[The stalker storyline got away from me and I had to wrap it up as fast I could before it went any deeper. I'm sorry if it didn't turn out as dramaticor the way you wanted it to. ]

After gathering necessary documents and packing a suitcase, Melanie and Victoria were on an airplane headed to London and in first class no less. The flight attendant came by with two glasses of champagne and explained how to recline the seats if they wanted to lay down and sleep for the long flight. First class sure had its perks.

Melanie sipped her bubbly cocktail. "So…Victoria…where is all this new found money coming from all of a sudden? You're like a new Donald Trump or something?"

Victoria smiled. "It's nice, isn't it? The Chatter gave me a million dollar advancement. Edge of Tomorrow is in syndication in Guatemala or somewhere. And I'm pretty sure I'm the new commercial queen." She ordered more champagne. "So don't worry, dear, I've got it covered."

The attendant brought the two new flutes of the bubbly. Victoria raised her glass. "To having money!"

"Um…how about…To Having Friends Who Will Do Anything For You?" Melanie offered and they clincked glasses.

The flight was smooth and uneventful. Melanie and Victoria caught up with each other and napped. Soon they had landed in London. Leaving the beautiful southern California weather and arriving in spritzy, foggy London was quite a change. Victoria wanted to order a limo to take them to Philippa's house.

"We don't need a limo. Let's take the Tube." Melanie suggested. It was cheaper and a London feature she had always wanted to try.

Victoria looked at her like her head was spinning off. "Melanie, public transportation is for commoners!"

"Come on, Victoria! Live a little. If you can shop at the Big & Easy with 'commoners' then you can ride the Tube with me." Melanie pleaded. "I'll hold your hand the whole way. And I heard they loved Honor St. Raven in England."

"Oh?" Victoria grabbed her over-priced, upscale luggage. "Let's go on this Lube thing."

"Tube."

Now that was an experience! Melanie couldn't wait to get off at their stop. Victoria refused to sit down or touch anything so with one hand Melanie was holding the rail and had her other arm around Victoria's waist to keep her steady and one foot to keep Victoria's luggage from rolling around the train. But eventually they made it to the Holland Park stop and then a short walk to Philippa's house.

Victoria rang the doorbell and within a few seconds George opened the door. "George," Victoria air kissed each of his cheeks,"how nice to finally meet you." She tried to push past him.

Melanie extended her hand before George had the crazy lady who was trying to barge in the house arrested. "Hi, I'm Melanie Moretti and this is Victoria Chase. We're friends of Joy."

George smiled. "Miss Scroggs has spoken quite a lot about the both of you. Please, do come in." He held open the door and took their luggage. "I'll advise Miss Joy of your arrival."

He showed them into the parlor to wait. The room was gorgeous. It wasn't a very large room but the 12 foot ceilings and huge windows made it seem bigger than it was. There were old ornate mirrors occupying most of the wall space. In the middle of the room set a round, mahogany table with claw feet. Centered in the table was a large gold and glass vase filled with white peonies.

"Are you seriously here right now?" Joy was beyond excited. She hugged Melanie and Victoria tightly. She took them upstairs to her bedroom which was more like an enormous suite. It would be like a teenage sleep over!

"So…why are you here anyway? I mean of course it's good seeing you. I've missed you all so much." Joy was almost in tears but hid it well.

"We're here to help you through this stalker mess. I can't believe someone is stalking you, Joy." Melanie was stretched out on the large bed.

"Yeah aren't you the one who usually does the stalking?" Victoria said half-heartedly.

Joy raised an eyebrow. "Funny…but not entirely untrue."She walked to the windows and peered out the sheer curtains. "Out of the blue one day, I received a single pink peony with a note." She started.

Victoria crinkled her forehead. Something puzzled her but she let Joy continue.

"I received a peony and a note six days in a row. And that was it. It was over. Nothing." She paused. "Until I got the text message with a picture of my son."

Melanie was laying across the bed on her stomach with her chin resting on her hands. "Has that juicy peach at the flower shop been any help in finding out who sent them to you?"

