Page 62 of Under His Protection
Philip takes my phone from me and reads the text. “Come on.” He puts his arm around me. “Let’s go find the campus police department.”
Chapter 19 – Philip
It’s a good hike across campus to the police department, which is located in the main administrative building. We arrive five minutes before our scheduled appointment with the detective. The timing couldn’t be better because I’m pissed as hell. These intrusive text messages need to stop. And we need to find out how this asshole knows Haley’s every move.
Bauer is waiting for us when we walk into the police station. “Hello, Haley.” He shakes her hand, and then mine. “Philip.”
Bauer gestures to an open door across the room. “Let’s go talk in my office. I have some information for you about the evidence collected last night from Haley’s dorm room.”
We follow Bauer into his office. Haley and I take the two seats in front of his desk while Bauer closes the door and walks around to his chair.
While we’re waiting for him to get settled, Haley reaches for my hand. I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile.
“I’ll get right to the point,” Bauer says. “The county forensics team did a rapid antigen test on the fluid in the condom. It’s definitely semen, by the way. Finding a DNA match will take longer, assuming the suspect’s DNA is on file. If he’s a student, and presumably pretty young, his DNA might not be in the system.”
The detective smiles apologetically at Haley. “I’m sorry, Haley. I hate to do this because I know you’ve been through it all before, but I need you to walk me through everything that’s happened related to the stalking, from the start until last night. Tell me everything.”
I squeeze Haley’s hand just to remind her I’m here.
“It started Friday, I think,” she says. “The first thing I noticed was a note under my door. He said he hoped I was going to attend my dorm’s Game Night. When I didn’t, he sent me another message telling me he missed seeing me there.” She runs through all of the events as best she can recall.
“Did you save any of those notes?” Bauer asks. “The rose? Obviously, we have the magazine page and the condom.”
Haley shakes her head. “Honestly, I was so freaked out each time, I threw the items away. I’m sorry. I realize now I should have kept everything.”
“It would have been nice to have a handwriting sample,” Bauer says. “If you get any more handwritten notes, be sure to give them to me right away. Is there anything else?”
“Show him your phone,” I say.
“Oh, right.” Haley brings up the recent text messages from UNKNOWN and hands Bauer her phone. “He sent both of these within the past hour. And there was another text earlier.”
Bauer reads the texts, his frown deepening. “Haley, would you please forward these to me?” And then he gives her his phone number.
“Now tell me, Haley, is there anyone on campus you suspect? Anyone you’ve met since the term started who’s been paying a lot of attention to you? Who’s said anything inappropriate or given you reason to distrust them? Even if it’s just a gut feeling or a suspicion. Even if it’s circumstantial.”
“Well.” She blows out a breath. “There is someone.”
Bauer nods. “Go on.”
“There’s a guy in my chemistry class.”
“Lecture or lab?”
“Both,” she says. “He’s intense. And he’s always staring at me, and it’s creepy.” She looks atme. “And he’s always snarky around Philip, or when he mentions Philip to me.”
“What’s his name?” Bauer asks. “I’ll look into him.”
Haley frowns. “I don’t want to draw attention to someone who might be innocent.”
“I’ll be discreet,” the detective says. “But it sounds like he is a lead worth investigating.”
“His name is Mark Hoffman, and he’s my lab partner.”
Bauer winces. “That’s certainly awkward. How about if I talk to your lab instructor about you swapping lab partners? Is there anyone in that class you’d feel more comfortable with?”
“Just one person,” she says. “Her name is Andrea Pearce. But she’s already partnered up with someone. I’d hate to break them up.”
Bauer makes another notation. “You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll see about swapping you for Andrea’s current lab partner.” He smiles. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. When is your chemistry lab?”
