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That afternoon Matt took Sady back to her apartment. Once inside, she didn't have a chance to relive the bad episode. The security installation tech was waiting to show her how to use the new system.
Sady looked in awe at the device that required retinal and fingerprint scans. It also checked her body temperature and pulse during the few seconds it took to identify her. Anything out of the ordinary sent up a flag and the person monitoring the system would call her. She picked a safe word to use if she was okay. Not using the safe password or not answering her phone would alert someone to check on her. From the outside it looked like a normal security box, but it also had a camera. Sady didn't want to know the price tag on this piece of equipment. Probably more than she earned in a lifetime.
They programmed it to allow Matt entry to the apartment too. The windows wouldn't open at all without triggering the silent alarm. The French doors were covered to prevent anyone from seeing the barricade they hid.
After the tech left and Sady plopped down on a chair. "You think Morrow is going overboard here?" she asked Matt.
"No, I don't. Short of locking you away somewhere this is the best he can do." Matt took her bag down the hall and put it in the guest room. "We're switching for now. And don't tell CJ," he warned her. She didn't protest, happy to have a different room.
"Oh, I have something for you from Amanda." He held out his hand and showed her the taser. "This is between the three of us. CJ and Harry might be in trouble if they knew about it." Sady understood. Michigan law required a permit to carry a concealed gun even for a taser. Matt showed her how to use it and she put it in her bag.
"Amanda knows the basics of what's going on, but her part is just to help keep an eye on you... well, besides supplying the taser," he grinned. "She's going with you tonight. She might be a bad influence but I feel better knowing she's watching out for you."
Harry called and told them he was picking the women up at six.
Sady had her phone back and sent Amanda a text, thanking her for the help and asking if she could be ready by six. "Been ready for a half hour. What's the holdup?"
"Waiting for our ride. Sorry, they won't let us loose without a chaperon."
Sady get ready to play the part of a college student again. Was it only 24 hours ago that life was still normal? It seemed longer than that.
Amanda must have been anxious because she was waiting at the door with Harry when he knocked. "I'd recognize him anywhere," she told Sady, looking Harry up and down like he was dessert. "Mmm-MMM!"
Harry looked uncomfortable and Matt shoved him out the door. "Have a good time, Harry." Amanda stood back and let Harry get a few steps in ahead of them.
"That is one fine-looking man," she said admiringly.
"That fine-looking man has a wife who could, and would, disembowel anyone who takes liberties," Sady warned her.
"Just window shopping, girl. There's no law against that, is there? If there is then lock me up because I've been breaking that one for a long time." Amanda's incorrigible, Sady thought with a smile of appreciation as they caught up to Harry.
Sady didn't want to start at what she now thought of as the puke bar, so they went to the next place on the list. She ordered a non-alcoholic drink and scanned the bar. Her guy was in the corner, like all the others had been. Amanda had a table and wasn't by herself for long. Harry found the most inconspicuous spot in the place and wasn't drinking the beer he ordered.
Sady panned back around, pausing at one face that seemed familiar. Why, she didn't know. He was so average she probably couldn't give a good description of him later. He was drinking by himself, minding his own business. He left shortly after they arrived but something about him bothered Sady.
It appeared her hacker guy was all business, which was a relief. He looked up as she sat down next to him and passed her fake student ID. He inspected it so long she was getting nervous. Finally he handed it back. "What do you want?"
"Uhm, a little tutoring for an upcoming Psych test," she said hesitantly.
He stared at her intently for another minute. Then he wrote something down on a business card and pushed it across the table. He turned away indicating their business was finished. That was it? Sady picked up the card and left the bar. There was a time, a date, and a dollar amount written on the card.
Harry followed her out as soon as she left and Amanda came out a short while later. Sady showed them the card. Amanda grabbed it and said, "I see I'm in the wrong business."
Sady turned to Harry. "Do you have me registered as a student? He seemed overly cautious when he looked over my ID and I bet he checks up before he makes any deals." Harry nodded with a worried look at Amanda in the rear-view mirror.
"Hey, you should have let me know. I could have registered her and saved you the bother of hacking into our system," Amanda said. Harry winced at her choice of words. Some of their clients might not approve of the more creative methods they used occasionally.
