Obsession: Callie Douglas, Book One

Chapter Thirty-Three

Gabe's house was a two-story Cape Cod with white siding and black shutters and a dark red door on a dead-end road that ended at the park. The lamppost at the end of his walkway was bright against the darkening sky and I could hear the music pumping as I walked up the walkway. I rang the doorbell, and the music was immediately turned down. I heard someone padding over and then Gabe opened the door. I took one look at him and immediately burst into tears.

He pulled me into the house and, shutting the door, pulled me into his arms. He rubbed my back and let me cry.

After a moment or two, I pulled back. "I'm sorry", I said. "I didn't mean to get your shirt all wet and I think I got mascara on it as well. Damn. It's just that everything came rushing up at me when I saw you there and I just sort of let go, and I'm babbling again, aren't I?"

"Babble all you want", said Gabe as he brushed the tears from my face and tucked my hair behind my ears.

"I've got mascara running down my face, don't I?" I asked.

"Only halfway", he teased. "Seriously, you're fine. Come tell me about your day." He led me through the house to a family room at the rear. A wall of windows looked over the river.

"Wow. Great view."

"Thanks. It's the main reason I bought this place. I'm still fixing it up. The only thing that was kept up in the house was the gardens, and I'm reversing years of neglect in the house, one little bit at a time. Coffee?" he asked. "It's decaf."

"Thanks. Do you mind if I wash my face before we talk?"

"You're really worried about that mascara, aren't you?" he teased. "It's down the hall, first door on your left." By the time I came back my face was squeaky clean and I had composed myself.

"What's up?" he asked. "Not that I'm not happy you're here, it's just unexpected. I thought you were busy with Addison all night."

"We did go out for dinner, and then we hit the mall shopping. But I wasn't really into it, so after an hour and the purchase of a new outfit to wear tomorrow, I apologized to Addison and texted you, and here I am."

"It sounded like you had a pretty crappy day."

"The day went well until the end. It was my last appointment that threw me." I took a deep, calming breath and thought about Ethan's advice to trust Gabe. "My last appointment was with Samantha Allan. The good news is that although she didn't come out and specifically say that she was the person behind the stalking and attacks, based on what she did say I'm ninety-nine percent certain it was her. The bad news is that, if I'm reading this right, she gave me a death threat today."

Gabe turned completely still and his face took on his 'not happy' look. "Why don't you start from the beginning? Can you be specific now or are you still bound by your confidentiality agreement?"

"I phoned my old supervisor this evening after Sam left for his read on it, and he agreed with me. Sam made the confidentiality agreement null and void when she threatened someone with their life. Usually the agreement is valid in all instances unless the patient or someone they know is in danger. With working for the RPD, I also outline to patients that the confidentiality agreement is null and void if what they say affects their job. I tell any new patient that information so they know what the score is before they start. Sam killed the confidentiality agreement when she threatened someone who may be me, and she affected her job when she was issuing death threats. And I'm babbling again, aren't I?" I stopped to take a deep breath, and a sip of coffee.

"Just take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

I took another deep breath. "Sam originally came to me with a problem. She'd developed a crush on someone at work, but was unable to get the person to talk to her beyond work-related issues." I outlined to Gabe what had been said. "It was fairly innocuous, but she's the person who I saw staring up at us on the balcony the first night that you came over, and again was the person I waved to last Friday night when we were looking at the computer."