Page 61 of Triple Protection
They briefly fill us in on their top five suspects. They blatantly agree it still could be anyone, but statistically speaking, they've identified the top five.
Their number one suspect is Sammy Muscles. A frequent commenter and messenger, he's local, a competing influencer and overly aggressive. I get the feeling in his comments he doesn't take 'no' for an answer and is aggressive enough he may be on steroids. He seems slightly unhinged, but I don't want to judge anyone if they've got undiagnosed mental health issues. They like Sammy as the suspect for a multitude of reasons, but the fact that he's another influencer adds a layer of desperation.
As influencers, we peddle in the market of attention spans, and we're at the mercy of any algorithm changes the platforms want to make. We could wake up one morning to lose all of our influence overnight if the platform decides to prioritize one thing over another. Stalkers want control. They want access and control. If we're all competing for the same attention spans, Sammy could feel threatened that I'm taking attention away from him.
Add that want for influencing control and layer it into a physical attraction and you've got a deadly combination.
The second is a single 18-year-old who works at a local fast-food joint. He's been persistent in my DMs, commenting almost daily. He's also consistently been one of the firsts to comment whenever I post anything, hinting at an unhealthy obsession. It's like he's on my account all day, waiting for new content, or he has an alert set up whenever I post.
The third is an older professor at a community college in San Fran. Same kind of behavior, but his comments lean towards the aggressive end of the spectrum. Where the 18-year-old's comments were complementary, the professor's comments lean towards wanting me, wanting a future, and promising things for the future together.
A shiver roles through me, and Amy reaches over to take my hand before Liam puts another hand on my shoulder.
The fourth and fifth are similar - white men between 18-50, within a 3-hour radius, but no other real leads to go on.
The PI's they hired tracked each of these men for days without much luck. It seems they're all going about their normal routine, but until one of them makes a move, we won't know for sure. The scary thing is that their next move may be my last.
"What about Marshal?" Amy pipes up.
"Marshal?" I ask.
"Yeah." She shrugs. "I don't know. I get weird vibes from him. He's short and hostile toward me and seems overly protective of you. He's made some comments that are... I don't know. They weirded me out."
"Really? He's been hostile? Why didn't you tell me?"
She shrugs again. "I don't take it personally. Some people are just difficult to work with. Plus, I'm new, so I'm still getting a feel for things."
I consider for a moment. "No, it can't be Marshal. I've known him for years and he's never made me feel uncomfortable."
She gives me a skeptical look, like she's not convinced.
"He is overly protective, but like a big brother. Plus, if he was the stalker, why now? Why wouldn't he have done something years ago?"
Alex looks guilty. "We did have a PI track him as well," he admits. "Besides his apartment and a few grocery store runs, he disappears every afternoon for hours at a time. The PI always loses him in LA traffic."
I nod. Can't blame them there.
"He probably goes to a strip club or book club or something."
The boys share a look but let it go and move on to our next steps. I get the feeling they're not convinced, but they know better than to accuse someone close to me.
Without any real leads, we agree to let the PIs continue to follow the suspects, and Marshal, and move our conversation to prepping for DigiCon.
I've been waiting all year for this event, and I can't wait! Amy and I retreat back to our office and start talking about dress, makeup and hair for the event.
Chapter forty-three
Alex
Alex
A week later, we're in a hotel room in the historic district of LA, getting ready for a night out. As an event, DigiCon is a security and logistical nightmare. The event coordinators have put us up in a fancy hotel across the street from the science museum, where the actual event is being held. The hotel has its own level of security, but it's the kind that is there more for show than for use. The only way around it is requesting two adjoining rooms. That way, one of us is always with her while the others sleep, if we need to.
Each room has its own bathroom, living space and two Queen-sized beds. On the tables in each, we lay out a veritable arsenal of equipment and weapons. We aren't allowed weapons in the museum, but we will be covered at night.
I have been picked to go as her "date", since I am more experienced in physical security. Liam and Brick will be parked in the SUV behind the museum, where Liam will tap into themuseum's security cameras and keep an eye out for anything suspicious at the entrances and streets surrounding. We did keep back some weapons in the SUV, just in case.
I hate the tux I'm wearing, even though I know it makes me look good. When Princess saw me in it and bit her lower lip, I knew. I also know I am going to attract attention from other women and I hate it. They will be a distraction when I need to be focused on Angela and the exits.