***Three days later***

Jennifer was up early. She was going into Crazy Harts to supervise the installation of the cameras.

Jonathan was still sleeping. She figured she would start making him some breakfast and that would wake him up. The smell of bacon always seemed to reach his nose.

She was in the kitchen, finishing up their eggs and bacon when he came downstairs.

"Morning darling. Breakfast is almost ready".

She leaned up and kissed him.

"Morning. I'm starved". He pulled her in for another kiss.

They ate a quick breakfast, and then he followed her to the boutique.

***Crazy Harts***

Jennifer pulled up and parked, and Jonathan parked right next to her.

She had noticed as they drove through the parking lot that there was one other car parked in the main lot, but aside from that, the strip was empty. It was 7:45, and none of the other stores opened till 9. Crazy Harts opened at 10.

She and Jonathan went in through the back, and turned the lights on.

She checked the schedule and saw that Whitney and Allyson were scheduled to open, and Natalie was working swing, and Lindley and Natalie were closing.

"How long are you staying here today, darling?"

"Probably till 3 or 4."

He nodded.

She went over some books while they waited for the camera installation crew.

Jonathan was sitting next to her, helping her figure out what other expenses they would need in the future.

Around 9, the installation crew got there.

She let them in, and they went over what they wanted. Jonathan also told him that he wanted to hire them to put cameras along the entire strip once he took possession of the strip.

Around 9:30, there was a knock at the door. It was a man.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"I hope so. I am trying to meet someone, and they are running late, and I am real worried, so I was wondering if I could use your phone to call and check on them? I won't be but a minute".

"Certainly. I'll be right back".

She went and got him the telephone, and took it to him.

Whitney was coming in the back just as Jennifer returned to the office. She saw him over Jennifer's shoulder.

"What is he doing here?"

"He just needed to borrow the phone. Why, do you know him?"

Whitney nodded.

"I changed pharmacies because of him. I used to go to Wagner's Pharmacy on 7th street, and he is the pharmacy tech. He would ask seriously personal questions about me and why I needed the medicines and then one day, I went home and slept a few hours, and then ran some errands, and I swear to you, he was in every store that I went into the entire day. He creeps me out, big time".

"Ok, it's ok. He will be gone in a second, and you will be ok".

Whitney nodded.

Jennifer went out to the salesfloor again, and he handed her the phone and thanked her and left out the front door.

Whitney joined Jennifer.

"You see, he's leaving. It's ok".

"Mrs. Hart, he sits in his car and just watches people all day long. He has been in the parking lot the last 3 days that I have worked".

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I thought I was overreacting and I didn't want to bug anyone. He didn't do anything, he was just watching people from his car".

"Well, I am going to be here all day long, till around 4. If he is still here when I leave, I will figure out how to get him off the property."

She nodded

It was business as usual the rest of the day. Jonathan kissed Jennifer goodbye around 10, and headed to the office.

"See you tonight, darling".

"Love you, see you tonight".

She worked on the books the rest of the day, and was pleased to see that in spite of all of the chaos, they were making a nice profit.

She sent flowers to both of the girls families, and had received a nice thank you note from both families in return. She wanted to honor the girls in some way, but she wasn't sure how.

She finally decided to name a dressing room after each of them, and have a little plaque on the wall with their names and pictures, and something nice like "Forever In Our Hearts".

She went to the sales floor around 3:00, and looked out the window. The telephone man was still there, sitting in his car, watching.

She suddenly had an idea.

She called Lt. Gray.

"Lt.? This is Jennifer Hart. I need to ask you some questions".

"Go ahead".

"Kelsey Newton, and Sloane McCallum, do you know what pharmacy they used?"

"I believe it was Wagner's. The one on 7th street. We found a prescription that had just been purchased with Sloane, and we found a receipt in Kelsey's purse from that pharmacy as well".

"Ok, so this is a long shot. But, there is a guy who sitting in his car in the parking lot and he's just staring at people and watching them, has been all day. One of my sales girls told me this morning that she used to use Wagner's pharmacy on 7th, and she stopped because he was too personal with her and too creepy. And Lt., both Sloane and Kelsey, as well as the girl who told me this, were getting birth control from that pharmacy. I am wondering if he is opposed to birth control and that's what is making him do this".

"Could be. Problem is, we would have to catch him in the act".

They chatted a little longer and then hung up.

She started to form a plan, but she knew Jonathan would never go for it.

***Willow Pond***

Jennifer got home around 5, and was sitting on the couch, with a cocktail when Jonathan got home.

She decided not to tell him just yet about her plan. She didn't want to debate it with him.

