***Hart Industries***
Jennifer looked at Jonathan, horrified.
"Darling, I am going to have this number traced. We are going to find this person, I promise".
He looked them both over, and then looked back at Jennifer.
"What is it?"
"I may have to have them come in here, just making sure we were both decent."
She nodded.
He called the IT department and asked Jason to come to his office right away.
He got up and unlocked the door, and then went and wrapped his arms around Jennifer.
"Remember, we were on a conference call".
"Jonathan….how did they get those pictures?"
"I don't know. But we are going to figure it out".
"You can't show him those pictures, Jonathan. Nobody can see those".
"I'm not going to. Relax, trust me. I am going to write down the number that is across the top and I am going to give that to him, that's all. I promise".
She nodded. She had tears in her eyes.
She went and sat down in his desk chair, and was looking at the photos. She was so self-conscious about it that she grabbed a file folder and put them in there, so that nobody could see it.
He ran a report on the fax machine showing the last 5 numbers that sent him a fax. And he checked it with the numbers across the top of one of the photos.
Jason came in.
"Hi Jason, how are you? Had any luck tracing the calls that I have been getting?"
"Not yet. We have an address but not a name, and we are getting closer."
"Great. Well, add this one to the list. We just got a fax here, and this is the number we were faxed from".
"I will get on it, right away sir".
Jason left, and Jennifer stood up, so Jonathan could have his chair.
He pulled her into his lap, and held her.
"It's going to be ok, darling. We are going to find this creep".
"Jonathan….don't. He could be watching us right now".
She turned to him with horrified eyes.
"What if he's been watching us this whole time?"
"Jennifer, I don't think there are any cameras in here, but I can definitely have someone check and see if you'd like. We can't let him make us afraid, darling. We have to beat him at his own game".
She nodded. He could see she was totally sketched.
She was looking at the photos again, and realized they were taken directly above their bed and directly above the shower.
"Darling…this is all my fault".
"How on Earth could this be your fault?"
"Look at the photos. Look at the angle that they were taken from. These were taken directly above our bed, and these were taken almost directly above the shower. It must be the new lighting that was installed that I thought was a surprise from you, and if I hadn't let them in, then it wouldn't have happened. So, this is my fault".
"Jennifer, this isn't your fault. You had no reason to suspect that they were doing anything other than installing lighting. And you have every right to do whatever you want in our bedroom, honey. They are the ones in the wrong here".
"Can you have the person come here and see if there are cameras in here?"
"Yes."
She put her hand on his arm.
"And can they come to the house too and see where those cameras are?"
"Yes, absolutely".
He grabbed the phone and called for the maintenance guy, Patrick, to come to his office right away.
A few minutes later, Patrick was there, and Jonathan had him do a sweep to see whether or not there were cameras in the office.
After a long 35-minute search, in which Jennifer held her breath the entire time, he turned to Jonathan.
"No cameras in here, sir. No recording devices of any kind".
"You're positive?"
"I00%".
"Thank you, Patrick. We also need to know if there are any cameras installed at our home. Can you come by tonight and check our home?"
"Certainly. I get off here at 4, and can be there by 6".
"Perfect. We will meet you there".
Jonathan wrote down the address, and handed it to him.
He left, and Jonathan pulled Jennifer into an embrace.
"It's going to be ok, darling, I promise".
"I'm sorry I'm so paranoid, it's just….you are the only one I want to see me like that".
"I know. I want to be the only one. And I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that I am the only one. Remember our wedding vows? You vowed to always make my favorite coffee creamer, and I vowed to always do everything in my power to protect you always. That includes keeping these photos under wraps".
He kissed her a few times, trying to make her feel better.
His phone rang, and he answered it. He pulled her onto his lap.
"Hello?" He listened for a few minutes.
"I don't care what Mark LaMont wants, I refuse to hand over a company without any protections. Why is this even an issue? I am willing to pay top dollar for his company, he should just take the money and run".
Jennifer was listening to him, and marveled at how sexy and powerful he was being.
