Finding Chloe
The Leah Ryan Mysteries

Excerpt

I’m being watched.
It was the second time I’d seen the guy in two days. Just the day before I’d seen him on the beach, wandering along the sand and looking nervous. When I caught him watching me he looked down, suddenly finding his flip-flops extremely interesting. His longish, dark blond hair was shaggy, and he looked too thin. He was maybe in his early twenties but had a worn look about him. This guy wasn’t a surfer. He didn’t have a tan.
I kept my eyes on him after that, and it wasn’t long before he gave me a last furtive glance and wandered off. I didn’t know why he’d been watching me, but told myself that he wanted to pick me up but was too shy. Still, I kept my eyes open for him on the way to my car and on the ride home.
I’d forgotten about him by the time I got home, where Buddy, my hundred and twenty-five pound rottweiler greeted me. He can cheer me even on the worst days, with that big rotti smile of his. It’s pretty easy to forget about creepy guys following me when Buddy’s around.
But the next day, there he was again.
I was sitting at the counter of my favorite Chinese food take-out place, looking through the glass door to make sure Buddy was okay in the Jeep. There the guy was, wandering too casually past the door, glancing at me as he went. When he saw that I’d caught him looking at me he quickened his pace and was soon past the door and out of sight.
I jumped up from the chair and bounded to the door, whipping it open and flying through it. He was walking quickly toward the parking lot, hands in his pockets and head hung low.
“Hey!” I ran toward him.
Buddy started barking his head off, massive block head poking out of the Jeep window.
The guy looked back at me, eyes round with shock, but kept walking.
“Stop right there or I’ll keep following your ass.” My heart was drilling against my ribcage. The guy could have a gun on him. I probably should have followed him quietly, but now that I’d started this I had to follow through. “I’ve got a full tank of gas, so I don’t care. It’s a nice day for a ride.”
His step faltered. Finally he stopped, turning slowly to face me.
“Why the hell are you following me?” I glared at him, my hands bunched into fists, ready to pummel him if I had to.
At first he didn’t say anything, but stared at me with wide, ice-blue eyes. Finally he spoke. “Because I need you.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Please. I need your help.” His gaze seemed to go right through me.
Up until then I’d been wondering if he was crazy, because he certainly wasn’t smooth enough to have been hired by somebody to watch me. No professional would’ve let himself be seen so easily. He was young, but he had the look of somebody who had seen too much in his relatively short life. And those eyes looked as deep as a bottomless well. Deep and intense, but lucid. Maybe he wasn’t a nut job.
Oh, God. I hoped he wasn’t a stalker who’d seen me somewhere and had suddenly taken a fancy to me. Those bastards are hard to shake. Sometimes damned near impossible.
I kept my voice even. “Who are you?”
“Is there somewhere we can go talk?”
“Pal, I don’t know you from a hole in the ground. You think I’m going to go somewhere with you and chat it up?”
“Please. A public place. I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve ... heard about you. I have a friend who needs your help. Just hear me out. You’re her only hope.”
I stood there staring at him for a moment, knowing that what I should do is just turn and walk away. I’d had more than my share of trouble in the past year, and damn it, I deserved a break.
I rarely do what I should.
I sighed. “Aw, hell.” How did I get dragged into these things?
I shook my head. Because if I don’t go looking for trouble. It finds me. That’s how.
I took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go to the park down the street. My dog needs a walk. But I’m starving. I’m going back to get my lunch first.”
“Great. Thank you.” He began to follow me.
I turned and stopped. “Stay here. And don’t thank me yet.”