Looking up, Ginny said, “Are we dealing with a man who can’t have sex? Or is afraid of sex? Or…oh, hell, I don’t know!”

Mitch walked in, Lance with him, surprising everyone in the room. “I’ve asked Lance Green to assist with a possible profile.”

The gathering of law enforcement personnel turned with interest, eager to listen to what Lance could offer. He stood, tall and ill at ease, the expression on his face screaming he would rather be somewhere else, preferably by himself. Ginny thought his profile was handsome, but realized she had never seen him smile. Blinking as he began to speak, she focused on his words.

“The typical voyeur is male, and the behavior generally begins before the adolescent years. This would make it difficult to determine the age of who you are looking for, if it weren’t for the heights of the windows involved. Based on what Chief Evans has said, you are probably looking at an adult male, instead of an adolescent or pre-teen. The latest behavior is called , which is touching or rubbing against a non-consenting person. and generally involves the suffering or humiliation of the other person.”

“So, it’s not sexual—it’s about humiliation and control?” Grant asked.

“Yes, it’s about control, but the humiliation is a big part of it. Voyeurism is a crime when the perpetrator steps over the bounds and watches someone against their will,” Lance added. “Many people need added stimulation such as porn, nude magazines, etc. Voyeurs usually start with watching someone at home, their parents having sex or a sibling taking a bath, for example. They need the external stimulation of peeking at someone to become sexually stimulated.”

“Age?” Burt asked.

Shrugging, Lance said, “No particular age. Sorry. But keep in mind that not all voyeurs take the peeping any further than just getting stimulated when they illicitly peer at someone. Frotteurism is taking it to a different level. It could be someone who’s getting their jollies standing in a crowded subway and their crotch just happens to be at the level of someone’s rear end. But, taken to extremes, it can become sexual assault when the person attacks someone with the express purpose of having control over their victim and using their body to cause orgasm.”

By the time Lance was finished and left the station, Ginny’s head was about to explode. Rubbing her forehead, she said, “Mitch, I need to check on the final plans for Finn’s block party. Is the mayor still on board?”

“Oh, yeah. He and Silas want it to move forward to counter the bad publicity of our attacker. Looking at his watch, he said, “Go on and talk to Brogan, then call it a night.” Looking at the others, he said, “We meet back here first thing in the morning. Let’s hope we have a quiet night. Sam, you have the first evening shift and then Grant, you’re on call after eleven.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Ginny waved goodbye, heading down the street toward the pub. Passing Jillian’s Coffee Shop and Galleria, she darted inside, reminded that she needed to speak to Jillian.

Stepping into the cool interior, Ginny took a second to let her eyes adjust and to admire the shop. Antique tables and amber sconces on the walls to soften the sunlight that came from the front gave the quaint shop its ambience.  The old building had originally been a store in the late 1800’s and fell into disrepair over the years.  The store passed through multiple owners and eventually ended up bought by Jillian’s parents.  Determined to return the store to its former glory, they kept the solid wood paneling, carved wooden support poles, and the glass display cases on the sides of the long room downstairs.  They turned the rest into a coffee shop and Jillian’s mother began baking pastries to sell along with the coffee. 

Once her parents turned it over to her, Jillian restored the second floor to the same glory as the coffee shop downstairs and showcased local artists’ paintings on the dark paneled walls. 

Directed upstairs, Ginny rounded the banister and observed Jillian on a stepstool, hanging a piece of sea glass art that was exquisite. Jillian grinned at her and climbed down.

“Wow,” Ginny said, staring at the perfectly balanced piece of work. “That is breath taking.”

“I know,” Jillian gushed. “All his work is gorgeous. I’m so glad Lance lets me display it.” Turning her appraising eye toward Ginny, she said, “You know the sea glass story, don’t you?” Seeing Ginny’s quizzical expression, she reached over to a small bowl on her desk and plucked out one of the many pieces of sea glass. Handing it to Ginny, she said, “Sea glass comes from the ships out in the harbor. They still use glass bottles and plates. They can just wash to reuse, of course, and when they break, they can toss them into the sea, unlike paper refuse. The shards drop to the bottom of the sea, churned by the sand and surf until all the edges become smooth. By the time they wash up on shore, they’re beautiful pieces of sea glass.”

Ginny rubbed her fingers over the deep green glass in her hand, admiring the way the delicate glass was as smooth as it was strong. Smiling, she handed it back to Jillian, who shook her head.

“Oh, no. That’s for you. To always remind you that it is not the calm seas that shape us, but the rough and tumbles in life that make us who we are.”

Ginny blinked back tears as she swallowed deeply. Shoving the sea glass into her pocket, she nodded her thanks, not trusting her voice.

Smiling, Jillian, ever perceptive, said, “You look like a woman who needs a good cup of coffee.”

“Oh, yeah, that’d be great.”

Calling down to her barista, Jillian ordered two coffees and then ushered Ginny to a little table near the tall windows overlooking Main Street. “I get the feeling you’re here officially. What can I do for you?” Leaning forward, her eyes alight, she added, “I hear good gossip, you know.” Leaning back, she pretend pouted, “Although, when Katelyn worked at the diner, she got great gossip!”

