in the building?”
“There are four units, but no one else should be on the property unless it is Mike or his man, Juan. Only the four of us have keys.”
“Four of us?”
“Yes, I’m staying here until Jeremy is caught.”
Lillian shook her head. “I don’t know about that. I’m starting to feel suffocated.”
Masterson’s expression looked hurt for a second, but then took on a neutral appearance. “I can understand that, but with luck this won’t last much longer. Just go on with your life as usual. Keep your plans. I’ll be at the office during the day. It seems Jeremy likes to stalk at night, so that’s why I’m staying here, unless you want to call this off. However, my staying here was a stipulation of Mike and Eva’s.”
Lillian shook her head. “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. I’m not, you know. It’s just I seem to be so much trouble for everyone. Maybe I should leave the Keys.”
“I thought you had made the decision to make your life your own. Don’t quit because of a little bump in the road.”
“You call this a little bump?”
“Sure. People face all sorts of unpleasant things. Be grateful that you don’t have cancer or you’re homeless or mentally unbalanced like Jeremy, or that your husband beat you so badly that you lost the will to fight.”