When the first note shows up at the restaurant where he works -- when he isn't designing costumes for a local theater -- Jim Foster laughs it off. When the notes keep coming, he doesn't find the fact that he might have a secret admirer quite so amusing. Alan North, a lonely, bookish customer at the restaurant, is too shy to even think of talking to Jim -- as much as he wants to. Then the killings begin. Two of Jim's friends are murdered in what appear to be muggings. However, the detective in charge of the cases believes they're more than that, and that Jim is either the killer ... or being stalked by one. When Jim and Alan finally connect, can they help find and stop the stalker, or will Alan end up dead before their budding relationship can become more than friendship?

His Secret Admirer

After dinner Friday night, Jim debated going out to do something, or staying home and relaxing. Working seven days a week gave him very little down time.


“Do I spend the evening keeping you company?” he asked Callie. He knew what her reply would be, if she could talk—”No duh.”


He thought about going to the club—he hadn’t been there since Vic’s murder. I’m not sure I will ever go back, though. Too many memories of him. He could try another club, but somehow he wasn’t really in the mood to deal with the people and the noise.


“Am I getting old?” He smiled at that thought. “Twenty-nine is not old…physically. Mentally, I sometimes feel like I’m older than Deanna.”


There weren’t any movies he really wanted to see, he’d already eaten, he wasn’t into things like bowling or going to the gym.


“I guess you get my company, cat,” he said, picking up the remote to see what was on TV. She didn’t seem to mind that in the least, as she curled up in his lap.


Chapter 19