Shoe Addicts Anonymous (20 page)

“I don’t know. All I know is that he knows where I live. When I leave my house, he shows up within a couple of blocks, and when I go home, he turns off a block or two before my turn usually. He’s always behind me, so there’s no way for me to whip around and see where
he’s
going.”

“Not without some pretty fancy driving anyway,” Joss agreed, furrowing her brow. “I know a guy back home in Felling who’s
excellent
at that kind of thing. When they came to the town next to ours to film
Runaway Truck,
he actually did stunt driving for them.”

Helene couldn’t help but smile at the idea of the people in Joss’s small town being excited about a film called
Runaway Truck
. It was like that where Helene came from as well. Oh, sure, there were pockets of intellectuals, pockets of artistes, pockets of just about every kind of person, but those pockets were sometimes mighty small. If
Runaway Truck
had premiered in her town, you could have broken into just about any house in town without getting caught.

“I don’t suppose you’ve done any stunt driving?” Sandra asked her.

“Hardly.” Joss laughed. “But I’m a heck of a lookout.”

“That can come in handy.” Sandra lifted her wineglass to her lips but was stopped by a sudden exclamation from Lorna.

“Wait! Nobody drink.”

Sandra set her glass down as if she’d just seen a cockroach floating in the top.

Joss went ahead and took a sip before putting hers down.

And Helene hadn’t been able to take so much as a sip without feeling ill at the very idea.

“What?”
Sandra asked. “You scared me half to death.”

“Sorry. But I have an idea. I have a
great
idea.” She got up and hurried to the kitchen, flipping off the light as she went in.

“Have you lost your mind?” Sandra asked. “What are you doing in there?”

But Helene was starting to get an idea of where Lorna was headed. “Is he out there?”

Lorna emerged from the kitchen, looking like the cat who had the canary cornered. “Why, as a matter of fact, he is.”

“What do you want to do, go out and confront him?” Sandra asked.

“No,” Lorna said.

“He’d get away,” Helene added quickly.

Lorna nodded. “Exactly.”

“So what’s the idea?” Joss asked eagerly. “Call the police?”

“I already did that,” Helene said. “They can’t do anything until he maims or kills me.”

“But we can’t let that happen!” Joss cried.

“We won’t,” Lorna assured her. “We’re just going to get him at his own game.”

“Ahhh.” Sandra nodded. “I think I see where this is going.”

“Where?”
Joss’s face was knitted with confusion. “I feel so stupid for not getting this!”

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Lorna said, sitting down in front of them and talking quietly, even though there was no way the guy could hear them from outside. “First we conference call between all of our cell phones.”

Helene was starting to like this. “Okay…”

“Then Helene drives out first. He follows, right?”

“Definitely,” Helene said dryly.

“Perfect.” Lorna looked at Joss. “Do you have a car?”

She shook her head. “No, I take the bus.”

“Good, then you can go with Helene and keep lookout, just like you said.”

“But will he follow her if she has someone else in the car?” Sandra asked.

“Good point.” Lorna looked at Helene. “What do you think?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t had anyone else in the car with me. But maybe we shouldn’t take the chance.”

“I’m a little nervous behind the wheel,” Sandra volunteered. “Maybe Joss could drive my car. If you’re comfortable with that, I mean, Joss.”

“Sure.”

“Great.” Lorna’s eyes were bright with excitement. “So you two go second, watching for any moves he might make that Helene can’t see from in front, and I’ll drive behind so I can follow him if he deviates off course.”

“This is crazy,” Sandra said. “But I like it.”

“Me, too,” Lorna said. Then she looked at Helene. “Do you think he’d follow you down River Road, around Esworthy? It’s off the beaten track.”

“He’s followed me up 270 to Frederick, he’s wound down 355 to Germantown behind me, he’s managed to keep chase through every damn light on Wisconsin Avenue.” She nodded. “I’m pretty confident he’ll follow me through the Potomac. Child’s play.”

“It sounds like it,” Lorna agreed. She stood up again and got a piece of paper and a pen, and began drawing a rudimentary map. “Is everyone familiar with that area down by the locks?”

“I used to take horseback riding there,” Sandra said.

“I used to have romantic dates with Jim there,” Helene said. “Back when I used to have romantic dates with Jim, that is.”

