Jonathan hadn’t been very interested in the discussion up till this point. Now, he suddenly found it of extreme importance.
"Drake Richardson?" he echoed.
"Uh huh", Max replied, knowing he had both of the Harts’ full attention now.
"Coincidence?" Jennifer asked Jonathan, already knowing the answer.
"I don’t know", he replied. "Is there anything else, Max?"
"Yeah, Mr. H, and it’s a little spooky." Max looked at Jennifer apologetically. "This Drake guy isn’t really a bad guy, but the things that happen in the story are what’s spooky. I hope you don’t mind, Mr. And Mrs. H, but I went ahead and told Annie about the phone calls and the invitation."
"It’s okay," Jennifer replied.
"Good", Max nodded. "Then I’ll let Annie go ahead and tell you about the book."
The Harts looked at Annie expectantly. "Well," she started slowly, and gradually gained speed. "This Richardson guy in the book is obsessed with Jennifer Edwards, who’s a beautiful actress. But he’s too shy to let his feelings become known. At first, he spends his time collecting photos and articles on her; then he gets her phone number and calls her over and over again. But he never knows what to say so he hangs up on her. He’s afraid to talk to her." She paused for breath, before she continued, "He starts to make up stories about her, you know, fantasies, and as the book goes on, he becomes more and more brave. He invites her to a dinner party, but she has no idea who he is, and of course, she doesn’t go. It doesn’t even bother him though, because he’s so wrapped up in his fantasy world. He dreams they go to all kinds of parties together and he pretends they are married and set up house together. Then he hears Jennifer is appearing at a charity event for a children’s hospital and is signing autographs. He gets up the courage to get her autograph, and she is very polite to him, just like she’s polite to everyone wanting her autograph. He takes it as an encouraging sign, and the autograph becomes a love letter to him in his mind." Her voice trailed off as she noticed the expression on Jennifer’s face. "Mrs. Hart?" she asked.
"Mrs. H?" Max chimed in, noting the look.
"What’s the matter, Darling?" Jonathan asked. He couldn’t ever recollect seeing that expression before.
All the color had drained out of Jennifer’s face, and she suddenly found her mouth had gone dry. She swallowed a couple of times, then finally said, "I didn’t think anything about it at the time, but today, while I was working in Griffith Park, a man came up to me. He recognized me, said he was a fan of my writing, and he asked for my autograph."
A heavy pause hung in the room for a few seconds, then Jonathan broke the silence, "It could be just a fluke, Darling. Let’s try not to read too much into it. It could be nothing."
Jennifer nodded, but she looked far from convinced. Jonathan took her hand, and gave it a squeeze before looking back at Annie. "So what happens then?" he asked.
"Well, there’s only one problem standing in the way of him being completely happy with his life."
"What’s that?" Jonathan asked.
"Jennifer’s fiancé, Mark Vincent," Annie replied. "He and Jennifer have been together a long time, and seem to be very much in love. Richardson doesn’t know how to deal with Vincent. Then he hears Jennifer will be traveling to Paris to work on a movie. Vincent isn’t going. He’s got business in New York. Richardson follows Jennifer to Paris. He’s not allowed in the movie studio, but he hangs around outside the entrance and follows Jennifer to her hotel. He gets his own room in the hotel. While he is trying to decide how to approach her, Jennifer learns through the press that Vincent has been has been cheating on her. There are stories plastered all over the paper about him being with another woman in New York, and when Jennifer calls him about it, he doesn’t deny it. She is devastated, and calls off the engagement. Richardson finally gets up the courage to approach her as she is entering the hotel one day, and he offers to buy her a drink and talk with her. She takes him up on it, and finds herself very attracted to him. Eventually, they become a couple and that’s how the book ends." Annie paused for another breath, letting the story sink in. "Obviously, it’s just a contemporary romance story, and probably not a very good one, but it’s the kind of stories I like to read."
Jennifer nodded, understanding. "But it sounds to me like a case of a stalker getting his prey," she mused aloud.
"I guess it sounds that way," Annie said. "I never thought of it that way. The author makes Richardson out to be a harmless underdog. I mean, the way it’s written, you want him to get the girl. You know what I mean?"
"I do," Jonathan answered. "What’s the name of the author of the book?"
"Her name’s Amanda Wayne."
"Amanda Wayne," Jennifer repeated the name. "Amanda Wayne…"
"You know her?" Jonathan asked, turning to look at her.
"The name sounds very familiar," Jennifer answered. "But I can’t quite place it."
"You may know of her husband, Alan," Annie answered. "He is a well-known author."
"Yes, that’s it," Jennifer confirmed. "He writes a lot of psychological thrillers. He wrote Rainbow Highway, didn’t he?"
Annie nodded.
