Stalker Read online

  Did she feel better? Not really, but he was trying hard. ‘Thanks Jamie.’

  Did he think he was going to brain the stalker with that book?

  ‘Even got some questions ready for the quiz. Name ten three-letter body parts to be found in the medical textbook Grey’s Anatomy.’ Jamie fumbled in the large book under his arm. Paper markers fell on the floor. Jamie bent to pick them up.

  ‘Have you been doing body bits in Psych this week?’ Lily knew about Jamie’s time management research.

  Jamie nodded. ‘Of course. Always like to use research more than once.’

  ‘Can we use your stalker research as background for tomorrow’s program? Topic. Stalker. Need a couple of experts on line, a lawyer and a psychologist.’ Lily was acting confident.

  ‘No worries. I’ll find them,’ Jamie winked. ‘And I’ll make a backup tape just in case your guy rings in. And you need proof.’

  ‘Thanks Jamie. Now, tonight, how can we have a talkback quiz if we’re pre-recording?’ Lily was working out the practicalities.

  ‘Fake some voices?’ suggested Jamie. ‘I’ll get my Mum to ring in early. What about your jogging brother? I’ve see him around, doing a jogging circuit of the studio block. He should be excellent on the body questions. We wouldn’t even have to give him the answers.’

  Lily gave a genuine laugh.

  Usually triathlete training totally filled Ben’s life. If it didn’t have muscles, or wasn’t called Anita, he didn’t notice.

  ‘Is he still there?’ Lily looked out of Bernie’s window which overlooked the carpark. Ben was leaning against the seat, doing push-ups. ‘Ben….’

  He looked up and waved. ‘See you Sis. Everything okay? Thought I might as well train here as at the oval.’’

  ‘Want to come into the studio and answer a few questions on air, Ben?’ invited Lily. ‘About body parts.’

  ‘Why not? Be up in a minute.’’

  The clock on the tiny grey-walled radio studio showed 5 pm. ‘Well, girls and boys , let’s get on with no budget, volunteer voice radio,’ suggested Bernie.

  ‘D’you know the answers?’ Lily was trying to think of body bits.

  ‘There’s “eye” and “ear”. What else is a body bit with only three letters?’

  ‘Toe, arm, leg gum, hip, rib, lip, jaw,’ suggested Ben as he walked

  in the studio.

  ‘You’ll be our quiz champion tonight… er today,’ said Jamie enthusiastically. ‘Just hang around.’

  ‘What about “bum”?’ asked Ben with a wink at Lily as he sat at the table near the second mike.

  ‘Not allowed on air.’ Jamie slipped in the promo cart for another program.

  Lily glanced across at Jamie who was wearing odd socks, as usual, but on air you could be naked and no-one would know. Just as long as the voice sounded in control. Despite the Stalker outside, Lily felt part of a team. Temporarily the fear waves were receding.

  Ben was in the studio. Bernie would back her, Jamie-the-Brainy was on the research trail, and she still had one more day with the Red Peril. The hour’s pre-record meant she would be out of the studio before the Stalker even expected her to arrive. And tomorrow night’s program, she’d tackle the program on ‘stalking’.

  ‘Okay Brains Trust. Let’s start.’

  The station’s weekly program guide was published…with presenter’s names… and panel operators. Easy tracking. Well, she’d use that clue too.

  13

  Operation Tiger Lily

  ‘Let’s go, Tiger Lily.’ Jamie winked. ‘Don’t roar into your mike, please!’

  Grrr mouthed Lily silently, and she moved the mike. She put on the ear-phones. The running sheet was in front of her, with the intros marked. The ‘Stalker’ topic had been advertised all day, so HE must have seen it, and be listening. Their pre-record last night had been very successful, they’d even had fun on-air and Ben had escorted Lily home while the music played on into the night. This Saturday ‘graveyard’ shift special was NOT pre-recorded, because they were trying to attract the Stalker.

  The red studio lights were ON. And they were going to ‘take on’ the Stalker with Operation Tiger Lily. Lily could see her reflection in the glass wall, but she was too busy to look more than once. There was a plan and Ben, Jamie and Bernie were part of Operation Fight Back which might ,or might NOT work. It was a risk!

  Reaching across for her pen, Lily knocked her FAN-A-TIC mug. Coffee spilled across the running sheet. The taste of peppermint hadn’t calmed her. She was back to hyper caffeine. She grabbed the cry box, and dabbed tissues. This couldn’t really be happening to her!

  The brown stain dripped… No, it wasn’t like brown blood. She wasn’t going to let herself think that. Not now. She was Tiger Lily, on the attack. She was not a stalker’s victim. She was a target who was going to change her position in the game.

  Lowering his arm slowly, Jamie cued her in.

  ‘Hi to all our listeners out there. This is Lily with the hot goss. segment coming up soon. With the help of Fast Fingers Jamie on the panel who, we hope, has recovered from his Rats and Stats exam, and last night’s Body Bits quiz, we’re in business for another graveyard shift. Tonight we’re opening the talk back lines to a new topic… Stalking… these people who follow others… a little too often and too closely… Stalkers. Do they need help? The stalkers not their targets. That’s our angle for tonight. Experts on line include a lawyer, a psychologist, and a special guest. If you’re interested, or have personal questions to ask our resident psychologist, stay tuned. First, a little track from ‘Hunting Something’. Thanks Jamie.’

  Jamie gave her a ‘thumbs up’ sign, and Lily took a deep breath. Maybe this challenge to ‘her’ stalker wouldn’t work, but at least she was initiating rather than just accepting.

