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if a male or female wrote it. I’ll have an expert provide an opinion on that.” Officer Bouchard scanned the neighborhood with squinty eyes. “Since this is a residential area, I don't suppose there are any traffic cams around, but I'll double check on that. Problem is, we don't really know when he dropped the photos off. Could have been anytime between late last night and six-thirty this morning. Anyway, I have Ms. Graham's statement and I'll file the report. Once I take care of this evidence, I'll come back and question the neighbors.”
    “ You've got enough to deal with right now,” Carter said. “Why don't you let Sarah and me question the neighbors?”
    Officer Bouchard nodded. “Sure, that would help. Ms. Graham mentioned that she plans to hire you two for protection. I wasn't aware that you did that sort of work.”
    Carter jabbed a thumb toward Penny's house. “Whatever the client wants the client gets.”
    Bouchard glanced at his pager and frowned. “Look, I need to head back to the station. I don't mind working together on this but, keep me in the loop, okay?”
    Carter saluted him. “You bet. I hope you'll do the same.”
    A few moments later, we were inside Penny's house and I introduced her to Carter.
    As they shook hands, Carter said, “I'm sorry to hear about your predicament.”
    Penny was dressed in sweats and Ugg slipper boots.  Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail. Without a stitch of make-up on her face, she still managed to look glamorous.
    She offered us a seat on the sofa. “It's been a stressful morning. The worst part is, I don't know whether I should be scared of this guy, or if it's just a stupid joke.”
    “ In cases like these, it's always better to err on the side of caution,” I said. “So you're doing the right thing by taking action.”
     “ My parents wanted me to call them as soon as you got here. If you don't mind, we'll be doing a video chat. They want to talk face to face.”
    “ Fine, if it makes them feel better about it.”
      Penny opened her laptop that was sitting on the coffee table. “We might as well get this over with. Are you ready?”
    Within a few seconds, a screen appeared on the monitor. A man and woman in their fifties stared back at us from the screen. The woman--a well preserved lady of Asian ethnicity--looked just like Penny. The man, presumably the father, was Caucasian, dark hair speckled with grey, also well preserved for his age. They both had concerned expressions.
    “ Mom and Dad, this is Sarah and Carter, the private detectives I told you about.”
    The woman put a hand to her heart and smiled with appreciation. “Nice to meet you. My husband and I are very concerned about this situation and I want to know she will be looked after. I assume you have some experience in these matters.”
    Carter cleared his throat. “Yes, ma'am. I've worked a number of stalking cases. In most cases, the perpetrator is identified within a few days' time.”
    Penny's mother nodded, her strained features seemed to relax. “I'd like you to keep watch on the house at night. Money is no object when it comes to the safety of our daughter. Do you understand?”
    “ Yes,” Carter said. “I understand completely.”
    “ Mom,” Penny interrupted. “Don't you think you're overreacting just a little? I have a life, you know - and my two room-mates live here. I don't want to disrupt their lives.”
    The mother gave her daughter a stern look. “We have already discussed this, dear. The only thing left to do is come to a financial agreement. Mr. Carter, what will you need to start the job?”
    “ We charge a flat fee of a hundred bucks an hour plus expenses.  If you want to send two grand now, that will cover the first two nights. Then we can go from there.”
    She didn't flinch at the amount, a good sign. “That sounds fair to me. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind. I don't expect the police department to give my daughter any special