chapter 81
JAKE HAD ENDURED the morning in his cubicle and several times had popped his head up like a meerkat when he heard a strange voice. He struggled to focus and avoided most telephone calls and e-mail, while his frazzled mind raced over the events of the past few days. He constantly checked his silenced cell phone to see if R.C. had called or texted.
It was the week of Thanksgiving, and his coworkers were verbally jabbing each other about the upcoming Egg Bowl—the annual college football game between Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Like so many rivalries, it divided families, friends, and coworkers each year. Today these sometimes-heated exchanges were nothing but a bunch of yammering to Jake.
The more Jake thought about his conversation with the Tupelo police sergeant, the more confused he became. R.C. had stated that the Tupelo police knew about his situation, but they were obviously not watching Moon Pie very closely. They had allowed the guy to get within a few yards of him. How and why would they let that happen?
What Jake didn’t appreciate was that most police departments are short staffed, and budget constraints impede them from conducting many ancillary investigations. Crime was rampant, and most departments were stretched thin dealing with actual victims, as opposed to potential ones. The truth was, all things considered, most were doing an exceptional job with dwindling human and financial resources.
The insurance company wasn’t inclined to pay Jake’s claim for the burned camp house. That old cabin had been a big part of Jake’s life, and now it was gone. He knew he could not rebuild it anytime in the foreseeable future. He assumed it was either arson or faulty wiring that had destroyed it. Deep in his gut, though, he was beginning to believe that it was an act of vengeance by Moon Pie. Jake also realized that there wasn’t just some random Peeping Tom at his house but that it was most probably Moon Pie.
Jake’s life and family had been invaded, violated by Moon Pie, and he hadn’t really done anything about it, out of deference to the promise he had made to Morgan after the night of terror in Alabama. He had promised not to put himself or Katy in any type of risky situation.
He studied a framed vacation photo of Morgan and Katy in the big pool at the Marriott Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. They were his life. He couldn’t continue to live in fear. He decided that it was past time to take charge and be proactive, aggressively protecting his family.
Jake watched the clock on his computer inch toward noon. Morgan’s just gonna have to deal with it; this is who I am!