"He writes some very chilling stuff," Jennifer continued. "It sounds like his work is rubbing off on his wife."
Annie shook her head. "This book I’ve been telling you about, it’s called Jennifer, by the way, isn’t chilling at all."
"I guess it just seems this way because of what’s happening," Jennifer said quietly. Jonathan’s look of concern comforted her.
"What are you going to do, Mr. H?" Max asked.
"The first thing we’re going to do," Jonathan replied, his eyes still on Jennifer, "is read the book. Then we’re going to talk to this Amanda Wayne, and find out if she knows anything. Then we’ll take it from there."
"Shouldn’t you call the police?" Annie asked.
Jennifer and Jonathan both shook their heads. "He hasn’t committed any crimes," she stated flatly. "The police wouldn’t do anything."
"Yeah, you’re right," Annie responded.
Another silence fell over the room, and Jennifer broke it by standing up suddenly. "Thanks for telling us about the book, Annie," she said with a weak smile. "I appreciate it."
"No problem, Mrs. Hart," Annie answered. "If I think of anything else of importance, I’ll let you know."
"Thanks," Jennifer answered. "If you all don’t mind, I’m going to head up to bed now."
"I’ll walk you upstairs," Jonathan said, the concern very evident in his voice. "Thanks, Annie," he said, after standing. He held out his hand, which Annie shook.
"You’re welcome, Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart", she replied. "Good night."
"Good night. G’night, Max." Jonathan put his arm around Jennifer.
"Good night, Annie, Max," Jennifer said, then she let Jonathan lead her toward the stairway.
"Good night," Annie and Max chorused after her.
As they entered their bedroom, Jennifer spoke. "Do you think we can find a copy of the book somewhere tonight?"
"I doubt it," Jonathan answered. "By the time we get to the closest bookstore, it will be past midnight, and I don’t know of any bookstores around here that are open that late."
Jennifer nodded. "Okay," she sighed.
"We’ll get it first thing in the morning." He turned and took Jennifer in his arms. "I know this has got you upset, Darling," he said, "but try not to let it bother you too much. We’ll get through it okay."
Jennifer didn’t respond at first. Her eyes were lowered, and Jonathan could tell he hadn’t convinced her.
"Hey," he said gently, cupping his hand under her chin and lifting her head so he could look into her eyes. "I’ll take care of you. We’ll get through this just like we’ve gotten through everything else."
The strength in his expression gave her courage. "Thank you, Darling," she said. "I know it’ll be all right. I just got a little spooked."
Jonathan reached for the buttons on his shirt. "Perfectly understandable," he said, "but whatever this guy has in mind, it’s not going to work. And that’s a promise."
Later, after they were in bed, Jonathan asked her, "This guy who got your autograph…did he give you his name?"
"He said to call him D.J., " Jennifer answered. Then she mused, "D.J.-could that be Drake-something-Richardson?"
"I don’t know," Jonathan answered. "I suppose it could be."
"Then again," Jennifer drawled, thinking aloud, "that may not even be this guy’s real name."
"That’s true," Jonathan weighed this in his mind. "If it wasn’t his real name, that would explain why Hart Industries or Herschel couldn’t track him down."
Yes, it would."
"Would you recognize him if you saw him again?" Jonathan asked then.
"Oh yes, " Jennifer nodded. "Definitely."
"Good, " Jonathan replied. "Hopefully, you won’t have to see him again, but at least you’ll know it’s him if you do. What did he look like?"
Jennifer gave him a brief description, then added, "He drives a dark blue Thunderbird; I saw him in it when he was leaving the park."
"That helps too," Jonathan remarked. "We’ll keep our eyes open for it."
"Okay," Jennifer said, her voice suddenly taking on a wistful tone.
Jonathan noted the apprehension creeping up on her again, and gently said," Let’s forget about it for now."
"Good idea," Jennifer agreed. "Good night, Darling." She gave him a kiss, then reached over and shut off the bedside lamp.
"Good night, Darling," came his reply. Jennifer cuddled up close to him as they both lay on their sides, and they willed themselves to get some sleep.
They were both downstairs by seven the next morning, and they found Max cooking breakfast. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. H," he said, smiling congenially at them.
"Good morning, Max," came their reply, as they sat down at the kitchen table.
"I picked up something for you this morning," Max said then, and he reached for something on one of the counters. He handed Jonathan and Jennifer copies of the novel they had learned about on the previous evening. "I got a copy for myself too," he said.
"You’ve already been to the store and back?" Jonathan asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I didn’t sleep so good," Max admitted. "I still feel kind of bad about upsetting you last night." He indicated Jennifer.
"Don’t worry about it, Max," Jennifer said, looking up from the book. "If you and Annie hadn’t told me about it, who knows what would have happened?"
"Yeah, I guess that’s true." Max turned back to the eggs.
