“Thanks for the feedback, Vince. I really appreciate it.”
When he’d hung up, he glanced at Laila, who looked as if she’d been sickened by the call.
“He’s done this to someone else, hasn’t he?”
“Possibly,” Will said. “I’ll call her to find out, then I’m turning everything we have over to the police. Okay with you if I have them come here right now?”
She nodded, but her complexion was ashen.
“Want me to call Jess and have her come over here?”
She looked relieved by the suggestion. “Would you? I don’t know why this has shaken me so badly, but I have to admit knowing I was right has turned my stomach.”
“No problem.” He made the call, then explained the situation to Jess. “I think Laila could use your support right now.”
“Give me five minutes,” she said at once.
“Thanks.”
“I’d like five minutes alone with that son of a bitch,” Jess said furiously. “I’d teach him a thing or two about being a real man.”
Though the situation wasn’t even remotely amusing, Will smiled. “That’s one of those things I love about you. You’re always willing to jump right into the fray for your family and friends.”
“Of course,” she said. “It goes without saying. Tell Laila to hang in there. I’m walking out the door of the inn right now.”
Will disconnected the call and relayed the message. He was about to place the call to the other woman but decided to wait until Jess arrived and could sit with Laila. He’d make the call more privately, then notify the police.
Just thinking about how something he’d intended to be a good thing for the lonely singles of Chesapeake Shores could turn out this way made him want to slam his fist into something. Agreeing with Jess, he thought the most obvious choice would be Vince’s face, or perhaps some other more appropriate part of his anatomy.
Jess was still boiling mad that anyone could have done this to her friend. She’d been tempted to call Connie but had stopped herself, uncertain if Laila would want anyone else to know about the obscene calls.
When she stormed into Will’s office, she found Laila looking pale and shaken, but her usual spirit was sparkling in her eyes.
“Oh, sweetie, this just sucks,” Jess said, pulling her into a hug, then dragging a chair closer, so she could sit right next to Laila.
“How are you doing?” she asked, as Will left the room to make phone calls.
“Better, now that Will’s handling things and you’re here,” Laila said. “On one level, I’m scared to death. I didn’t realize I was until we pretty much confirmed it was the man I thought it was. It put a face to it, you know?”
“I know,” Jess said.
Laila tried to smile, but it never reached her eyes. “On another level, I’m spitting mad. I’d like to take this guy apart with my bare hands.”
“You wouldn’t have to do it alone,” Jess assured her. “I’m ticked, and I can only imagine how infuriated Will must be.”
“I don’t want something like this to ruin this company of his,” Laila said.
“I’m sure he doesn’t care about that.”
Laila nodded. “That’s what he said. He suggested maybe I should stay with you at the inn until this is settled. Would that work?”
“Absolutely. You can have the room next to mine at no charge, or I can bring a roll-away bed into my room if you’d be more comfortable that way.”
“Will said he’d stand guard.”
Jess chuckled. “I don’t doubt that for a second. I can’t seem to shake him loose these days.”
“Do you want to?”
“No, which surprises the dickens out of me,” she admitted. “Scares me a little, too.”
“I’m glad things are finally working out,” Laila said. “You two wasted a lot of time.”
“More than I’d realized,” Jess said, looking up as Will returned. “How’d it go?”
“The other woman had the same problem but hadn’t told anyone. She’s on her way over. So are the police.”
Laila’s expression brightened. “Then this could be over today?”
Jess worried about her assumption. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Laila. The police might have to do their own investigating.”
“She’s right,” Will said. “I made a quick call to Connor to ask him how the police were likely to proceed. He thinks this will be enough to get things started, but even if both of you press charges and Vince is taken into custody, he could be right back out on bail.”
When he arrived, the sheriff’s deputy told them the same thing. He regarded both Laila and the other woman somberly. “If you’ve got someplace else to stay for a while, it might be a good idea to do it. Let’s get this guy behind bars for good before you let down your guard. The reason people like this leave their messages on answering machines is that they’re basically sick cowards. He’s not going to be happy about being identified.”
Will turned to his other client. “You have a place to stay?”
She nodded. “I have an older brother here in town. I can stay with him. I’ll probably need to be there to keep him from killing the guy, anyway.”
The deputy winced. “I did not just hear that.”
Laila smiled at her. “Ditto with mine, which is why I’m not saying a word to him just yet.” She looked pointedly at Jess when she said it. Jess nodded her agreement.
“Okay, then, we’ll go pick this guy up,” the deputy promised. “I’ll stay in touch with you, let you know what’s going on.”
“Thanks,” Will said.
He turned to Laila and the other woman. “Any expenses you have because you’re out of your homes, I’ll cover,” he assured them.
“That won’t be a problem,” the other woman said.
“And Laila’s staying with me,” Jess told him.
Will didn’t look appeased. “I’m just saying, if you need it, the help’s there, and I’m not just saying that because I’m worried about repercussions. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to both of you.”
Laila regarded him with concern.