“Well, you know the part of Siddons Road that does this?” She drew the unusual double
D
pattern of Siddons road, and everyone nodded. “What I’m thinking is, Helene, you park here.” She drew an
X
. “Sandra and Joss will block him in on the east, and I’ll come through the west. He won’t have any way to get out without smashing his car or driving into the Potomac River.”

“What if smashing a car is his choice?” Joss asked.

“Hm.” Lorna tapped her chin. “Good point.”

Helene had liked the idea until Joss pointed out that obvious and serious problem. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt, especially not because of her.

“So either Joss or I will keep one of our phones free so we can call 911 if we need to.”

Lorna snapped her fingers. “Perfect.”

“I’m in,” Joss chirped.

Helene had been ready to let them all off the hook, and here they were bounding like enthusiastic puppies into God-knew-what.

“As the old lady of this bunch, I really think I should talk you guys out of this,” Helene said, feeling a rush of tears threatening again. “Though I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you care enough to go to such lengths for me.”

“Are you kidding?” Sandra was looking flushed. “This is more excitement than I’ve had in
years
. Let’s go!”

Everyone got up and collected their things, chattering nervously about how this was going to solve the problem once and for all.

Helene waited behind and caught Lorna on the way out.

“Thank you so much,” she said to her, fighting tears. She didn’t know why she was so emotional lately, but if there was ever a good reason to feel like crying, this was it.

Lorna looked surprised. “For what?”

“For everything. For thinking of this idea and rallying the troops.” Here came the waterworks again. “For starting this group to begin with. Really. Thank you.”

Lorna gave her a hug and held on just long enough to show it was sincere. “Any time.”

“I’m a mess.”

“No, you’re not. But you’ve got reason to be. Come on,” she gestured, like the general leading the troops, “let’s go get this bastard. He’ll be sorry he ever messed with you.”

“I’m sure he will. By the way,” Helene said, and Lorna stopped and turned to her. “This is just a hunch, but you watched
Scooby-Doo
a lot as a child, didn’t you?”

Lorna smiled and nodded. “Every Saturday morning.”

S
andra was glad Joss was driving, because even sitting in the passenger seat, she felt like her heart was going to beat its way right out of her chest.

She’d made a lot of progress over the past couple of months in terms of getting out and meeting people, but she wasn’t quite to the “driving a high speed chase” level yet.

Though, truth be told, she was psyched to be part of this. She’d never been part of anything that felt thrilling or important before. Even when she was taking her phone calls—maybe
especially
when she was taking her phone calls—she felt like she was wasting her time and her callers’ time, and that she really should be doing something more worthwhile, if only she didn’t need the money.

“This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Joss said.

“I bet. It’s got to be a real drag being stuck in that big house playing Cinderella all the time.”

Joss shrugged. “I hate to complain….” She hesitated. “Yeah, it’s been pretty awful. But I really feel like I can
help
the boys.” She reconsidered a moment. “Well, the younger one, anyway. I honestly think I’m getting through to him.”

“How many women have said the same thing to justify staying in a difficult situation?” Sandra asked. “Granted, it’s usually a
man
they’re talking about, but the point’s the same. You can’t sacrifice yourself at the altar of Deena Oliver’s bad parenting, because no matter how you slice it, you’re still just an employee.”

“But—”

“You can’t
fix
what’s wrong with their family.”

“I know.” Joss sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s doing them more harm than good seeing how their mother pushes me around. Does the good of my caring for them outweigh the bad of them seeing someone who cares about them treated like a doormat?”

Sandra tried to puzzle that out, but she didn’t know the answer. “Look, just consider the fact that maybe this isn’t the right job for you.”

“Maybe not, but there’s the contract.”

“I know we’ve talked about that before, and it’s really honorable that you want to stick to the letter of your contract, but look, if your
boss
is willing to break the contract, why shouldn’t you be?”

Joss was silent for a moment, and Sandra got the feeling that, for the first time, she was actually considering it. “You may be right,” she said at last.

“I
am
. And consider the fact that you’re being asked, maybe even bullied, to do all those things that aren’t part of your job description. That’s not in the contract.”

“No. Those things are definitely not in the contract.”

“I’ve got an idea. I know a lawyer who I’m pretty sure would do a phone consultation with you.” This was going to be one of the strangest barters Sandra had ever heard of, but she
did
have a regular caller—one of the talkers—who was a lawyer. She was pretty sure it wouldn’t be hard to set up an anonymous call so Joss could get some advice. “Would you be interested?”

