Chapter 21

ERIC

Flames leaped around the meat on the grill. I turned another sausage and prodded the steak. So far, so good. I hadn't burned down the veranda or filled the cottage with smoke.

Sherlock had taken up guard dog duties beside the picnic chairs. Whether that was to stop anyone from burning themselves or to be first in line for the food, I wasn't sure.

"Here's a bowl for the onions." Alex left the dish on the table. "What do you think of your new barbecue grill?"

"It's better than the one Dad used to have."

Alex grinned. "I hope so. You won't need to order takeout ever again."

Riley walked around the edge of the cottage. "Who's eating takeout?"

I sighed. I didn't think I'd ever get used to the way my heart pounded whenever I saw him.

"Not Eric," Alex said quickly. "From now on, this is a takeout-free zone. I can't believe he's never owned a barbecue grill."

"Eric isn't the only one." Riley grinned at Alex. "I probably had barbecued food three times while I was in Europe."

"I'm surrounded by philistines," Alex groaned. "You can't be in your thirties and not have burned at least one sausage."

I waved the metal tongs over the meat. "I refuse to burn the first meal I've cooked on the grill."

Riley placed a bowl of salad on the table and opened the bottle of wine he'd brought. "I'm pleased to hear it. Thanks for inviting me over. I should have finished painting an hour ago."

Alex handed Riley a wineglass. "I hope you don't mind the snooping we did to find out who you are."

"It happens all the time. That's why I don't have any personal social media accounts." He filled Alex's glass, then looked for mine.

"Not for me." I cleared my throat. Now was as good a time as any to tell Alex and Riley the other reason they were here. "I need to tell you both something."

Alex groaned. "You're putting us in your book, aren't you?"

"I wish it was that simple. A few days ago, I told Riley that someone has been stalking me. I moved to Sunrise Bay, hoping he'd lose interest and go away. He hasn't."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Alex asked. "I might have been able to help."

"The police are doing all they can. What Riley doesn't know is that a couple of days ago, the stalker recreated a murder scene from my first book. No one was hurt, but the police are worried the stalker will eventually kill someone."

Riley sat on the edge of a chair. "Are the police any closer to knowing who he is?"

"Not yet."

Alex frowned. "Why would he recreate a murder scene from your book?"

"I have no idea. Maybe he's living his life through my characters. If the police don't find any new leads, I'm hiring a bodyguard."

"I know some people who might be able to help," Alex muttered.

My eyes widened. "You do?"

"I work with people who use high-level personal protection services. If the police aren't able to find the stalker, let me know. I'll call a company I've worked with in the past."

Riley sighed. "And I thought my life was complicated. Can I do anything to help?"

I shook my head. "Just be careful. I don't know what the stalker knows about my life but, if he finds me, you may not be safe."

"I can't believe anyone would get so involved in a story."

"It happens more than you think," I said. "I worked on a lot of cases that involved copycat murders while I was a detective."

Alex studied the camera that was mounted under the veranda's roof, then looked at Riley. "Is that why you installed a security system?"

"Partly," Riley replied. "Sunrise Bay isn't the sleepy little town I remembered. It's changed. Without the extra security, the cottage is too vulnerable."

I checked the meat. "The sausages and steaks are almost cooked. Is everyone ready for dinner?"

Riley searched my face. "I don't know how you stay so positive. If someone was looking for me, I'd be stressed beyond belief."

"It's been going on for a while." I used a fork to move the meat onto a plate. "I thought the police would have found the stalker by now."

"Maybe that's where we can help," Riley said.

I slid the plate of meat onto the table. "What do you mean?"

"You told me Alex works with computers. The three of us have different careers, but we have two important things in common. We're creative and we think logically." Riley looked at Alex. "What do you do when you can't find an answer to a problem?"

"I make lists and brainstorm." Alex snapped his fingers. "We need a timeline. We can compare what the stalker's doing now with what happened during the first couple of months."

I frowned. "The police have already done that. I'll send you a copy of their report."

Riley took the plastic wrap off the salad. "Have they linked what's happened in real life with your books?"

"I don't think so."

"We could do that. If the stalker's following what happens in your stories, we might be able to anticipate his next move."

I ran my hand around the back of my neck. "Are you sure you want to get involved? I told you about the stalker because I want you to be careful."

Alex stuck his hands on his hips. "It doesn't matter whether you want us to get involved or not. The reality is that we're already involved. If the police haven't found the stalker by now, something's not right."

"It wouldn't hurt to create a new timeline," Riley added. "If we find any similarities, we could share the information with the police."

"Are you sure you have the time? We're all working with tight time frames."

Alex looked at Riley. "I can volunteer a few hours of coding time."

"I can't code anything," Riley replied. "But I'm a quick reader. I could start listing all the things that happen in the books."

I sighed. "I wish I'd brought some paperback copies with me."

"We could download the novels," Alex suggested. "Ebooks are just as good as paperbacks."

Riley jumped to his feet. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't eat all the sausages."

My eyebrows rose. I had no idea where he was going, but he looked like he was on a mission.