Five minutes later, he hung up the phone.
She could see he was stressed.
"I'm going to go now, darling. I love you".
"I love you too".
He kissed her a few times, and then just as they were about to leave, the phone rang again.
He grabbed it, and put it on speaker so he could focus on Jennifer.
"Did you like the pictures? Pretty soon, everyone will be able to see them".
It was the same creepy voice that had been calling them at home.
"What do you want from us? Why are you doing this to us?"
"Because I can. And I think you know what I want, and it's pretty simple. Make the right decision, the pictures get burned, nobody sees them. Make the wrong decision, and everybody will see the pictures. Your choice".
Jonathan was now positive that Mark Lamont was behind this.
"I refuse to be threatened, and I refuse to be intimidated. If you have a beef with me, then fine. Take it up with me. Leave my wife out of this, she's off limits".
"Your wife is never off limits. She's been around the block a few times, lots of people have had her. And now, everyone else will be able to see what they are missing".
"I beg your pardon!".
"Look, I am not going to repeat myself. Give us what we want-and you know what that is-or I will expose your wife for all to see".
Click.
Jennifer's eyes were blazing.
"Jonathan….who is this person?"
"I am more convinced now than ever that it is Mark Lamont, the guy who wants me to buy his company. I will figure something out. I may have to dig stuff up on him, I don't know".
She nodded.
He took her in his arms.
"Are you ok?"
"I guess."
"I love you, Red."
"I love you too, Jonathan Charles".
She kissed him, and he walked her to the elevator and kissed her again.
She stopped and picked up her prescriptions, and then headed home to Willow Pond.
***Willow Pond***
Jennifer pulled up out front and parked, and came inside.
She had picked up the mail and was going through it.
They had several bills and an invitation to a dinner party.
She called Deanne at the office, and had her put the party on Jonathan's calendar, and then called and RSVP'd to the party.
"Hello Natalie? Hi, it's Jennifer Hart. I am calling to RSVP for Jonathan and I to your party. We wouldn't miss it for the world".
"Glad to hear it. And Jennifer, we are going to be announcing the new board members for upcoming year of the Board Wives, so just be prepared".
"Great! See you then".
She hung up and then went to their calendar in the study and put it down. The party was going to be the night she got back from Sangray Bay.
She decided to busy herself with packing for Sangray Bay, and took all her clothes and the suitcase to the guest bedroom.
Around 5, she heard Jonathan come in.
"Babe, you home?"
"Up here".
He came up and found her packing.
"Hey".
"Hey".
She turned and kissed him.
"Packing for your trip?"
"Yeah…needed to keep busy".
"Darling, I have been thinking. Depending on what Patrick finds tonight, we can go to a hotel if you want, or we can go stay at the beach house".
"Beach house sounds good to me".
He went to wrap his arms around him.
"No, don't. They might be watching".
"Oh Jennifer, don't be ridiculous. I don't care if they are watching. If I want to hug and kiss my wife, I will. And anyone who doesn't want that can go straight to hell".
"What if your wife cares about them watching? What if your wife is the one who doesn't want to be kissed and hugged, because of them, whoever they are? Do you care about her opinions on the topic?"
"Of course, I do. Jennifer, I think you are just on edge".
"Of course, I am on edge! Wouldn't you be if pictures of you naked were about to be released to everyone?"
"I'm sure I would".
"Maybe it's time to call the police, Jonathan. We are in over our heads here".
"No, Jennifer. Not calling the police".
"Why not?"
"Because, I want to handle this myself".
She gave him an icy glare and then went to grab some more clothes to pack for the beach house.
He went downstairs and made them cocktails, and then came and got her and led her downstairs.
He led her to the patio, where they both knew that nobody was watching them.
He gave her a long hug, and was so glad she hugged him back.
"I'm sorry, Jonathan. You're right, I am on edge".
"It's ok. I think I can take it".
"That's not funny".
"Jennifer, we are going to get through this, ok? You have to believe me".