Joss glanced at her. “You’re one of the nicest friends I’ve ever had,” she said with a completely guileless smile. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”

Sandra was surprised by how much this touched her. She’d never had any close friends, and until recently she hadn’t really realized how much she was missing.

It was amazing how much her life had turned around in these past few months. Mike. Weight Watchers. That mind-altering conversation with Tiffany.

Sandra had never been so happy.

“I’m glad to do it,” she said. Then, embarrassed by her own emotion, she looked at the road ahead and said, “We’re going to be turning left in about a quarter of a mile.”

The blue car was still in front of them, though someone had whipped their Land Rover out between the blue car and Sandra’s, and when they went around a bend in the road, Sandra noticed Helene’s black BMW about four car lengths in front of him.

Sandra’s phone rang and she flipped it open.

It was Lorna. “Hey, it’s me. Helene, are you still on?”

“I’m here,” Helene’s voice said.

“Cool! I did it right!” Lorna’s voice reflected the excitement Sandra was seeing in Joss. “All right, so we’re all here. Is the stalker there, too?”

“I see him,” Sandra said. “He’s a little bit behind Helene.”

“This is crazy,” Helene said. “Does anyone have anything we can use as a weapon if we need to? Umbrella? Anything?”

“I’ve got Mace,” Sandra said.

“Wow, really?” Joss said, next to her.

Sandra pointed to the fat Mace pen on the key chain in the ignition.

“I’ve got a chain dog collar in my glove compartment,” Lorna said. “If you whip it around, it’s actually a great weapon.”

“Lorna, is there something you want to tell us?” Sandra joked. “Why would you keep a dog collar in your glove box?”

“What?” Joss asked.

Sandra laughed and whispered, “It’s for protection.”

“For just this kind of occasion,” Lorna said. “You never know when a friend might prevail upon you to chase down a stalker.”

Everyone laughed.

“Okay, I’m turning off,” Helene said. “This is your last chance to bail.”

“No way,” Lorna said.

“We’re with you,” Sandra said, and, to her utter amazement, the last traces of her fear dissolved. “All the way.”

The street before them was dark, and the night sky was filled with stars, the way only a remote place can be.

They had to act fast.

As planned, Helene drew to a halt, turning her car sideways, Joss whipped in next to her—so close, Sandra was amazed they didn’t hit Helene’s bumper. Lorna pulled in, equally close, blocking the hapless stalker in without room to turn around, and no way to escape unless he wanted to back right into the river and swim for it.

They all left their headlights on, so Sandra could tell the guy looked like he was contemplating the water.

What followed went so quickly, there was hardly any time to think. They leapt out of their cars and surrounded the guy.

Joss tossed the keys to Sandra and said, “I don’t know how to work that thing.”

Sandra removed the cap from the Mace and stood ready.

“I
knew
it was you.” Helene’s voice shook with anger. “Why have you been following me?”

The guy got out of his car, keeping his hands up in plain view. Either he’d been through this before, or he’d seen too many police shows on TV. Like the rest of them.

“Whoa, you guys are good.” He stood about five feet ten inches tall. He had a blandly handsome face, like a soap opera actor, with blond hair that was almost the color of his skin.

He didn’t
look
like much of a threat.

“Who
are
you?” Lorna demanded.

“His name is Gerald Parks,” Helene said. “He’s a photographer who’s been trying to blackmail me.”

“I’m not a photographer. I’m a private detective.”

“Since when?” Helene asked, looking genuinely shocked.

“I have been the whole time. I said I was a photographer as a cover story.”

“I don’t think detectives are supposed to blackmail people,” Sandra said.

“The blackmail wasn’t for real. That was the story I was hired to tell.”

“Okay.” Lorna stepped forward and held her hand out. The thick silver chain glinted in the headlights. “Who hired you, then?”

Sandra had to suppress a laugh at how positively menacing Lorna and her chain looked.

He frowned at the chain. “Are you crazy?”

Joss opened her phone and held it up in front of her.

Lorna whipped the chain around like some kind of matador.

“Shit, you
are
crazy,” Gerald Parks said. “Either that or you’re on the rag.”

Lorna whipped the chain close to him. “Nothing’s more dangerous than a crazy woman who’s just been accused of being on the rag by a dumpy little caveman.” The chain came so close to him, at such a rapid speed, that he must have felt the breeze from it.

“Stop it!” he shrieked.

“Who hired you to follow Helene?” Lorna demanded, and tapped him with the chain.