Chuckling, Ginny said, “I actually need to ask you what you thought about Ben Hudgins or James Smithson.” Seeing Jillian’s surprised face, Ginny quickly explained, “Nothing’s wrong with them, but I need to get a read on their personalities. Grant and I had to interview them and I…well, I know you had gone out with Ben.”

“Oh, lordy, you and Grant talked to Ben? I’ll bet Grant was real happy about that!” Jillian said, rolling her eyes.

A server brought the coffees to them and Ginny took a grateful sip.

“To be honest, Ginny, I don’t have a ton of information to give you. I met Ben when a group of new teachers were brought in on a tour of the town. James wasn’t with them…he might have been hired a year later. Anyway, I only know James by sight, but we’ve never talked, other than just hello when he happens to come by. Ben was a real sweetie and we kind of flirted.” She fiddled with the tablecloth for a moment and said, “That was a dark time for me and Grant. He’d been back in town for over a year and never made a move on me…in fact, he made it a point to make sure he wasn’t with me, if you get what I mean.” Sighing, she continued, “Anyway, Ben seemed interested, nice, and God knows, he’s handsome. So, we went to dinner a couple of times. No major sparks and I didn’t sleep with him. We kissed, but that was about it. I asked him to take me to Tori and Mitch’s engagement party and that was when Grant first saw us, acted like an ass to Ben, and then he and I began our big fight, makeup, and trying to figure out what the hell we were.” Grinning, she flashed her engagement ring and said, “From then on, it was Grant.”

“How did Ben take that?”

“He was fine. He and I talked and he admitted he knew we weren’t true loves. He even said that he hoped Grant and I were happy.”

“And nothing about James?”

“Other than he’s got a reputation?”

“What have you heard?”

Jillian’s lips turned down slightly, as she said, “Ginny, this is only hearsay. Just gossip.”

“I understand and I’ll take it as that.”

Nodding, Jillian said, “Well, I remember Ben mentioning a few times about James and women. How he likes a different one all the time, rarely sees someone two times in a row. How he brags about variety. I remember Ben making a comment once about how James is so friendly with women out in public…kind of flirty, you know? But then he talks really badly about them in private.” Sighing, she continued, “I know Grant certainly dated around, but he never trashed talked anyone.”

“Jade seemed to think—”

Jillian immediately interrupted, “I know Jade said James was professional, but she works in the elementary school, not at the high school with him. She tends to think the best of everyone, but I’ve heard he can be overly friendly. So far, not with the students, but with others.”

Ginny sipped her coffee, her mind processing Jillian’s comments…and an uneasy feeling crawled up her spine. Nodding, Ginny sighed, pushing her chair back to stand, but Jillian’s twinkling eyes stopped her. “Was there something else?” she asked.

“I just wondered how the new underwear was working out for you?”

Pink stained Ginny’s cheeks but she was unable to keep the smile from her face. “It just came in but I’ve been so busy, I haven’t worn it yet. I’ll be honest, though I don’t see how you manage to match your panties and bra every day—”

“Oh, honey,” Jillian said, “that’s just for special occasions…or romance novels where the heroine always manages to have things match. I suppose someone with money can also do that daily, since they probably own a bunch of matching lingerie. But, for most of us ordinary women, we do what we can with what we have!”

Ginny laughed, enjoying the ease of their conversation. “Good. Hopefully, I can soon report that Brogan approves whole-heartedly.”

“And just remember, men don’t honestly give a hoot what you’re wearing under your clothes, because all they can think about is getting you naked,” Jillian laughed. “That lingerie is for you to feel pretty and special—men just want it off!”

“That’s certainly been the case so far,” Ginny admitted, her heart light as she shared an intimate conversation with a friend. A few minutes later, she was back on the sidewalk, sliding her sunglasses on her nose, heading toward Finn’s.

* * *

Ginny could not remember having so much fun. Sitting in a booth at Finn’s, tucked into Brogan’s side, surrounded by their friends. After living a somewhat solitary social life since she had been in Baytown, relaxing with friends was a welcome change in her life. Feeling a squeeze on her shoulder, she twisted her head around to look up at Brogan. His eyes were focused on her, warm and gentle.

“Having a good time?” he whispered in her ear.

Nodding, “Yeah.”

“Good. I wanted you to have a chance to relax.”

Jason, Callan, Zac, and Aiden had a cut-throat game of darts going near the front, showing off for Jade and Belle. Jillian and Grant, Tori and Mitch, and Katelyn and Gareth filled the booth in the back, easy conversation and banter flowing between them. As if they had agreed to a moratorium on discussing the events of the past week, no one mentioned the case. Instead, the excitement about Finn’s block party the next night filled their conversation.

“I’ll be working, you know,” Ginny said to Brogan, watching his smile turn to a scowl.

“I know,” he grumbled.

“That’s what we get for being involved with the police,” Tori said to Jillian before looking over at Brogan. “Whether you like it or not, Brogan, you’ve now joined our club.”