"Don't worry, I won't tell," she promised. "Just as long as you let me tag along once in a while. Oh, these are yours." She handed Harry receipts from her bar hopping trip. Harry nodded and put them in his shirt pocket.
"The funny thing is Professor Ames won't even change that test. It's like a game of revenge. Once those kids hear the seller got busted, they'll throw away those answers without a second look," Amanda told them. "I'd like to be there when they realize he got one over on them."
Matt almost looked disappointed when they came back so soon. Sady flashed the business card and Matt asked Harry how things went.
"A walk in the park, my friend. I didn't even get to finish my beer."
"This one didn't give you any trouble?" Matt pointed at Amanda.
"Other than trying to convince me to leave CJ and run away with her?" Harry asked. "No."
"Please," Amanda told Matt. "I didn't hear you complain when I rescued you from that old drunk woman yesterday." Matt flushed and Harry's laugh became a cough. Amanda turned to Harry and handed him another fistful of receipts. "I forgot about these. I scouted these places in advance for your crew after Grumpy pulled the plug last night."
"You expect him to pay for your alcoholic bar hopping spree?" Matt asked her incredulously.
"Someone had to do your job. If you ask me, you aren't very good at it. We found your guy at the first place he took us," Amanda sent a smile in Harry's direction.
"You were in charge last night. That's why..." Harry pulled on Matt's arm and nodded at Sady who looked tired. Amanda noticed as well, and she hugged Sady with an apology.
"I'll check on you tomorrow. And get ready for the crazy to start. The college kids will start their invasion in a day or two. If you need anything from the store best get it now because the shelves will look like a Biblical plague went through once those kids get here."
"Thanks for everything, Amanda." Sady walked her to the door. Amanda winked and left.
"Well, I'm going to head home and confess Amanda's sins to CJ," Harry told them. "Nice job tonight Sady. We'll see you in the morning?" They nodded as he left.
"Did you eat anything before you drank this time?" Matt asked.
"No, but I didn't drink anything either. Nothing with alcohol," she said with a yawn. "I'm going..." Her phone rang, and she stopped.
Matt pulled it out of her bag and looked at the number. "Answer it," he told her. She didn't move, and he shook her. "You have to answer it, Sady." He handed it to her, and she paused with her finger over the button. He pushed her finger then put the phone to her ear.
"Hello Sady. How did you like my present?"
Matt put her hand on the phone while he whispered in her other ear. "Answer him, Sady."
"I didn't like it," she finally said in a low voice. Matt squeezed her arm in encouragement.
"Well, that's a shame. Maybe something more personal next time?"
"No presents."
"Does your boyfriend buy you presents Sady?"
"I don't have a boyfriend."
"You don't need to lie to me. He doesn't know you like I do. I bet he has no idea you're going out with his friend, does he?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"It's okay Sady. I won't make you choose between them. Once you're with me, you'll forget all about them. Sweet dreams." He disconnected.
Sady looked distastefully at the phone, wanting to throw it again but she didn't. "I hate this," she said through gritted teeth.
Matt took the phone from her and set it down. "You did fine Sady. I guarantee your uncle is using every resource he has to find this guy. Every phone call is helping. Morrow probably has some nervous sound tech sweating right now."
She should probably feel guilty about what her uncle was doing on her behalf but she didn't. She only wished everyone dealing with a psychopath had the support she did. "Thank you. I didn't know how much I dreaded that call until it came." She shuddered, glad that first call was behind her.
"You didn't eat yet. Do you want me to order a pizza?"
She shook her head, "Yuck- go ahead without me. I'm having soup. Do you want some?"
"Hmm... soup or pizza. Hard choice, Morrow," he said with a grin as he pulled out his phone. Sady went to heat the soup and had finished eating before the pizza arrived.
"You should have gone with the soup. It was good and now I'm going to bed. Enjoy your pizza," she said with a wave. She came a little unwound as she got ready for bed but she would not give in to fear. She put on the nightshirt that read "Paste Eater." It seemed appropriate somehow.
"Let's see it," Matt hollered from the living room. "I live in anticipation of your alluring nightwear Morrow. What's this one say?" Sady popped around the corner and he laughed, "This one I believe."
"Somehow I knew you would. Goodnight." Sady left him to his pizza and whatever sports game he was watching. She looked into her old bedroom, then closed the door. It would be awhile before she was comfortable sleeping there again.