What was he keeping from her? He must have done something to upset her mother enough for her to have made that appointment with Gordon. She sat there until she heard his car pull out of the driveway. Maybe she’d try and rest before dinner; she was exhausted and couldn’t think straight anymore. She went to the kitchen and grabbed her cell phone from the counter. She was halfway up the steps when her text tone sounded. Her heart stopped when she saw it was from Private Caller.

Isn’t it time to retire that old Yale sweatshirt?

You’re turning into quite the slob.

Your mother would be appalled to see how you’re falling apart.

She clutched the railing and looked down at her shirt. How did he know what she was wearing? She ran back downstairs and yelled to the guard by the door.

“Have the guards sweep the property! The killer is out there.”

“On it,” he answered.

She ran to the window in the kitchen, looking out, thinking about the expanse of woods behind them. Was someone hiding there, using binoculars and watching her? Or was the killer closer?

14

Everyone was in a state when Blaire arrived at the house. Kate had called her near hysteria, yelling something about the killer watching her. Now Simon was pacing, Kate pale and wild-eyed, and the guards searching the entire property. Anderson was the only calm one.

“Dr. English, Mr. English, I know this is very upsetting, but we don’t know that the killer was actually here.”

“Of course he was here! He knew what I was wearing. The text said it was time to retire my Yale sweatshirt.”

Blaire put her arm around her friend and looked at the detective. “That is pretty specific. How could anyone know what she had on unless they could see her?”

“Maybe it was a lucky guess. It says on her practice’s website that she went to Yale,” Simon said.

“So what? That doesn’t mean that’s all I wear. Someone had to be watching me from the woods. It’s the only explanation,” Kate insisted, giving Simon a withering look.

“What if it’s Gordon? He’s got all that photography equipment,” Blaire said.

Anderson shook his head. “Unlikely. We got the warrant to search his house early this morning and showed up around eight, much to Mr. Barton’s surprise. The only things we found were the pictures that Ms. Barrington mentioned the other night. Nothing that could lead us to believe he had anything to do with your mother’s murder or the current threats against you. He was home during the search, and couldn’t have been anywhere near your house.”

“What did that freak say about those pictures of my wife?” Simon asked.