Stalker Page 10

  ‘No. The “Hot Goss.” about you, is suddenly attracting lots of interest. People are sticking up for you. They loved the way you handled the Stalker issue on air.’

  ‘Cool,’ said Lily.

  ‘And there have been a few expressions of interest from the commercials.

  Guest spots. That sort of thing.’

  ‘PAID guest spots?’ asked Jamie quickly.

  ‘Doubtful. Mainly Lily interviews.’

  ‘With personal panel operator?’ asked Jamie quickly.

  ‘Not so far,’ laughed Bernie. ‘Don’t give up your day job.’

  ***********************************************************

  I didn’t think you’d get an interim order served on me, Lily. Didn’t think you had enough proof, but maybe you had. I couldn’t risk it. Maybe you were bluffing, but… My parents would freak out if they knew I was going to court and being written up in the media as ‘daughter of millionaire entrepreneurs.’

  That court person explained the options… the registrar. The magistrate wasn’t going to hear the case today, but I was warned that some contested cases are listed and attract media attention. Could be a full hearing in three or four weeks. With media coverage.’ I couldn’t risk that. The parents would be back by then.

  Or I could consent to the order and promise to stay away from you. It was not an admission of guilt and it couldn’t be used for damages! But if I didn’t agree, we’d have to go to court.

  So, I signed and I had to promise things. That made me mad.

  That Magistrate was up himself. Glasses like coke- bottles. Who did he think he was, telling me to stay away from HER. It’s a free country isn’t it. Lily was lucky that I’d chosen her, but I could change her good luck into bad luck if I wished.

  So I agreed, only because I wasn’t sure what evidence she had against me:

  I would not stalk her. Assault, intimidate threaten, molest harass or otherwise interfere with her. Or go within 500 metres of Studio 3BC

  I will not contact Lily Noelle by phone, letter or electronic means.

  It was all her fault!

  Lily thought she was God’s gift to media. She wanted to play the fame game. I just helped a little.

  14

  Finale

  At the studio, Lily had been trying to catch up with her genuine supporters’ mail. She was sitting at her ‘hot-desk’ which is what they called the part-time desk, shared by ten volunteers weekly, keyboarding replies.

  ‘That Sammy Taylor is STILL hanging around,’ a track-suited Ben burst into the studio, waving an envelope with black edges. ‘She’s been at your house again, Lily, leaving a sympathy card this time. Luckily, Genevieve almost caught her at your letter box, but she took off in her car. Or maybe it was a good thing Genevieve didn’t touch her. She’s got a short fuse, Genny. Anita and I just dropped in to see if you were okay, and give you this. Maybe it’s time for the police to sort this out. She’s a nut case!’

  ‘Lily Noelle’ was hand-lettered in calligraphy on the envelope.

  ‘Sympathy for what? D’you reckon she’s trying to apologise or something?’ Lily took the sympathy card, opened the envelope as if it were a bomb, and read the message.

  ‘My thoughts go with you in this time of loss.’

  It wasn’t a commercially printed card. It was hand written.

  ‘What time of loss? Is she going to take something else? I’d better show this to Bernie.’ Lily felt the old tummy fizzing of fear rising. The stalking WASN’T finished!

  In Bernie’s office, sitting at the screen, Jamie was scrolling through e-mails. He looked up. ‘49 e-mails for Lily from Follower, Stalker or Fan-a-tic.’

  ‘Abusive?’ asked Bernie, shuffling through papers on his desk.

  ‘Repetitive.’ Said Jamie. ‘But Sammy Taylor can spell.’

  ‘Delete them!’ said Lily, then changed her mind quickly. ‘No! Print them.

  Evidence.’

  ‘That means she’s breached the intervention order,’ said Bernie. ‘She’s still attempting to communicate with you.’

  ‘And Ben brought in this card. So, it’s time I called the police,’ said Lily, showing him the card. ‘I know it means I’ll have to face her and even go to court, but… I can’t live like this. I thought that challenging her on air was enough. And now she knows, we know who she is, shouldn’t it have stopped? But this card about “loss” probably means she’s planning something else.’

  ‘Most stalkers don’t stop unless the target moves away, or they find another victim. I checked the data.’ Said Jamie, proud of his research.

  He looked closely at the card.

