The Quokka Question by Claire McNab

Author:Claire McNab
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Women Private Investigators
ISBN: 9781555839154
Publisher: Alyson Books
Published: 2005-12-01T03:00:00+00:00

"All right, I'll do that, but I guarantee there won't be fingerprints," said Pen. "This one's too smart. For example, he uses a different florist every time. I tried a spot of detective work myself, and called a couple of florists to find out who'd ordered the flowers. Got nowhere."

Ariana's signet ring flashed as she picked up a ballpoint—black, of course. "I'd like the name of any florist you remember delivering flowers to you."

After Pen had named the three she recalled, Ariana said, "What about telephone calls?"

"I may have spoken to him. I'm not sure. Callers to my radio show are screened, so the real crazies never get through to me. As an additional safeguard, there's a ten-second delay on the broadcast, so if necessary I can cut the person off before anything objectionable goes to air. Lately, I've had a few odd calls that seem to be from the same man. He isn't initially screened out because he sounds a reasonable human being until he gets me on the line."

"What does he say?" Ariana asked.

Pen grimaced. "Like the notes, extreme violence. Sexual sadism. Nothing I haven't heard before, but it's different when it's directed at me, personally."

"What would you expect?" demanded Oscar, bouncing in his seat. "You openly encourage grubby little people to sprout grubby little stories about their bodily functions."

"Oscar has a few hangups," said Pen, smiling indulgently at her brother.

I braced myself for an explosion, but Oscar merely spluttered ineffectually and then subsided.

"What about calls to your home phone?" said Ariana.

"Nothing so far. The number's unlisted."

"That's no protection against someone determined to get to you. Let an answering machine pick up all your calls from now on."

Pen frowned. "So you think he's going to start pestering me on my home phone?"

"I'm surprised he hasn't already," Ariana remarked.

Curious, I asked, "How do you know it's a man? Could the calls to the radio station be made by a woman disguising her voice?"

Pen shifted her glance to me. "Do women stalk? I would have thought they'd have better things to do with their time."

"Women stalk," said Ariana. "And they can be just as dangerous. Is there anything to indicate this person could be someone with whom you had a prior relationship?"

Pen grinned. "No way. I leave my lovers of both sexes fully satisfied." Ariana's serious expression didn't change. "A large proportion of stalkers have had some sort of intimate relationship with their victims." Affronted, Pen declared, "I'm not a victim—and never will be!" "If you're being stalked, you're the victim of a crime," said Ariana. "Have you considered going to the police?"

"Bloody cops," said Oscar. "Steer clear of them, I say." Pen smiled warmly at Ariana. "First, let's see what you come up with, Ariana."

Ariana didn't smile back. "I'll give you a printed list of precautionary steps to take. As I'll be in Sacramento tomorrow and Friday, I suggest Bob Verritt takes over your case. He's a very experienced investigator and well-versed in problems like yours."

"Sacramento?" Pen seemed disappointed, but then her spirits visibly lightened.

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