She decided to distract him by teasing him about their Maldives trip.

He came and sat by her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"21".

"21 what?"

"Days till we go on our trip, darling".

"I am so ready."

"How long are you able to take off?"

"As long as I need to".

"Well, for starters, our flights from beginning to end are about 28 hours. That's if we fly commercial. If you want Jack to fly us, then we could probably break that up, and fly ½ way one day, and the rest the next, I would suppose. But, the hotel that I want to stay in, has an offer where if you book 12 nights, you get 4 nights free".

"Can you leave the boutique for that long?"

"I think so. Natalie is more than capable, and the others can help her if needed. I think we might start closing on Sundays, which would give her a day off".

"Well, how about this-I will call Jack and ask him what his preference is. If he thinks the trip is too treacherous, then we will fly commercial".

He leaned over and kissed her.

"Great idea".

She got up and started dinner, and then called the boutique to check in.

"Everything is fine, Mrs. Hart. The man is in his car again, but he hasn't come back inside the store or anything".

"Ok, well, be careful. And call me if you need me".

They hung up, and she tried to focus on Jonathan.

After a nice dinner, they took a long soak in a bubble bath, and tried to relax.

Jonathan rubbed her back for her, and started kissing her neck.

He loved it more than anything when he could kiss her and feel her respond to his touch. He loved knowing that she loved for him to kiss and touch her, and that he could touch her in a way that nobody else could. It was part of what made them electric.

Just when he was about to heat things up, she turned to him and kissed him.

"The water's getting cold". She was whispering in his ear, which always drove him crazy.

He quickly stood up, and got them towels and helped her out of the tub.

After they were dried off, she headed to the closet to grab one of his pajama shirts, and he grabbed her and scooped her up and took her to bed.

He laid her down on the bed and covered his mouth with hers.

She ran her fingers through his hair, and wrapped her legs around his.

He started kissing her neck in the special spot, the one that drove her crazy and ignited her passion at the same time. He covered them with the sheet while they explored each other's bodies, and joined together as one.

Their connection was so strong, that every time was just as exciting as the first.

"Jonathan…. I want you".

"I want you too, babe".

She was scratching his back and pulling him towards her, as he took her over the edge.

They went over the edge together a few minutes later, and then he took her over it once more before they collapsed together and laid there, in the dark.

Just as they were about to fall asleep, the phone rang.

She reached over and got it.

"Hello?"

"I am calling for a Jennifer Hart- this is Bel Air Community Hospital".

"This is Jennifer Hart".

"We have a young lady in the hospital, she was brought in a little while ago, and she was clutching a business card with your number on it."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Whitney Barrow".

"Ok, I will be right there. Thank you".

She jumped up and started getting dressed. Jonathan got ready too, and insisted on driving her.

***Bel Air Community Hospital***

Jennifer and Jonathan came in and found the nurses station.

They were sent to room 312, and found Whitney laying there, asleep.

They came in, and took their seats next to her bed.

The nurse came to check on her, and took her vitals.

"She has a few broken ribs and a broken wrist, and had to have some serious stitches on her chest, but she will be ok. She opted to have a laser treatment and they put her to sleep for that, so she probably will sleep for a few more hours".

Jennifer turned to Jonathan.

"I want to stay here with her, at least till her family arrives. You can go home if you want, I will be ok".

"I am not leaving you, if you want to stay, we will stay".

They settled in, and Jonathan went to the cafeteria to get them something to drink.

Jennifer went and spoke with the nurse, and the nurse confirmed that she had some etching on her chest that Whitney had asked them to remove.

"Do you know what it was?"

"Yes. It was a word- unchaste, I believe. Kids these days will do so many stupid things".

"Has her family been notified?"

"No, just you. She was holding your number".

"Ok, thank you".

Jennifer went back to Whitney's room and took a seat on the couch.

A few minutes later, Whitney's cell phone started ringing.

It was in her purse, next to her on the bed.

Jennifer saw that it said "MOM", so she answered it.

"Hello, this is Whitney's cell phone".

"Hi. This is Whitney's mom, is she around?"

"Hello, this is Jennifer Hart. I own the boutique that Whitney works at-and Whitney is actually in the hospital."

"What happened?"

"She was attacked tonight, but I don't know anything else because she's asleep. The nurse said that she has a few broken ribs, a broken wrist, and she had to get some stitches".

"What hospital is she in?"

"Bel Air Community Hospital, in Los Angeles. Room 312".

"Ok, thank you. We live in Fresno. We are driving down right now".

"My husband and I will stay here with her till you get here".

