you look like this Rebecca Matlock they saw on TV, they won’t
make the connection. I’ve already vouched for you, and that makes
a difference. Also those glasses really alter your looks. You don’t
wear them usually, do you? And your eyes aren’t really brown.”
“You’re right on both counts. I’m wearing brown contacts. The
glasses are just window dressing; they’re not prescription, just plain
glass. I also darkened my hair and my eyebrows.”
He nodded, then suddenly he grinned. “Yeah. I remember you
as a blonde. All the guys wanted to go out with you, but you
weren’t really interested.”
“I was only a freshman, too young to know what I wanted, particularly
in guys.”
“I remember there were some bets in the frat houses on who
would get you in the sack first.”
“I never heard about that.” She shook her head, wanting to
laugh and surprised by it. “Guys are immensely focused, aren’t
they?”
“Oh, yeah. I was, too, only it never did me any good, at least not
then. I remember wishing somehow that it would be me you’d go
out with, but I was too chicken ever to ask. Now, we’ll get through
this, Becca. You’re not alone anymore.”
She couldn’t believe he’d do this for her. She threw her arms
around him and hugged him tight. “Thank you, Tyler. Thank you
very much.” She felt his arms tighten around her back. She felt safe
for the first time in a very long time. No, not safe. She didn’t feel
alone anymore. That was it.
When she finally stepped back, he said, “It might even help if you
go out with me, be seen with me around town. You know, lull any
suspicions, if there are any. You’ll fit in if you’re seen with me, since
I’m a native. I’ll always call you Becca, too. That’s a very different
name from Rebecca. I believe that’s the only name the media has
used.”
“To the best of my knowledge it is.”
Tyler slid the wooden pyramid back into his jeans pocket and
hugged her once more. He said against her left ear, “I wish you’d
trusted me right away, but I understand. I think it’ll be over soon.
A three-day news hit and then it’s gone.”
As she pulled away from him, she devoutly prayed he was right.
But how could it be? The man had tried to murder the governor
of New York. He was still at large. They couldn’t just forget about
it. The thing was, there was simply nothing more she could tell the
authorities. What if she called Detective Morales and told him she
didn’t know anything more, that she’d already told them everything?
Immediately after Tyler left, she went back into the living
room and picked up the phone before she could second-guess herself.
She had to try to make him believe her. She didn’t know the
sophistication of their tracing equipment. Well, she’d just have to
get it over with, quickly, before they could get a lock on her location.
She got through very quickly to Morales, which had to be a
miracle in itself. “Detective Morales, this is Becca Matlock. I want
you to listen to me now. I’m well hidden. No one’s going to find
me, nor is there any reason for anyone to find me. I’m not hiding
from you, I’m hiding from the stalker who terrorized me and then
shot the governor. You do believe me now, don’t you? After all, I’m
sure not the one who shot him.”
“Look, Ms. Matlock, why don’t you come in and let’s talk about
it? Nothing’s for sure right now, but we need you here. We have a
lead you could help us with–”
She unclenched her teeth and spoke very slowly. “I can’t tell you
anything more than I already did. I told you the truth. I still don’t
have any idea why none of you ever believed me, but it was the
truth, all of it. I can’t help you with any so-called lead. Oh, that’s a
lie, isn’t it? Anything to get me back. But why?” She paused for a
moment. Time was passing, he didn’t answer her. She said, “Listen,