She scurried into the living room, fumbled through her purse, and found the number. Grabbing the phone, she punched in digits.
Someone picked up on the first ring. “Gold Shield Security.”
“This is Theodosia Browning at the Indigo Tea Shop.” Her words tumbled out, one on top of the other. “Someone’s downstairs in the alley. Right behind my shop. Someone who shouldn’t be.”
“Calm down,” replied the voice. “Let me check my screen.” There was a pause. “Miss Browning, the security guard patrolling your area is about three blocks away. I’ve flashed him a message. Is the prowler still in the alley?”
“Just a minute.” Clutching the cordless phone, she scurried back into the bedroom and pressed her face against the window. “Yes,” she whispered into the phone.
“Stay on the line, please. I’ll get back to you as soon as I get a response. Can you do that?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Then Theodosia was standing there in the shadows, watching the dark car in the alley below, hoping the prowler hadn’t ducked back in his car for a lock pick or sledgehammer, praying he wasn’t going to step across the alley to Haley’s and Bethany’s apartment and knock on the door. Because, trusting souls that they were, they’d probably let him in!
“Miss Browning, our guard should be there any moment. Do you see anything?” asked the voice on the phone.
“No . . . yes!” She suddenly saw a car turn in to her alley, glide swiftly toward her shop. But now the prowler’s car below suddenly flashed its lights on and gunned the motor. The driver hit the accelerator, and the tires screeched horribly for a few seconds, then found purchase on rough cobblestones. Roaring ahead, the prowler’s car fishtailed, gaining speed. But the response car was right behind, searchlight on, accelerating full bore.
The words
“Miss Browning, everything okay there?” came the voice again in the phone.
“Yes, your security guard is in pursuit.”
“We have him on our screen. A second security guard is en route and should be there within two minutes. He will remain parked outside your home through the night. If we get any information on your prowler, we’ll call you.”
“Thank you,” said Theodosia gratefully.
She went to the window again and waited for what seemed like an eternity, although it probably was just two minutes, until the second security guard pulled up.
She flipped the bedroom lights back on and looked at the black dress hanging on her closet door. Well, at least she’d have an interesting story to tell over cocktails tomorrow night!
Chapter 43
“These mugs are neat,” said Haley. Federal Express had just delivered a large carton, and Haley was unearthing bubble-wrapped mugs from their nest of plastic peanuts.
“Did Drayton order these?” asked Bethany.
Haley nodded. “Gearing up for the holidays. We usually sell a lot of gifty items.” She held a ceramic mug in each hand, one a pink peony pattern, the other a Chinese dragon design. “Look,” she exclaimed, “matching tops to keep your tea warm. Pretty slick.” She pushed the carton across the counter to Bethany. “Why don’t you do one of your pretty arrangements while I pull my pumpkin scones out of the oven. See there, you can slide those trivets and candles over on that middle shelf.”
“Sounds good,” agreed Bethany as she admired the peony tea mug. “Has Theodosia seen these yet?”
“No, she’s still on the phone.”
Theodosia was bent over her desk, head cocked to the left, phone cradled in the crook of her neck. Her right hand clutched a black felt-tip pen. “Give me that plate number again,” she said. Nodding to the disembodied voice on the other end of the phone, she wrote AUY372 on a sheet of paper. She tapped the tip of the pen against the paper sharply, making a series of zigzag doodles around the number. Nervous doodles.
“And you
Theodosia continued tapping her pen nervously, and her gaze roved the room. It fell upon bookshelves filled with paperwork that demanded her attention. A chair heaped with storyboards that weren’t going anywhere for a while. Cartons filled with tins of holiday teas. She groaned inwardly. That tea alone represented almost 20,000 dollars in potential gross profit. Could she sell it and jump-start business? That remained to be seen.
“Yes?” She fairly bounced out of her chair when the voice came back on the line. “I didn’t realize a leased auto made a difference. Yes, it is interesting, isn’t it?” she said, although she was clearly disinterested. “You have the name?” She sat up straight, eyes riveted on the plate number she’d written on her paper. “Yes? Tanner Joseph,” she repeated in an odd, flat tone. “Thank you.”
She slammed the phone down so hard the receiver bounced back out of its cradle.
“Damn!” she cried.
Drayton was in Theodosia’s office in a heartbeat, easing the door closed behind him.
“Shhh.” He held a cautionary finger to his lips. “We’ve got customers!”
She whirled to face Drayton, chest heaving, complexion mottled with anger, auburn hair in a mad swirl. “It was Tanner Joseph!” She spat the name out with anger and disgust.
“What was Tanner Joseph?” Drayton asked quietly. He figured the surest way to calm someone was to remain calm yourself, although he could certainly be proved wrong in this case. Theodosia seemed absolutely infuriated.
“Last night!” she raged and began pacing the confines of her small, cluttered office. “Out in the alley!”
“Someone was in the alley last night?” asked Drayton. Now his voice rose a few octaves as well. “Theodosia, did something happen after we left?” he demanded.
“That idiot, Tanner Joseph, was out there. Gold Shield Security just called. One of their security guards got a read on his plate number.” She stomped her foot. “Of all the nerve!”
“But why would he...?” Drayton let his sentence hang there, searching for a logical explanation. He tried again. “But you already picked up the labels, so...”
His eyes met hers and realization dawned. “Tanner Joseph was stalking you,” whispered Drayton.
“No kidding,” she said glumly.
Chapter 44
For the first time in years, Theodosia did not find herself calmed by the simple act of sipping a cup of tea. As she gazed across her desk at Drayton, she realized he wasn’t exactly the poster child for serenity either.
“What are you going to tell Haley and Bethany?” asked Drayton. He had experienced his own minimeltdown upon hearing that Tanner Joseph had been Theodosia’s unwelcome caller the night before, and now his hair was ruffled from running his hands nervously through it, his tie askew. And Drayton was gulping his tea rather than sipping it.
“I suppose I’ll have to tell them the truth,” said Theodosia. “Even though we still have the security guard, they need to be on the alert. We don’t know what this character Tanner Joseph is capable of.”
“We also don’t know if he was the one who left the note the other night,” said Drayton.
“He could have,” said Theodosia. “But I’m more inclined to believe this was the first time Tanner Joseph has shown up. My guess is he was colossally ticked that I picked up the labels and didn’t hang around to schmooze with him. Although I’m afraid he might have had more on his mind than just schmoozing.”
