Once again, sorry for the unforgiveably long wait. I just about forgot about this story...I'm not really watching Psych anymore, due to increased school work and work in general (I know, it's so sad...I just don't have the time!) But I haven't published anything on FF in a while, and since I already had this chapter and at least part of the next one done, I decided I should put it up. So here you go. Happy belated Christmas!
~Jed
"No, sir, we haven't found anything yet…We've gone through all the files twice now sir, both department cases and Psych cases…she did not, sir. No names or faces jumped out at her…yes, we've got people going through them again, sir, but I don't think they'll find anything we haven't…I've got almost half of my staff on this case sir, the best and brightest…I'd like to assign more but if I do that I'm afraid there'll be a crime spree in Santa Barbara. We're doing all we can, sir…yes, sir, thank you."
Karen Vick sat heavily in her chair, sighing as she rested her head in her hands. Her moment of relaxation was cut short, however, by a knock on the door. Looking up she spotted Lassiter and beckoned him in.
"Chief, was that the mayor?"
"Yes. He wanted to know what we've found so far on this case. Unfortunately, not much has changed since he called two days ago. Do you have anything for me?"
Lassiter held out a thin folder. "O'Hara narrowed down the suspect list a little more. It's not too much shorter, but she knocked off a few names."
Karen looked over the list and sighed again. It was shorter than yesterday's copy, but not by much. They were still not much closer to finding out who was stalking the former detective.
Six days had passed since Juliet left the café to find a box on her hood. The pineapple inside had told the team that the stalker had something to do with Shawn. Juliet had looked through Psych's old files with Gus while Lassiter and Vick had looked through the files for the cases Shawn and Gus worked for the department. Neither set of files had given any clue as to who it was. The suspect list had been long- very long- and though Juliet was able to cross some names off that list, there were still too many remaining.
"I absolutely hate to say it, but I don't think we're going to find anything until he leaves us more evidence." She could clearly see on her detective's face his distaste for that situation.
"I don't like it either, Carlton, but what else is there? We'll keep looking through files and talking to suspects, but we need him to give us something, or even better, slip up and leave us something substantial. I need you to maintain a cool head and keep your people focused and working hard."
"That won't be a problem. They're working in overdrive as it is. The real concern is keeping O'Hara from working too hard."
"She feels helpless."
"I understand that, but I can't let her get sick or put the baby in harm's way because of this. It's my job to protect her." Years of watching out for his partner could never be erased by her absence on the force.
"Do what you can to make her relax, but keep her involved a little. Now is not the time to push her away."
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Spencer were still around. He'd be able to figure out who this guy is in like, five minutes."
"I have a feeling that if he were around we wouldn't be having this problem."
"What can I get for you?" The red-headed waitress gave the customer a sweet smile, one she would have withheld had she known who she was helping.
"I'd like a large pineapple smoothie."
The woman wrote down the order and asked "anything else?"
"No. Just the smoothie."
"That'll be $5.36."
He handed over the money and waited while she threw the ingredients in the blender and ran the noisy appliance. She poured the finished product into a large paper cup and snapped a lid on.
"Here you go. Straws are right there on the counter." She frowned when he reached for the cup. "Why are you wearing latex gloves?"
The customer gave a shy smile. "To be honest, I'm afraid of germs. Money, especially. I never handle it without them."
Her face relaxed a little though it was clear she was still confused. "Okay. Well, have a nice day."
Ten minutes later the man pulled in front of a white house. He quickly went up the walk and paused at the porch. Setting the smoothie cup on the wooden platform, he pulled a blank business card with a string out of his pocket. Tying the card around the straw he made sure the single word was scrawled on the paper. He took one final look at the cup and went back to his truck.
Enjoy.
Juliet made her way up Henry's walk, slower than normal due to the extra weight she carried around her middle. Her feet and back were killing her and she couldn't wait to sit in the comfy easy chair Henry had in front of his television. She got to the porch and stopped in her tracks.
"HENRY!"
Her shout had her father-in-law storming out the front door seconds later.
"What? What is it?"
The expression on her pale face scared him, but not as much as the object at his feet. He didn't have to smell or taste the drink to know it was a pineapple smoothie. The word on the tag said it all. Juliet was on the phone, talking to the Chief.
"I've been here all day and that wasn't there when I got the paper this morning. He was here and I never heard him."
"They're on their way."
"He was here, right on my front porch and I was inside and never heard him!"
"Henry, this guy is sneaky, and he's good. It doesn't surprise me that you never heard him. Look how long it took me to realize someone was watching me."
"They're not going to find anything on this cup, are they?"
"I doubt it, but we can canvass the smoothie shops around here and maybe we'll get something. We might finally have a lead, Henry."