"Innocent looking enough, isn’t it?" Jennifer asked, looking at the book cover.
Jonathan gave her a wry grin. "Just what I was thinking." The book had an all-white cover, except for a rose, the title, and the author’s name, all in red.
Jennifer gave it one last glance, then pointedly put the book aside. "I’m going to eat breakfast, then I’ll start it," she said with a determined air.
"Good idea, Darling," Jonathan said, laying his own copy aside.
"Aren’t you going to work today?" Jennifer asked; then suddenly realizing he was a short-sleeved polo shirt, knew he wasn’t.
"Not today," he answered, confirming it. "I’ve got more important things to take care of."
After breakfast, they sat on opposite ends of the couch and started reading. Jennifer was a slightly faster reader, but the book was lengthy, and by lunchtime, she was only about a third of the way through it. She finally marked her place, and set the book down.
"I need a break," she said, when Jonathan looked curiously over at her. "I’d better call Marcy and let her know I’m not going to have anything on my articles for her today."
"Okay, Darling," he replied, and went on with his reading.
Neither of the Harts was hungry enough for lunch, and continued reading throughout the afternoon. When Max had dinner ready that evening, Jennifer was nearly finished. Jonathan had about fifty pages to go.
"Why don’t you join us, Max?" Jennifer asked, after Max had served them.
"Thanks, Mrs. H," he smiled, before filling his own plate.
They ate the meal in silence for a couple of minutes, then Jonathan asked, "Did you get a chance to read any of the book, Max?"
"Yeah, I read some of it," Max replied. "It’s not my kind of story, but it’s interesting."
"It’s actually well-written," the author in Jennifer was coming through. "She’s very descriptive, thorough, and the story flows well."
Jonathan nodded. "What else did you think of it?" he asked, cautiously.
"Well, I admit it’s kind of disconcerting concerning the parts about the phone calls and the invitation and the autograph, but that’s really all that’s familiar so far."
"That’s what I thought," Jonathan said. "Maybe it is really just a strange coincidence."
"Yeah, it could be," Max beamed. "Maybe we’re getting all worked up over nothing."
"Well," Jennifer said thoughtfully, "if it some guy acting out the book, he isn’t taking it literally."
"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked, setting down his fork and giving her his full attention.
Jennifer set her own fork down. "Well, take the party invitation, for instance. In the book, he had his address on it. He expected her to show up. I don’t think it’s an oversight that his address wasn’t on the one I got. And when he got her autograph in the book, he told her what he wanted her to write. D.J. didn’t do that with me."
"That’s right," Jonathan said, "and it makes it even more coincidental to me." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"But if it isn’t coincidence," Jennifer said thoughtfully, not as confident as he was, "then that’s going to make it harder to figure it all out."
"Sometimes I wish you weren’t so smart," Jonathan quipped, giving her a wink.
That made Jennifer laugh a little, and she looked more relaxed than he had seen her all day. "That’s better," he said gently. He didn’t like the somber mood that had been hanging in the air all day.
When dinner was over and Max was clearing off the table, Jonathan took Jennifer’s hand. "How about a drive before we go back to our reading?" he asked, hopefully.
"That’s a good idea", Jennifer answered, thinking back to their drive the previous evening.
"Good." He smiled at her, then said, "I’ll bring the car around."
"I’ll get my jacket," she smiled back. "Do you want yours?"
"Nah," he replied, "I’m taking something else that will keep me warm." That earned him another laugh.
It was another clear, beautiful evening. "Do you want to stop somewhere for dessert?" Jonathan asked, as they approached the end of the driveway.
"None for me," Jennifer replied, always mindful of her figure. "That cream sauce on the broccoli took care of that."
"Where should we go then?"
Jennifer thought about it. "How about going to the beach again?" she said finally. "We could take a walk."
"Sounds good," he nodded, turning the car in that direction.
They walked for an hour or so, their arms around each other. Most of the time, Jennifer laid her head on Jonathan’s shoulder. When they approached the car finally, Jennifer turned to put her arms around Jonathan’s neck. She pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "Thank you, Darling," she said, smiling up into his eyes.
"For what?" he asked, automatically slipping his arms around her waist.
"For being my rock," she replied. "I always have you to lean on."
"Correction," he said, his eyes twinkling. "We have each other to lean on." He returned the kiss.
Jennifer nodded, still smiling as he opened the car door for her. She was suddenly in a lighter mood than she had been for some time. "I don’t think I’m going to finish the book tonight, after all," she announced finally.
"Why not?" Jonathan asked, hoping he already knew the answer.
"Because," she purred, "I want to stay happy."
His hunch had been right. "I’ll do my best to keep you that way," he vowed.
Jennifer giggled enticingly. "I’m sure you will," she replied.
