"You promised you would stay in the car."

"I..."

"Lexi," warned Solomon, with a pointed look to my wound.

"Fine. I'll stay in the car." I watched Solomon climb out and stroll across the road, pushing his way through a chain link gate. Meanwhile, I wished I’d asked him to look out for any nice purses lying around, along with criminals. He peered through the windows and walked around the side of the house, temporarily out of my view. I waited a few nervous minutes for him to reappear before his silhouette appeared in the windows and he knocked on the door. No one answered. He waited another minute, then retreated back to the sidewalk, walking over to the nearest neighbor's house. I couldn't see who answered, but he seemed to speak to someone. He nodded and strolled back to the car, like we were in no hurry to catch my gun-stealing assailant.

"The neighbor says it's empty," he confirmed, climbing back into the driver's seat. "Apparently, it's just been sold. Before that, she said someone came by every couple of weeks to check on the place."

"Our stalker?" I asked hopefully. "Did she see her?"

"She said it was a guy from a real estate agency."

"Was he carrying a nice purse?"

"She didn't say."

I deflated. "Probably not our stalker... unless he has a secret fashion fetish."

"Don't let your ideas run away with you. I asked if she'd ever seen a woman around Juliet's height and build, and she said no."

"We could stake out the house."

"There's no point. We should assume the stalker knows we're combing Juliet's financial records and would find this address, if not now, then very soon. Plus, with the house now sold, she won't come back here."

"How can I tell Juliet another lead went dead?"

"Don't mention it. Focus on your fantasy wedding plan instead while I double-check the realtor's background."

"Do you think he knows our stalker?"

"Could be. Someone knows about this vacant house, and accepts deliveries here without arousing suspicion."

"If you can take me to my car, I can head over to Juliet now."

"Sure thing."

"Meet you at my house for dinner at seven."

Solomon gave one last, cursory check over the vacant house before pulling out onto the quiet street. "Want me to bring anything?"

"No, I have it all covered."

"Really? Everything?"

"Oh, ye of little faith. Yes, I have it all covered. I did all the grocery shopping and I have a meal plan."

Solomon nodded approvingly. "I'm impressed."

Me too, I thought, but I didn't say it since that would only have ruined my confident image. Far better to let everyone assume I had things under control. I'd have been a lot happier, however, not to be preparing food. I felt so sore from the stitches, and hated to think I was about to become the prime topic of conversation; but I offered to take over family dinner night, and I intended to follow through. I figured with the large number of people in my family, that meant my turn wouldn't come around again for a while, at least, not before my parents' kitchen got fixed. My only mission was to prepare a meal of a sufficient quality that my family would not only be suitably amazed, but also feel compelled to outdo me. Comforted by my fresh plan, and imagining several months of delicious, home-cooked meals to look forward to, I smiled all the way back to my car.

~

Juliet and Rob were playing chess in the living room. I knew how to play chess, but with nowhere near the level of concentration and apparent skills they both portrayed as they surveyed their next moves. "Who's winning?" I asked, taking a cursory, albeit clueless, glance at the chessboard.

"Hard to say," said Rob, "it could go either way."

"Oh, c'mon, it's obvious you're going to take my bishop. I’ll have to defend with my rook, which will leave my queen wide open!" said Juliet, squinting at the board, apparently far calmer than I would have been after her ordeal.

Rob laughed. "Now, it's obvious."

"Not anymore, buster! Now that I know your game, I can change it."

"Speaking of game changers," I said, wondering if I should hover beside them or just invite myself to sit down, "I have one for you."

Juliet glanced up. "Does it involve our house being invaded again? We already changed the alarm code, and I've been reassured the cameras all work properly now."

"They do," I replied, glancing over my shoulder and giving the camera a wave. A moment later, my cell phone beeped. "Delgado says hi," I told them. It beeped again. "He says not to keep looking at the cameras."

"It's hard when I know they're there," said Juliet. "I can't help it."

"Try to ignore them."

"She's right. We mustn't let anyone else know they're there," said Rob.

"Really? It's not like we have guests!"

I tightened my jaw, preparing to explain my plan, which I hoped they wouldn't hate. "Actually, about that. I have a plan..."

"Your plan," interrupted Rob. "Lexi, last night I went out for a couple hours for a business meeting that I couldn't get out of; and while I was out, this maniac broke into our home and went after my fiancée with an ax! I don't dare leave her side for a minute. I am terrified for her. Do you understand that?"

I did. Unfortunately after enduring a break-in at my own home, I knew exactly how it felt. Naturally, I understood the wave of anger emanating from him. "I do and I came as fast as I could when Juliet called."

"And we appreciate that, but it doesn't change the fact that this maniac disarmed you before shooting you with your own weapon and then shooting our friend, whom you fingered as the number one suspect! It also doesn't change the fact that I had to watch an ax getting unwedged from our bathroom door and sealed in an evidence bag! Or that last night, our house looked like a crime scene! Or that someone we don't know, but are sorely paying for, is watching our every move, every single minute of the day. It doesn't diminish the inconvenience or necessity for me to send my little boy over to his grandparents’ house for the week, because his mom got shot while coming by to check on Juliet! Tell me you can do something about all of that, Lexi, because we need to know what that might be."

"Rob..." Juliet placed a settling hand on his arm. He stopped, and took a deep breath before he continued, "All you can tell us is that you think Juliet's stalker is a woman and no one can corroborate that. I don't want you to take another penny from my fiancée if you can't stop what is happening to her... to both of us."

"We're very close," I started.

"The bathroom door can testify to that!" Rob sighed.

My aching wound told me that too, but I decided now wasn't a good time to mention it. I didn’t want Rob's sympathy, not that he would even give me any, and it would have been yet another unpleasant reminder that everything he said was correct. Someone eluded our defenses and disarmed me. It was a disaster.

"I understand how horrifying this must be for you both. I really do. Last night, we came incredibly close to apprehending the stalker; but she was a little too fast, and too ready for us. Next time, that won't happen."

"We don't want there to be a next time," Juliet said softly.

"We have enough evidence to get the police to drop the charges against you," I told them, switching to more positive news.