"What do you mean it wasn't an accident?"Syd asked her voice going up in alarm and concern.
Eddie ushered his ex-girlfriend to the sofa not liking how pale she had gotten. Once she was seated Eddie went to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water and handed it to the blonde. It was just past noon. Syd had called him earlier to see how Sam was and he'd asked her to come over. Since as Sam's manger she'd know of threats.
"Thank you."Syd acknowledged as she took the water and then opened it and drank.
Wordlessly Eddie picked up the note Sam had found and handed it to her manager. Syd took the paper turned it right side up and gasped before sinking back into the sofa.
"Has there been any others?"Eddie asked quietly.
"No."The blonde said with a shake of her head. "I would have notified the police."
"What about crazy fan mail?"Eddie inquired as he sat down.
"Just the normal marriage proposals and such."Syd said numbly finally putting the photo on the coffee table.
"You classify marriage proposals as normal?"Eddie asked with a sigh.
"In our world; yes."Syd commented.
"Do you still have any of those?"Eddie asked.
"I might."Sam's manger replied. "I'll look as soon as I get back to the office."
Eddie saw Syd glance once more at the closed bedroom door where Sam still slept.
"She'll be okay."Eddie assured his ex.
"I hope so."Syd responded as she stood gathering her purse. "If she falls off the wagon again…."
"I think the judge threatening her with jail time will keep her sober."Eddie commented as he walked Syd to the door. "I'll keep an eye on her."
"Thank you."Syd responded as she stepped into the hall. "For everything. I know I dumped her on you but…."
"I did owe you a favor."Eddie groused with a shrug. "Still she's my partner now; nobody will get to her."
"Be careful."Syd said as she turned to leave. "Both of you."
Eddie nodded and then closed the door.
By dinner time Sam was feeling nearly human once more. She'd showered, changed clothes and attended to the bandage change herself She'd gotten over eight hours sleep which had helped a ton. She'd emerged to find Eddie sitting at the dining table working on a laptop and paper file folders spread next to him. At the sound of her footsteps the PI had looked up and smiled.
"How are you feeling?"Eddie asked.
"Better."Sam said then amended. "Starved."
"Good sign."Eddie responded with a chuckle. "Help yourself."
"Have you eaten?"Sam asked as she poked her head in cupboards and in the fridge.
"Had a sandwich after Syd left."Eddie commented engrossed back in the files.
"Syd was here?"Sam asked as she whirled around.
"You were sleeping."Eddie responded to the unasked question. "I needed to ask her questions about your stalker. There haven't been any previous threats."
"Oh."Sam said quietly as she closed the fridge door.
"She thinks she has some of your fan mail and is going to send that."Eddie continued meeting her gaze.
Sam tried to think of this as a case. Tried to get her brain to kick into gear. Then a hazy idea struck. The note had been in her purse…..at the set. It hadn't been there before the accident.
"Security cameras!"Sam exclaimed excitedly. "The note….we can see who put it in my purse!"
Eddie stood and walked over to her.
"Already contacted the studio."Eddie stated softly. "LAPD confiscated all footage. Rollins said so far nobody was seen near you. Or at least near you long enough to put something in your purse."
Sam's shoulder's slumped of course the police already had the footage.
"They're going through the backgrounds of everyone who was on set."Eddie explained as he reached over Sam and grabbed a box of pasta from a cabinet. "There was over fifty people it's going to take time to sort through. She sent me half the list so far no one stands out."
Sam nodded a knot of fear and anxiety forming in her stomach. Her earlier appetite suddenly gone. No clues, no leads and a crazy person after her…..
"Hey."Eddie said quietly gaining Sam's attention. "Don't look so worried. You've got the best PI in town on this."
Sam tried to smile. Knew he was trying to cheer her up; take her mind off the threat. He held up the box of angel hair pasta.
"Spaghetti?"Eddie asked reaching for a pot.
"Not hungry."Sam muttered as she leaned back against the wall.
"You need to eat something."Eddie replied as he filled the pot with water. "Grab plates we'll sit at the breakfast bar."
Sam followed instructions and set two place settings. She then sat down herself in one of the breakfast bar stools suddenly weary. Absently she watched her partner cook the pasta and pull garlic bread from the freezer and place the bread in the oven. If it wasn't for the circumstances this felt oddly domesticated and comfortable. She shook herself mentally. They were already spending way too much time together.
If this easy comfortableness frayed and they started fighting. If Eddie got angry and frustrated and left. Her life both professionally and personally depended on him now. Somehow not only did she have to survive the next few days but their partnership had to as well. With her recent luck Sam didn't want to calculate the odds on that. She began to rub at her forehead as a headache had started to form.
"You okay?"Eddie asked with concern.
"Headache."Sam replied.
"Food will help."Eddie stated as a timer went off. "Dinner will be ready soon."
Minutes later they were digging into plates of spaghetti. At first Sam picked at the pasta taking one or two bites. Then her hunger won over her anxiety and she cleaned the plate and took half of a second helping earning a smile from Eddie. They finished dinner and quietly went about cleanup. Once again Sam was struck by the easy companionship between them. Had they really come this far or was it the circumstances? After dishes were done Eddie motioned for Sam to join him at the table as he opened his laptop and powered it on.
"I know you did sixty days of rehab."Eddie began. "Was there anybody unusual before that? Somebody tagging along...somebody where they weren't supposed to be?"
Sam tried to think back. Past the humiliation and hurt of her broken engagement. To her life before rehab. It seemed like another planet...it hadn't been that long ago...she thought she'd been happy. Trying to focus Sam thought of dinner parties, set meetings and press conferences. Nothing stood out.
"No...just the normal reporters following me around."Sam replied with a sigh.
"Okay."Eddie acknowledged. "What about your ex?"
"No, he wanted nothing more to do with me."Sam insisted.
"Just so you know Rollins is interviewing him."Eddie stated quietly. "Procedure in narrowing down suspects."
Sam nodded as she rested her head on the back of the chair. A memory niggled at the back of her mind. Something trying to get her attention. Sam was able to snag it before it vanished from her tired brain. When she recognized what it was she sat straight up her eyes wide.
"What?"Eddie asked. "Did you remember something?"
"I got roses the day after I got dumped on the red carpet."Sam explained. "I was preparing to go into rehab and didn't really pay attention to them. The card just said 'his loss'."
"Do you remember the florist?"Eddie asked reaching for a pad of paper and pen.
"No."Sam said as she snagged her partner's cell phone. "But Syd might."