The Scripted Stalker - Chapter 31 & 32

A Psychological Thriller

Chapter 31

Detective Douglass Reed waited outside the office of Dr. Amanda Greer. It had been an uneventful day with his investigation. Amanda refused to return his calls. She had stated previously she would not speak to him without a lawyer present. He knew who the lawyer would be. Tab Gibbens. He shook his head. She would find a loophole, he was sure.

He sat back in his car seat. It was almost 5pm. Amanda should be wrapping up therapy soon with Tad. According to Marissa, Tad had a therapy appointment at 4pm and then a “business dinner.” What kind of business, Douglass could only imagine.

At 5:05 pm he saw Tad walk out of Amanda’s office and get into his car. This guy was even better looking than on TV he decided. Not that he looked at dudes, but this guy had a swagger that irritated him. It pissed Douglass off that this guy was probably the womanizer that Marissa thought he was. It also irritated him that a nice woman, like Marissa fell for him. It seems that is what all women want, a good-looking man with status and money. Nice guys finish last was becoming his motto.

A few minutes later Douglass watched Amanda head out to her car. She started her Lexus and headed down Burbank. Tad waited a few seconds and followed her. Douglass put his car in gear and made sure he stayed several car lengths behind them.

He followed them a few blocks to Laurel Beach Condominiums on the bay. Douglass parked across the street in an empty lot. He watched as Amanda walked out of her car towards Tad. They immediately embraced and started making out. Douglass snapped photos of them. Wow, they didn’t waste any time and didn’t seem to care about who saw them. They were making his job easy, for now. When they finished making out, they walked hand in hand to her condo and disappeared into her building. Douglass took photos of both cars too so he could run their license plates. Margo would also give a tracker to Marissa to put on Tad’s car so they could track him.

He knew that Tad and Amanda could very well be suspects in the Natalia Novita case. There were too many coincidences.

He would sit and wait to see how long Tad would stay in the condo.

Douglass unwrapped his sandwich, glad he brought food with him. It could be a long night.

Chapter 32

Barney was remembering way too much, Amanda thought as she paced her spacious condo. Barney! Freaking Barney! Now with Tad’s case open it was only a matter of time before they started putting things together.

Amanda smiled to herself as she recalled her conversation earlier tonight with Tad. She was able to get more information from him. He really opened up after the cocktail she made him. The weed helped too.

Tad was sitting on her couch, and he took a swig of bourbon. Little did he know she had it laced with a sedative. “Yeah, they found hair on the boat that didn’t match Natalia’s DNA! So, Steve did have women on that boat,” he said and then shrugged. “Maybe it was because he was cheating on her and she found out.”

Tad narrowed his eyes and smirked. “I still became his defense attorney. I always win. Even if I think they are wrong. This time I didn’t think so. I knew I was right.”

Tad laughed again and took another drag from his joint. Sex, weeds and her training as a shrink, it was all working, Amanda thought.

“What makes you so sure you were right? What evidence pointed to that?” Amanda asked leaning closer to him.

Tad pointed to his head. “Intuition,” he said. “Plus, Steve’s alibi checked out. There was no way he could be at the boat that night. Not humanly possible. He was spotted across town.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow quizzically. “Where?” she asked.

Tad laughed. “He was with a high-class escort! You know a sex worker. He didn’t want anyone to know. So, he hid that and his alibi. Last week the escort came forward with some information and provided valid proof.”

Amanda couldn’t believe what he was saying. “What the fuck?” she said out loud and then forced herself to calm down. She was angry that Steve had yet another woman besides Natalia and a hooker at that. How could she, an educated woman, have fallen for that?

Amanda forced herself to laugh and poured Tad more Bourbon. “Who would believe a hooker? I mean really. What proof does she have?”

Tad took a swig of bourbon “Video. They made sex videos! Steve was trying to hide that too. I guess he would rather not mention his alibi and get convicted of murder instead of having his video circulating on the internet.”

“Wow,” Amanda said. She had to give the hooker credit. Video. Yes of course! Oh, why hadn’t she thought of that?

Tad yawned and closed his eyes. “I got to get home. The wife…” he trailed off.

Amanda leaned closer to him. He was too messed up to drive. Her plan was working. “Stay here baby. Just take a short nap.” she whispered in his ear.

He murmured something inaudible, and then he was fast asleep. Amanda covered him with a blanket. Well, this was one way to get him to spend the night.

Amanda finished Tad’s bourbon. She needed it. She raked her fingers though her dark hair.

The cops were going to start snooping again. She had Steve’s boat still at the dock, and they cleaned it thoroughly several times. What the hell?

Damn it! Amanda thought. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. It was Barney’s fault. That stupid oaf! Now what the fuck was she going to do?

She had to get to Barney before the detectives did.