"I do. I do believe you. It's just that they have these photos that we didn't even know were being taken, and now they have the power to show them to everyone. And they are blackmailing you that you have to do what they want, or they will release them to everyone. But, they could still release them even if you do what they want, Jonathan. So, no matter what you do, I am still going to be the victim here, always at their mercy, no matter what".
"I know. I am sorry, darling, I promise you I am trying everything I can think of to find out who this person is".
She nodded.
"When do you leave for Sangray Bay?"
"Tomorrow afternoon."
"Well, then we need to make the most of tonight".
He kissed her a few times, and they went to sit on the couch, to wait for the repairman and Patrick.
"Darling, you can come with me if you want, to Sangray Bay."
"I have a board meeting in the morning after you leave, that I shouldn't miss. But after that, I can probably fly up and join you".
"Great! Saving animals in the daytime, romance with you at night".
She leaned forward and kissed him a few times.
The intercom buzzed, and Jonathan answered it and let them in. It was the repairman and Patrick.
He showed them upstairs to the bedroom and bathroom, and Patrick did his sweep first.
Jonathan came back downstairs to get Jennifer.
"Darling, can you come upstairs please?"
"Sure".
She joined him upstairs, just as Patrick was done sweeping.
"Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart, I don't know how to tell you this. There are cameras all over this room and the bathroom. He started to point out exactly where they were. Just as Jonathan suspected, it was the new lighting fixtures, plus a few others.
Jennifer felt sick to her stomach.
Jonathan put an arm around her, and then turned to Patrick.
"Can you do another sweep of the bathroom, and get all the closets and everything? Just to be sure".
"Sure, right away".
He turned to Jennifer.
"Darling, assuming that we can take the cameras off this lighting fixture, which one do you like better?"
"I want it like it used to be".
"Me too".
The repairman agreed to take the old lighting fixtures out, and then rehang the old ones.
They got out of his way, and were downstairs on the couch when both the repairman and Patrick came downstairs.
"I didn't find any more cameras anywhere else, Mr. Hart. These are the ones I found in the bathroom".
He showed them to the Harts. They were like the size of ink pens, and were easily attachable to mirrors.
"Where did you find these?"
"One was in the corner of the shower, and one was in the seam of the mirror by the vanity. My guess is these detected movement and then sent signals to the cameras that were in the light fixtures and those cameras started to record".
"Thank you, Patrick".
"Yes, thank you".
Jonathan paid him handsomely, and he left. The repairman wrote out a bill, and Jonathan paid him, and he left. Jonathan decided to keep the light fixtures just in case they were needed for evidence.
He came over and joined Jennifer.
"Now that we know that there aren't any more cameras in the house, do you still want to go to the beach house?"
"No, it's alright".
"How about we order some dinner, and just stay here tonight?"
"Perfect".
She kissed him a few times.
"Darling, we got an invitation to a dinner party today. I already RSVP'd and had Deanne put it on your calendar."
"When is it?"
"The night we get back from Sangray Bay. It's at Natalie and Brantley Garrison's".
"Perfect. I have been wanting to talk business with him for a while. I can never seem to get him on the phone".
"I tell you what, you go order dinner, I want a salad from wherever you pick, and I am going to go slip into something more comfortable".
"Great idea".
She went upstairs and put on the pink baby doll nightgown that he had given her for her birthday.
Jonathan came upstairs to join her, and changed into his pajama shorts.
She was in the bathroom spraying on some of his favorite perfume. For the first time in days, she felt normal again.
***Across town***
The crank caller was trying to pull up the feed of the cameras in the Hart residence.
He wasn't able to get anything.
He tried several times, and then switched to the other footage, and saw the repairman taking down the cameras and stopping the feed.
He called his boss.
"Looks like Hart found the cameras. What do you want me to do now?"
"Oh, he did, did he? Well, then I guess I will just have to get to him another way".
"Sir, why are you doing this to him?"
"Because every time I hear about a company being for sale that I want, he beats me to it. I am tired of losing out to him all the time. So, now I am going after the one thing that if he were to lose, it would bring him to his knees- his wife".