Joy let out a throaty laugh. "No but he's helped me with other things." She smiled and wiggled her eyebrows.

Victoria had a sick look on her face. "Wait! Joy, something isn't adding up here. I mean, I'm not Christa Agathie…"

"Agatha Christie." Joy interjected.

"Well whatever. But I think there's been some horrible mix-up. You said you received 6 peonies?"

"Yes, I've already explained it all. I've been thru the flower shop computer. It was sent thru a third party and I can't trace it."

"Let me recreate the scene." Victoria was standing at the far end of the room and started doing some breathing exercises.

Melanie and Joy just watched her confused as to what she was talking about. But Victoria was always overly dramatic.

Victoria took a deep breath and started her speech. "You know I was in that swamp for so long, Joy. And I knew when you left Cleveland you were in dire straits. Hey I dated someone in Dire Straits!" Victoria momentarily was lost in her memories.

"Anyway…"Joy urged her to continue.

"Yes, well anyway, when I got to Louisiana…Oh Joy, I think you're going to find this so amusing…I had my assistant, Claude, arrange to have a small bouquet of peonies sent to you. They are your favorite."

Joy's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Victoria, are you freakin kidding me? I can't believe this. And I'm not amused. You must be wrong? I mean the notes…"Joy jumped up from the settee and pulled a stack of paper from a drawer in her desk. She hurriedly untied the purple ribbon from around the bundle. "Then what do these letters say and why weren't they signed?"

"Like I said…amusing…right?"

Melanie was watching this in awe. It was hard keeping up. As far as she could figure out Joy's stalker wasn't a stalker afterall but a classic Victoria oops.

Victoria looked at Melanie out of the corner of her eye. Melanie knew Joy and Victoria had a special kind of friendship but Victoria wasn't accustomed to showing her heartfelt feelings to anyone else. Victoria walked to where Joy was standing with the letters and told her she had sent her assistant with specific instructions to send a bouquet of peonies to Joy with a note that read:

"I know your heart is broken. You know I'm always here for you. The time will come when we're together again. You don't know how much I miss seeing your grumpy face every morning. Keep your head held high, Joy. It's only a matter of time now." Victoria spoke the words from her heart.

Joy put the stack of notes back on the desk. "So let me see if I have this straight. I got a peony 6 days in a row with a one sentence note. But according to you I should have received all 6 peonies in a bouquet with one note?" Joy was scratching her head. Her long brown locks were disheveled. Victoria nodded.

"Joy, do you have any wine in this house? I think this is the time for it." Melanie's head was already spinning.

Joy stopped them. "Hold on. What about the text message picture of my son? You didn't send that, Victoria."

The puzzle continued. The flowers and notes may have been just a big misunderstanding but the picture of her son wasn't.

"Joy, let me see your phone." Maybe Joy had missed something, Melanie thought.

Joy handed over her cell phone. While Melanie perused the cellular device for any clue to the next piece of the mystery, Joy and Victoria talked quietly in the dressing room which was positioned off of the main bedroom.

"Joy, I didn't mean for this to get out of hand. It's my fault. With you way over here and me filming in New York City and in the depths of primitive civilization, I wasn't able to stay in contact with you like a best friend should." Victoria was upset that her, what was meant to be, meaningful gesture turned out to be a grand fiasco.

"Oh Victoria. It's not your fault." Joy sighed. "My nerves have been frayed ever since I got here. You know how quick I am to assume the worst. It's either one tragedy or another with me. But of course I did meet a fantastically, gorgeous, young, viral man."

"Well there you go." Victoria smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Hey! Come in here!" Melanie called from the bedroom. "Look." She held the phone out to them. "There's a log in here. I only know this because Officer Pete showed me how to find it when Elka was missing. Anyway, look there's a number. Joy, call it."

"No! I can't."

"Why not?" Victoria asked. "You could figure all this out and stop having it hanging over your head."

"Damn. I hate when you're right." Joy took the phone from Melanie and hit Send.

Hello.

Joy gasped. She would know that voice anywhere. It still sent a chill down her spine.