“I’m not telling you that. You can hit me with your goddam chain all you want. It’s confidential.” The guy’s eyes darted around and landed on Joss. “What the hell are
you
doing? If you’re calling the police,
you’re
going to be the ones to get in trouble. And a lot of it.”

“I’m not calling the police,” Joss said, in a calm voice. “It’s way worse than that. I’m taking a video of you cowering away from a few helpless women. I gotta tell you, Gerald, it’s not a flattering view. In fact, you look pretty funny. I think if I put it on the Internet, it’s going to make the rounds.” Then she pulled out her trump card. “Remember the
Star Wars
Kid? He was all over the Internet.
Everyone
forwarded that embarassing video along.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Gerald said, putting his hands up again. “Nothing’s worth this.” He turned to Helene. “I’ll tell you the truth.”

Sandra recalled Luis’s story about Helene shoplifting. If he really was a detective, did he have something to do with that? Should Sandra somehow try to stop him before he said it out loud and everyone else found out? She froze with the desire to help and the complete uncertainty as to how to do it.

“Go on,” Helene said evenly.

Sandra cringed, anticipating his answer.

“I don’t know why he told me to blackmail you. I guess it was to scare you. Keep you complacent. Who knows? I don’t ask why. I just do what I’m paid to do.”

“Who paid you to do it?” Helene asked. She looked like she was going to be sick. “Who hired you?”

“Your husband.”

“My husband,” she repeated dully, her suspicions finally out there, admitted.

“Yeah, Demetrius Zaharis.”

Sandra hurried over to Helene and put an arm through hers to help prop her up.

“Right,” Lorna said. “Why would we believe her husband hired you to blackmail her?”

“Because it’s true,” Gerald snapped. “Look, I’ve got his private number on my cell phone.” He reached in his front pocket.

“Slow,” Sandra said, half-enjoying the
Cagney & Lacey
–ness of it all. “Put it on the ground and kick it over to her.” It was a good safety precaution.

Joss giggled, but turned it into a cough.

Sandra tried not to do the same thing as Gerald did what she’d asked and kicked the phone over.

Helene picked it up and looked. “That’s it, all right.”

“Call him, Parks,” Lorna said. “Let Helene hear him talk to you.”

“Yes, call him,” Helene said stiffly.

Sandra took the phone from Helene and tossed it back to Gerald.

“What do you want me to say to him?” he asked Lorna.

“What do you normally say to him at the end of the night?”

“I report where she’s gone and what she’s done.”

“Then do that. Only leave this part out.” She looked at Joss. “Are you still filming?”

Joss nodded. “I already uploaded the first part, and now I’m filming again.”

Lorna looked at Gerald. “Isn’t technology great?”

He rolled his eyes and dialed the phone and put it on speaker.

“Do you mind if we all hear?” Sandra whispered to Helene.

She shook her head.

“Zaharis.”

“It’s Parks here.”

“What have you got for me?”

“Nothing much to report. Are you at home?”

“No, I’m at…a friend’s. What do you care?”

Sandra felt Helene stiffen.

“Well, she’s at home now. First she went to the Rafferty chick’s place, and hung out with them.”

“Anything unusual happen?”

Even in the headlights, Sandra could see Gerald blush. “Nope. Looked like it was just the same as always.”

There was a woman’s voice in the background, but it was impossible to tell what she said.

Gerald glanced at Helene. “That’s all.”

“Got it. Ciao.” Jim Zaharis clicked his phone off.

Sandra was disgusted. What a creep Zaharis was! Here he had a great wife like Helene and he was off messing around with another woman.
And
had the gall to have a detective tailing Helene while he did it.

Pig.

And that smarmy
ciao
—that had really tipped him into creep territory.

“I don’t want to go home,” Helene said quietly.

“Come to my place,” Sandra volunteered immediately. “How about you all come over, and we’ll talk Helene through this.”

Gerald, whom she’d forgotten for a moment, said, “Sure.”

“Not
you,
” Lorna snapped. “Are you nuts?”

Helene looked at Gerald. “What have you told him about me?”

He met her eyes. “Just what you do, where you go, who you see, and how long you do it. That’s what he asked me to do.”

“Did you—?” She hesitated and cleared her throat. “Did you tell him anything else?”

“You mean like the fact that your name’s not really Helene and you were never even
in
Ohio, much less born there?” He shook his head, keeping his eyes level on hers. “I haven’t told him that part. Yet.”