  ‘Thanks,’ said Lily. ‘That makes me feel a lot better.’

  ‘Unless they’re imprisoned. Or counselled.’ added Jamie.

  ‘I’m ringing the police,’ decided Lily. ‘I’m going to face Sammy Taylor

  in court.’

  Butt- ends around the exit. Nervous guys scrubbed up, in suits they’d borrowed to impress the magistrate. He couldn’t be that much of a fool. Ill at ease. Moving from one foot to the other. Longing for a fag. Stained fingers the give-a-way. You could spot the lawyers, the Suits.

  ‘Ready Sammy?’ My lawyer was a woman. Short tight skirt, corporate jacket, shiny hair and no-nonsense manner. I didn’t have Legal Aid. My parents had paid for the best legal advice, once they learnt I’d been charged. Of course, I could have argued my own case, wanted to, but they wouldn’t let me. So I had this Miss Scott, barrister, who wasn’t much older than me.

  ‘Okay. Let’s get it over with,’ I said. Chargeable minutes were how they worked out their bills, these lawyers. Animals couldn’t afford chargeable minutes. Who spoke up for them? I’d been thinking a lot about animals recently.

  I’d looked after the cat really well while the parents were away. Food. Water. Talked to it. Animals don’t complain and they’re much easier to live with than people. They just listen when you talk; they don’t argue and tell you when and how often you’re wrong about things. Collected a couple of stray cats too, so I started putting out milk for them. I like cats, they’re clean, and tidy up after themselves.

  The parents are back. Not so quiet in the house now, but Mum keeps going on about me inventing something she can talk about to her friends. My Tiger Lily stalker campaign could make a computer game, I guess, but I don’t want all my secrets public. Magistrates’ court is nuisance enough. Someone of my calibre shouldn’t have to stand around with the burglars, drink-drivers and druggies. One of them is a graffiti artist, how obvious can you get. Mine was an intelligence campaign, on a par with A.S.I.O. not just stupid theft.

  First time in court for Lily. Jamie came too. ‘I’ll use it in my assignment,’ he said. He was as curious as Lily to see Sammy Taylor in person instead of as a voice, an e-mail or a hovering presence.

  From the outside, the court was just another building, except for the signs, the number of police cars parked outside, and the bunches of people waiting for the main doors to open.

  ‘D’you reckon that’s her?’ Jamie pointed to the elderly female cleaner, mopping the hallway ‘In disguise?’

  ‘Buy new glasses Jamie.’

  Curious and yet distanced, Lily felt as if this was now happening to someone else. The order had been broken and now Sammy had to answer the charges in court. Instead of a FEAR, Sammy Taylor was now a person.

  The doors were open now. Getting ready for the 10 am start, the suburban court was busy, and noisy. Voices echoed against the high ceilings. ‘Suits’ had purposeful chats to their clients in the outside corridor.

  ‘Probably the other court room, Tiger Lily’ suggested Jamie with a smile, as the light glinted off his glasses. He’d started calling her Tiger now. She didn’t really mind. Jamie-the-Brainy was what she called him sometimes.

  Sammy was probably waiting around out here. The magistrate hadn’t started inside yet. Turning, Lily checked the seats. All those
people waiting , except two, were male. She could feel eyes watching her.

  That MUST have been Sammy in the short, black skirt, silk top and black heels. Someone ‘borrowed’ out of a yuppie clothes catalogue, in unfamiliar clothes. Long hair, heavy eye-make- up behind fashionable frames and an aggressive stance. She leaned towards Lily, but was pulled back by the other woman.

  ‘This way please. Don’t talk here, Ms Taylor.’ said the woman lawyer, with a bulging briefcase and a time-is-money manner standing alongside.

  ‘You weren’t worth the trouble,’ hissed Sammy, looking straight at Lily.

  ‘And anyway, I was just researching for my Tiger Lily computer stalking game,’ Sammy said over her shoulder as her lawyer dragged her away.

  Lily took a deep breath. ‘AND the other reasons.’

  ‘Just an excuse,’ said Jamie. ‘I bet she just thought of Tiger Lily because she’d overheard me calling you that!’

  ‘Where? When? ’ asked Lily.

  Jamie shrugged. ‘She’s been around us a lot.’

