You Belong to Me – 35

 

 

“Do you believe him?” Lieutenant North asked when Darin finished telling him everything Corey had said.

 

“Yes. He acted stupidly at first until the burglary. Then not mentioning the stalker to me when I first interviewed him. I suspect that primarily had to do with the fact that he didn’t think the police could, or would, do anything about it. And,” Darin said tightly, “that I might not believe him about the stalker as a result.”

 

“Even though his own brother’s a cop.” The lieutenant shook his head in disgust. “When will people learn to trust us to protect them?”

 

“When hell freezes over,” Darin replied dryly.

 

“Unfortunately. All right, what sort of plan have you come up with, since I suspect that’s why you’re here?”

 

“From all Mr. Byrne told me, I’m sure the stalker is getting off on terrorizing him. If he, Byrne, appeared to have found a new man, that might draw the stalker out and get him to make another move against Byrne or his new boyfriend.”

 

“Probably, but wouldn’t the stalker wonder why it happened so fast?”

 

“Good point.” Darin drummed his fingers on the desk, then took out his phone. After placing the call, he told one of the team he’d sent back to search Corey’s apartment that if they found any listening devices, they were to leave them in place. Hanging up, he said, “I want Byrne to move back there as soon as possible. Can I pull in a team to clean the place up ASAP rather than having him hire a company to do it?”

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“Byrne returns home, then he gets a call from… an ex-lover who’s just moved back here. They talk and decide they want to try again.”

 

The lieutenant nodded. “That might work. Who do you plan on using?”

 

“Scott Reed would be the best one, if he’s available.”

 

“He is. He ended his last undercover assignment a week ago and is taking some R & R time. I’ll tell him to get in touch with you so the two of you can set things up. Is there anything else you need?”

 

“Not at the moment, as long as I have your permission to send a cleanup team to Byrne’s apartment.”

 

“You do.”