Free Deep Autumn Heat by Elisabeth Barrett Page A

report this to the department before.”
    “How would it have helped? Doesn’t the restraining order protect me?”
    “The restraining order was taken out in California, so for us to be able to enforce it in Massachusetts, we’d have to know about it. You should have filed a certified copy with the court as soon as you moved here to get it entered into the statewide database. Then if you had told us about it, we would have made a note in our records to keep an eye out for anyone matching your ex- boyfriend’s description. One of the benefits of living in a small town is that we look after our own.”
    “I … I didn’t know I should do any of that. I just wanted to forget about it. I thought about it, I guess, but I just didn’t think he’d be able to find me here.” She’d be a happy woman if she could erase Frank Doherty from her memory entirely. Frank had made her life so hellish that she’d had nightmares about him for a full year after she’d left California—manipulative things he’d said, threats he’d made, and of course, his last, desperate act: trying to rape her when he realized she was leaving him. Now that a few years had passed, she’d finally started living in the present instead of the past. Reliving that horrible time in her life was not something she wanted to do.
    “Well, let’s check his whereabouts. California is three hours behind Eastern Time.” Cole glanced at the clock and typed a few strokes on his computer. “It’s only six o’clock there. Berkeley’s in Alameda County, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Got it.” Cole picked up the telephone and dialed. Lexie could hear a muffled voice on the other end.
    “Hi, this is Nicholas Grayson, sheriff of Star Harbor, Massachusetts. I’m calling about the whereabouts of a Frank Doherty, one of yours. I’ve got a woman here who’s taken out a restraining order against him.” There was a pause as the voice spoke. “We have reason to believe that Mr. Doherty may be in Massachusetts. Can you give me any information on his current location?” There was a pause. “Great. Uh-huh. I’ll hold.”
    Cole covered the mouthpiece with a hand and whispered to Lexie, “They’re checking forus.” They waited in silence for a few moments before Lexie heard the voice again. Cole listened intently, speaking intermittently.
    “Yes. Yes. I’d appreciate that. Please. Thanks. I’ll wait to hear from you.” He hung up the phone.
    “They’ve got an address on file and they’re going to swing by his place to see if he’s there or if his neighbors know where he is. They’ll call us back later.” Cole scribbled some additional notes on the incident report.
    “You really think it’s him?” Lexie asked, becoming more concerned. “That he followed me here after all these years?”
    “It’s hard to tell. But I’d sure like to know where Mr. Doherty is right now. Once we get that cleared up we can move on with the investigation, but until then, that avenue is still wide open.” Cole put the pen he was holding down on the desk. “So, is there anything else you can tell me about the attack?
    “No, that’s all I can remember.”
    “Have you gotten any threats recently?”
    Lexie laughed. “Sure. Lots.”
    “What?” Seb interjected, sounding incredulous.
    “Sorry, I’m not trying to be flip, but really, it’s nothing. Just a joke that Paige Sinclair likes to play on me.”
    Cole’s eyes narrowed. “Who is Paige Sinclair?”
    “She owns a bakeshop in Falmouth. She’s been after my coconut cake recipe for a long time.” Lexie laughed again. “Like I’d give it to her just because she leaves me those stupid notes.”
    “What kind of stupid notes has she been leaving?”
    “Oh, things like ‘if you don’t give me the recipe you’ll be sorry.’ Kid stuff. She leaves them on the back door of the restaurant.” She grabbed her purse and fished around for the notes. “The packet’s in here somewhere. Buster made me keep them all,