Page 40 of Cold Silence
Travis fought the urge to turn away. He went closer. Slowly. Step by step. His anxiety rising.
The photos covered every moment of Claire’s daily activities. From first dawn to the darkness of night. Shopping. Getting gas. Leaving her home. Arriving at work. Departing. Jogging. Shadows of her body behind closed blinds at her home. And even shots of her at work in her office. That must’ve happened before he was fired. No. He might have hidden cameras in the office.
Cameras? Fixed on Claire. When she didn’t know it. When she innocently went about her day. Being watched by this sicko.
Acid churned in Travis’s gut. Burning in his throat. His fist rose instinctively to jab the wall. He held back. Couldn’t let Robb suspect anyone had been here. Travis took pictures of the giant collage instead. Far away. Up close. Every angle.
He stowed his phone and studied the notes Robb had posted. They reflected dates and times. And suggested what they would do together when she finally realized she loved him too.
Personal, intimate things Travis didn’t even want to contemplate. So he didn’t. Hoping to find the prototype, he backed away and searched under the twin bed with a worn striped comforter. Nothing. He searched the closet and then the bathroom vanity, noting a ninety-day prescription for Valium. Why exactly did the guy need Valium on a regular basis? Something else Travis didn’t want to ponder.
He returned to the kitchen and checked the cupboards. Nothing but paper dishes, cans of tuna, and microwave macaroni and cheese. The refrigerator was nearly empty save condiments and a large loaf of white bread.
No computer or tablet. Odd for an IT professional. He could keep it locked in his trunk. If he needed to flee he would want the electronic records of the photos he’d plastered all over the wall.
The wall. The sick stalker’s wall.
Travis clenched his teeth and turned for the door. GPS had told him that the bowling alley was sixteen minutes away. Sixteen minutes to get his head around the depth of Robb’s obsession or else when Travis saw the guy he might just pummel him.
Two hours of bowling and Travis had learned nothing other than Robb was highly competitive and a sore loser. Robb and his friends Hank and Nate had been too busy focusing on one-upping each other to give Travis time alone with Robb to grill the guy.
Travis poured his frustration into the bowling ball and hurled it down the lane. The pins exploded, the loud whack fighting with an instrumental version of “Come Together” blaring from speakers.
Cautioning himself not to gloat over the win and alienate Robb, Travis turned back to the group.
Hank looked at Travis, a snide grin on his chubby face. “So glad you came along so Mike didn’t skunk all of us.” He slid his ball into a neon-orange tote bag. “I’m out of here. Catch you guys tomorrow.”
“Hold up, I’ll walk out with you.” Nate shrugged into a lightweight jacket, his slight frame the opposite of Hank’s.
“Fine, run home to your wives,” Robb said tauntingly.
Hank picked up his bag and scowled. “You’re just jealous there isn’t a little woman waiting at home for you.”
Robb fired a testy look at his buddy. “I’ll be married soon enough.”
“Don’t you actually need a girlfriend for that to happen?” Nate asked.
“I’ve got a girlfriend,” Robb ground out between clenched teeth.
“Oh, right.” Hank raised his eyes in disbelief. “Claire. The woman we’ve never even seen.”
They know about Claire?
Robb crossed his arms, his jaw rigid. “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t exist.”
“Oh, we think she exists.” Nate cast a knowing look at Hank. “We just don’t believe she’s your girlfriend.”
Robb spun on Nate, anger firing from his eyes. Sharp, heated daggers of anger. He was fully capable of hurting someone—maybe even Claire, the woman he claimed to love.
“You’ll see.” Robb clenched his teeth. “She’s not only my girlfriend, but she’ll be my fiancée before the week is out.”
A timeline?Not one Robb would achieve when Travis was at Claire’s side.
“Whatever.” Nate rolled his eyes and clapped a hand on Hank’s shoulder. “Ready, man?”
Hank nodded, and they strode away.
“Sorry about that.” Robb fired off an apology to Travis but kept his flaming, angry gaze on his friends.