“Great, just great,” his deep voice rumbled against Ginny’s side, winking down at her.

“Hey,” Ginny twisted around, pretending to glare. “You knew that when you started dating me!”

Kissing her hard and fast, he groused, “I know and I’m proud of you. But that doesn’t mean I have to like the danger you are in.”

“Honey, in this town, there’s not a lot of danger.”

“Any amount is too much,” he whispered against her lips, before kissing her again.

“Don’t worry,” she assured. “You’ll be too busy tomorrow night selling drinks and food, you won’t even miss me.” Grinning, she teased, “You better save some for me!”

“Babe, for you, I’ll save anything you want.”

“Hmm,” she purred, “I’ll have to get creative then. Fish and chips won’t be near enough!”

* * *

“Ginny, can you spare a few minutes?”

Recognizing Katelyn’s voice, she replied, “What’s up?”

“There’s a meeting with a bunch of Auxiliary women, who were gathering to make sure we had what we needed for our block party booth tonight and, of course, the topic of conversation turned to the recent events. Some of the women are scared and I know you’re slammed, but if you had a few minutes, could you talk to us?”

Glancing at the clock on the wall near her desk, she replied, “Sure. I’ll be right there.”

Within fifteen minutes, Ginny was facing a group of almost twenty women of all ages, concern etched on their faces.

“You know we have no definitive information other than what Mitch has given at the announcement, but the most important thing to understand is what you need to do to be safe. And there are very definite things you can do to ensure that.”

All eyes were glued on her, anxious and eager, for any information she could impart. Ginny realized how much terror this individual had created and she grew angry at that loss of control for these women.

“Number one, do not walk alone, especially at night. Sexual predators look for opportunity and a woman alone, gives them that opportunity. Number two, be aware of your surroundings. Don’t just blindly walk to your car or down the street without looking around. They don’t want to risk getting caught, and a woman whose head is up, looking around, with a firm grip on their phone or purse, is not someone they want to tangle with.”

“What about at home? The peeping tom?” one woman asked.

“Ladies, you must lock your doors and windows,” Ginny implored. “Keep your blinds closed and curtains closed at night. And don’t change clothes in front of windows or in a room with open windows.”

“You know what I hate about this?” Jillian’s mother, Claire Evans, said. “I used to love leaving the windows open so the bay breeze could flow through the house. In the last week, I’ve kept the house locked up tight. I should have control over my own house, not some pervert!” Applause broke out in agreement.

Swallowing deeply, Ginny nodded. “I agree. You should have control. You should have control over your house. Control over your life. Control over your body. But the reality is that there is someone out there who wants that control and doesn’t mind taking it.”

“You’re all so strong,” Belle said softly, looking around the room. “I’m such a ninny and have always kept my doors and windows locked, even before this.” Shrugging slightly, she added, “It seems like I’ve been scared my whole life.” As her eyes cut over to Ginny, she said, “You’re especially strong, Ginny. I can’t image you being afraid of anyone.”

Rubbing her hand over her face, Ginny leaned against the table in the front of the gathering. The butterflies in her stomach threatened to take flight, but she plunged ahead. “I know that kind of fear. I know that loss of control.” The women’s eyes were trained on her, almost fearful as she continued. “In the military, I was the victim of a sexual harassment situation where cameras were placed in the women’s showers and then the videos were posted online and passed around.”

Gasps were heard as jaws dropped and every woman’s eyes widened in shock.

“No fucking way,” Katelyn cursed, her face a mask of anger.

“And when I protested and filed complaints, I was harassed. And then, one night, assaulted in my bed.”

“Oh, Jesus, no,” cried Corrine MacFarlane, her eyes full of tears.

“I wasn’t raped, but I was assaulted.” Shaking her head gently, Ginny realized she no longer feared saying her story out loud. These women needed to hear her story…know that a woman can be strong in the face of adversity…know that a woman can survive even when control is wrenched away. Pushing away from the table, she stood proudly and pointed to her chest, saying, “But I survived. I continued to fight against the injustice of it all. The Army conducted a huge investigation into the shower video scandals. I had left the Army by then, but I knew that I had a hand in taking back the control for women soldiers. For taking back my control.”

“You didn’t give up,” Corrine whispered, pride shining in her eyes.

Ginny looked down at Brogan’s mom and replied, “Yeah, I did. Admittedly, I grew tired and, by the end, I just wanted out. Stopped fighting. Almost stopped caring.” She realized at that moment that she had never spent any time with Corrine since she and Brogan had begun dating. Licking her lips, she wondered what the woman thought of her, but one look at her face and Ginny smiled softly as Corrine held her gaze.

The group thanked Ginny for taking time to talk to them but she pushed aside their praise. “Hey, you all are here doing the Auxiliary work for the block party, so I want to do my part too.”

“Oh, you’ll be doing your part,” Tori said, “since you have to work tonight.”

Shrugging, Ginny smiled. “It’s all part of the job.” Heading back to the station, her heart lighter, she remembered how much she loved her job.