  The next half hour was a blur for Lily. It was as if she was watching herself in court, as well as being there. Sounds were magnified. A red shirt stood out amongst the dark suits. Wet, slicked back hair on those young drink drivers wanting to look ‘respectable’. Lots of highly polished wood, pew like seats and a nervous hum from those waiting for the magistrate to arrive. Out front were spaces for the court officials. Lily wondered if Sammy’s parents were here, in court, but no-one seemed to be with her except the lawyer.

  All stood at the magistrate walked in.

  The first case was a graffiti artist. That was quick. Sammy was second. Names were announced. Seated next to Jamie, Lily could just see the magistrate’s head above the bench. Papers were handed to him. He checked his screen.

  After listening to the evidence, and explaining what was meant by stalking, the magistrate asked Sammy Taylor lots of questions.

  ‘Why did you follow Lily Noelle?’

  This was the question Lily had been asking for ages.

  Standing in the box, Sammy looked straight at the magistrate. Her heavily made-up eyes were confident.

  ‘I was working out how long it would take for Lily to realise how well my campaign was organised, and how easily her life could be changed. But now I’ve decided to stop.’

  Lily didn’t believe Sammy. From his tone, neither did the magistrate

  who speed -read- the papers, checked his screen and then looked up over his glasses.

  ‘Did you have any thought about the problems you might have created for Lily? Why did you consider you had the right to change her life?’

  Sammy shrugged.

  The magistrate seemed to be trying to give Sammy a chance to put her view. But she didn’t say anything more.

  Lily felt her heart sinking. Was the magistrate going to be on Sammy’s side. But the summing up at the end, reassured her. ‘There is no evidence of a relationship with Lily Noelle the young university student who has volunteered to present a late night radio program on a public station.’

  He went on to legal technicalities.’ Lily watched Sammy’s face. She didn’t seem to be taking it in.

  Sammy Taylor, you have been brought before the court on a charge of stalking. There is proof that you have telephoned the victim, sent e-mail, followed, loitered outside the victim’s home and the victim’s workplace and tampered with her vehicle. You have interfered with the victim’s property. But there are other, criminal offences, such as breaking and entering which must be addressed.’

  Lily watched the magistrate watching Sammy’s non response, as he talked.

  Finally the magistrate said, ‘You are convicted of the charge of stalking and will receive a community based work order.’

  Lily let out a sigh. It was over. Or was it?

  Sammy Taylor a 24 year old ex-university student was today charged with stalking Lily Noelle, Radio 3BC’s weekend evening presenter.

  Her parents Lee and Wen Taylor, the well-known husband and wife entrepreneurs, are owner-developers of Robotics Inc and a number of other e-industries.

  The community order required 100 hours of community work over 12 months at the Animal Rescue Centre.

  She said, ‘Nobody understands a mind like mine. Animals are more understanding than people.’

  Sammy Taylor a 24 year old ex-university student was today charged with stalking Lily Noelle, Radio 3BC’s weekend evening presenter.

  Her parents Lee and Wen Taylor, the well-known husband and wife entrepreneurs, are owner-developers of Robotics Inc and a number of other e-industries.

  The community order required 100 hours of community work over 12 months at the Animal Rescue Centre.

  She said, ‘Nobody understands a mind like mine. Animals are more understanding than people.’

  Sammy Taylor , campaigner for the ‘Animals Against Cruelty’ ,

  has been charged with electronically altering the research records maintained within the Serum Laboratories ,where experimental animals

  are kept.

  ‘I know how the animals feel and they want me to use my skills on their behalf,’ said the 25 year old electronics heiress. Two years ago, Ms Taylor was charged with stalking and given a 100 hour community order

  by the court.

  Sammy Taylor , campaigner for the ‘Animals Against Cruelty’ ,

  has been charged with electronically altering the research records maintained within the Serum Laboratories ,where experimental animals

  are kept.

  ‘I know how the animals feel and they want me to use my skills on their behalf,’ said the 25 year old electronics heiress. Two years ago, Ms Taylor was charged with stalking and given a 100 hour community order

  by the court.

  Jamie showed Lily the news clipping.

  ‘You’ve been replaced by an animal. She’s obsessed with animals now.

  Probably following them.’

  ‘Animals don’t talkback!’ said Lily. ‘So you can project anything onto them, and claim you know what they think.’ #