"Thank you".

They hung up, and Jennifer covered herself with her coat.

Jonathan came back a few minutes later.

"What took you so long?"

"I know how you love your coconut sweet tea, and they were out, so I waited for them to brew you some fresh".

She squeezed his chin, and then took it from him as he sat next to her.

"Her mom just called, and is on coming down from Fresno. I told her we would stay here with her till they got here".

She turned to look at him.

"Darling…I spoke with Lt. Gray yesterday. He told me that Kelsey had "impure" carved into her chest. And Sloane, she had the word 'unclean' carved into hers. And now Whitney has the word 'unchaste' carved into her chest. Don't you see- it has to be because of the birth control. The creepy guy at the pharmacy-he thinks that girls should remain pure and holy, and by taking birth control, you are no longer pure. So, he's killing them to keep them pure".

"Jennifer, we can't just accuse someone of murder-that's a pretty big leap".

"Jonathan, it's the only thing that fits. They all used the same pharmacy. Kelsey had the word 'impure' carved into her chest. The other two, have a synonym of impure carved into theirs. All three of them are on birth control, too. It fits, I am telling you, it fits".

"And I think you are jumping to conclusions, darling. You have nothing to base this on."

"I have a feeling… and I just know in my heart that this is the link".

He didn't say anything, he just looked at her.

"You don't trust me?"

"I didn't say that".

"You didn't have to, the look on your face says it all".

"Jennifer-"

"Jonathan, I have always trusted you, especially when you had a hunch or a gut feeling. Why can't you do the same for me?"

Her eyes were blazing.

"Darling, I think you are overly tired, and need to get some rest".

"Don't you dare patronize me".

"I'm not".

"Oh, the hell you're not".

She turned away from him and rested her head on the arm of the couch.

He sighed, and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

A few minutes later, he attempted to put his arm around her but she pulled away from him.

He heard her deep breathing, and knew she was asleep. He laced his fingers through hers and tried to get some sleep himself.

***A few hours later***

Jennifer woke up to go to the bathroom, and saw that Jonathan had taken hold of her hand. She let go and moved his arm off her and headed to the bathroom. When she came out, she went and sat in the recliner on the opposite side of the room.

He was still sleeping.

Whitney was sleeping as well, but starting to moan.

About 20 minutes later, she woke up.

"Hi sweetheart. You are in the hospital. You are pretty banged up, but you are going to be ok".

Whitney nodded.

"I tried to call you".

"It's ok. The hospital called me and said you were clutching the business card. Your mom called your cell phone while you were sleeping, and she's on her way. She should be here soon".

She nodded.

"Are you hungry, or thirsty?"

"I would love some water".

"I'll get you some, hang tight".

Jennifer ran down the hall to the vending machine and got her a bottle of water and came right back.

"Here you go".

Whitney took several sips.

Jennifer pulled the chair up to her bedside.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not much to say. I went to a new pharmacy tonight, and when I came out, he was at the light across the street from me. I got in my car and headed home, and when I got out of my car in my complex, he was there and insisted on carrying my packages to my door. So, I started walking to a different apartment because I didn't want him to know where I lived, and as we got closer, he started freaking out and preaching to me and then he started hitting me and kicking me and after a while, I just blacked out".

"Did you recognize him?"

"Yes. He was the guy from the store this morning-the one who wanted to use the phone. He was in that distinctive car- the white mustang with the red stripe down the middle."

Jennifer handed her some water again.

"Do you think the boutique is the link?"
"No. I think the pharmacy is. I think he follows the girls he meets at the pharmacy and gets enraged when they purchase birth control from him, so he stalks them again and kills them, or tries to".

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your evening".

"You didn't ruin anything. You work for me, so I have a responsibility to keep you safe".

Whitney nodded.

Just then, her mom and dad and sister came in.

Jennifer moved out of their way so that they could have time together.

She woke up Jonathan.

"Jonathan…we can go home now".

He stood up.

They walked over to her bed.

"Whitney, can you please tell my husband who did this to you?"

"The man from the store today that wanted to use the phone".

He nodded.

Whitney's parents thanked Jonathan and Jennifer for staying with her, and then the Hart's left.

They were quiet on their way out of the hospital and to the car.

As soon as they were both in the car, Jonathan looked at Jennifer.

"Ok, you made your point".

"Yes, and you didn't trust me".

"That's not what this is about".

"It absolutely is what this is about".

Jennifer was quiet the rest of the way home.

As soon as they got home, they headed upstairs and went to bed.

It was 3:30 in the morning, and they were exhausted.