Chapter 265: The Stalker
Although Karen had over a hundred thousand followers, she didn't livestream often. Most of the time, she just posted updates or occasionally did yoga livestreams to give her fans a little treat. Her streaming schedule was irregular, and her fanbase wasn't particularly loyal or cohesive.
Even though Karen was sweet and cute, the internet was full of pretty girls. Compared to the countless sexy and fiery influencers out there, Karen didn't exactly stand out.
Especially considering her body was fairly average—nothing like those gym-addicted, hourglass-figured girls who flaunted their curves online.
Frank couldn't figure out who might be stalking Karen, but he was sure that someone was following her—and likely not with good intentions.
Naturally, Frank couldn't just sit back and ignore the situation.
"Someone's been stalking you lately. Be careful. Do you have anything for self-defense? Like pepper spray or something…" Frank warned Karen.
Before he could finish, Karen casually pulled a pink lady's pistol out of the small bag she always carried.
"I joined a shooting club two months ago," she said with a smile. "I'm a pretty good shot. Don't worry, Dad."
Seeing the gun gave Frank some peace of mind—at least she had a way to protect herself.
Still, to be safe, Frank called in Officer Tony, who was currently enjoying the honeymoon phase of a new romance.
Before Frank left Chicago last time, he didn't want Officer Tony constantly bothering Fiona. So he asked Karen to find a girl to approach Tony and let him experience the sweetness of love for himself.
The results exceeded Frank's expectations.
Tony was a fairly innocent guy with little romantic experience. Aside from Fiona, he'd never been intimate with any woman. At his age—early twenties, full of hormones—he had desires, but he was too uptight to seek out a street girl. That's why he remained fixated on Fiona, still longing for that one perfect experience.
But Fiona kept her distance, never letting him get close again.
So Frank arranged for a girl to flirt with him. As the saying goes: when a man chases a woman, it's like climbing a mountain; when a woman chases a man, it's like cutting through silk.
In less than a week, Tony fell for her. Two weeks later, they were already living together—practically a speedrun.
Frank had initially paid for three months of the girl's time, thinking it might take that long. But it had only been a month, and the two were now completely inseparable.
Since getting together with the girl, Tony stopped bothering Fiona. They became just regular friends again.
Of course, Tony had no idea the girl had been hired by Frank. He was completely immersed in the bliss of love.
When Frank asked him for help, Tony was reluctant. In the past, he only helped because of Fiona. Now that he no longer had feelings for her, there was no reason to waste his time helping Frank.
So Frank contacted the girl, who told Tony that Frank was her cousin. That finally convinced Tony to help.
"Be careful. Don't let him spot you," Frank said, watching the black car ahead.
Frank was in the passenger seat while Tony drove.
Frank had told Karen to go about her day as usual—to lure the stalker out. Sure enough, the stalker took the bait.
Now Frank and Tony were playing the hunters, tailing the stalker from behind and waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Relax. I tail suspects all the time," Tony said confidently.
Surveillance and tailing were basic police skills—standard fare at the academy. Without those skills, how could anyone be a cop?
But Tony's confidence was quickly shattered.
"I think we've been made," Frank said as he watched the stalker's car suddenly accelerate and start weaving through traffic.
"I'm not letting him get away!" Tony said, a bit embarrassed, and stomped on the gas.
But the stalker clearly had sharp instincts and impressive driving skills. In less than ten minutes, he lost them in traffic—completely disappearing.
"Fuck!" Tony cursed, pulling over and slamming the steering wheel, clearly frustrated.
"We might've startled him, but if he realizes he's exposed and stops stalking Karen, then the problem's solved," Frank said. "Let's just hope he gives up."
They drove to the building where Karen worked. Frank and Tony scanned the surroundings, ready to lie in wait.
If the stalker hadn't given up, he'd still be nearby.
Frank needed to confirm if the man was truly gone.
"I got his license plate," Tony said, putting down his phone. "I'll have a friend in traffic enforcement look into it."
"Good." Frank nodded—but then something caught his eye.
Across the street from the building was a café. At one of the outdoor tables sat a man in a black jacket and a baseball cap, holding a newspaper.
He looked like he was just enjoying coffee and an afternoon read, completely relaxed.
The paper obscured his face, but something about the man's build struck Frank as oddly familiar.
"What's wrong?" Tony noticed Frank staring and followed his gaze. He saw the man too but didn't sense anything unusual.
"It's nothing. I'm out of smokes. I'm gonna grab some. Want anything? Water? Coffee? Beer?" Frank asked.
"I'm good." Tony shook his head.
Frank walked to a nearby convenience store and bought a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of water. He drank the whole bottle in one go, relieving his thirst, then lit a cigarette.
Suddenly, something occurred to him.
He pulled out his phone, opened the camera, and zoomed in on the man at the café.
The man was facing the building, so his face was blocked by the newspaper—but from Frank's angle, standing to his left, he could see part of the man's profile.
"He's wearing a mask?" Frank frowned at the screen.
The man wore a mask that covered most of his face—making it impossible to identify him.
That only raised Frank's suspicion.
It was summer, after all. Who wears a mask in this heat unless they have something to hide?
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(Special thanks to albred_al and Kai_Greyt.)