  ‘Resident psychologist’ was not strictly true. Dr Z. wasn’t in the studio but had agreed to answer questions on air, via the phone. Jamie convinced her and the lawyer, at the last minute. And as long as Jamie kept pressing the right buttons on the panel, they were in business .The backing tape would record ‘her’ stalker if he rang in.

  ‘Thanks to Hunting Something for that stirring track. I’d like to introduce our psychologist Dr Z. who is an expert on stalking behaviours. What is stalking? Can you tell us why stalkers stalk?’

  ‘No easy answers to that question, Lily. Some stalkers become obsessed with their targets. Sometimes it’s a mistaken attempt to show affection. Motives might be jealousy. Resentment. Or feelings of rejection.

  What makes it stalking is that it occurs repeatedly and is unwelcome. It causes physical or mental harm to the victim or arouses fear.’

  Dr Z. was warming up, when Lily interrupted.

  Thanks Dr Z. A little later we’ll have our legal expert and then maybe a surprise guest, but meanwhile our first caller is waiting on Line 1. Dr Z. is listening.’’

  ‘Hi. My name is Genny. My flat-mate is being stalked on the phone. What advice would you have for her? Her stalker is obsessed. Can’t see why she might be…but there it is…

  Lily gestured madly to Jamie. ‘Genevieve! MY flatmate.’

  ‘Did you set this up to fill the air-time?’ Jamie asked, through her head-phones.

  ‘No way. Genevieve and I hardly speak to each other at home. Why would we want to talk to each other on air?’

  Dr Z. was still speaking on air, unable to hear Lily’s asides.

  ‘It’s difficult to comment on Genny’s flatmate’s situation,’ said the psychiatrist. ‘It depends what form the stalking takes. Following, loitering, telephoning, interfering with private property, threatening… Generally there are repeated behaviours by a stalker. ‘

  Sounds pretty close to my guy, thought Lily. Wonder who’d recognise themselves? Would Genevieve say anything on air that would indicate Lily was the flatmate? She hoped not. There were enough tensions tonight, without being accused on air of stacking a program.

&n
bsp; ‘Contact the police if you’re really worried,’ advised Dr Z.’ Or get some expert help.’

  ‘I thought you were supposed to be the expert,’ said Genevieve and hung up.

  Typical! thought Lily. Jamie was monitoring the talk-back line.

  Sensing criticism, Dr Z’s voice went into very formal phrasing.

  ‘Apart from the “obsessed” stalker who plagues their idol,

  another group would be the “Incompetents”. These lack social skills… they’re not very good at getting along with people, and so they follow someone they like, and convince themselves that the person likes their attention.’

  ‘Heavy stuff,’ said Lily trying to lighten up the program. Her listeners didn’t really want a psych lecture, although she did.

  How had Genevieve found out about the topic? It had been advertised on air, but was 3BC wasn’t something Genevieve listened to? Maybe Ben told her last night, when he took her home. Maybe she thought she was helping?

  ‘Sometimes there’s a risk for anyone who gets between the stalker and their target,’ continued Dr Z, determined to be expert.

  ‘Ben!’ thought Lily immediately. Where was he?

  ‘We have another caller on the line Dr Z. It’s William, one of our regulars. Yes William. What do you want to talk about tonight?’

  ‘How can stalkers be helped?’ asked William.

  ‘Counselling. But it depends which stalker and their reason for stalking,’

  Dr Z. sounded like she was in for a long session, but Jamie was giving Lily a wind-up signal. Lily spoke quickly,

  ‘Thank you Dr Z. Our legal expert is waiting to make a few comments.

  Welcome to Lawyer J who’s agreed to take part in tonight’s on air discussion.’

  ‘Good evening Lily, ’

  ‘What happens to stalkers who are taken to court?’

  Lily’s stalker was probably listening. Maybe it would frighten him off?

  ‘Sometimes the case is dismissed. Other times the offender may be imprisoned or given a suspended sentence. Maybe a fine, a bond or a community based order. You know they have to do so many hours of community work, under supervision.’

  ‘Why does stalking stop?’

  ‘Maybe an intervention order is taken out. The stalker is not allowed to go near their victim. Counselling. Charged and goes to court. Or sometimes either the stalker or the victim move away.’

  ‘Target or victim?’ interrupted Lily.

  For the next hour, the talk-back line was jammed. They’d never had so many callers. Most were female. Real names were not used on air, but Jamie was supposed to keep track of the callers’ details. Using an initial instead of a name was one way of being anonymous. Jamie started limiting the length of each caller’s story.

  One female even admitted, ‘I’m an ex-Stalker. My initial is S. I used to follow my target for months. Stalkers need the skills of an espionage agent.’

  ‘Why did you stop?’ asked Dr Z. after giving lots of statistics that made Jamie look very interested, and make a thumbs up sign to Lily through the glass.

  ‘Well, I…’ and the line cut out.

  ‘Thank you Caller S. This is Lily on Radio 3BC, and tonight we’re talking to callers and our studio experts on the topic of Stalking. We have other calls waiting. You may just give your initial instead of your name on air if you prefer.’

  ‘My ex-boyfriend stalked me… for months.’

  ‘I had to move because I was being stalked.’

  ‘A girl stalked me, that was pretty scary for a guy. I’m a footy player and my real girlfriend wouldn’t believe that this girl who kept hanging around

  had never been given any encouragement. It was all in her head.’

  Lily glanced at the studio clock.

  ‘This is Radio 3BC and we’re finishing our segment on “Stalkers” in one minute. Last word to our legal eagle. Lawyer J., do you have any advice for our callers who still have problems with stalkers? Should they take legal action? Take out an intervention order or something? Over to you J.’

  It was important to finish with real help. Hard to keep the balance between a chatty program and serious topics. The youth suicide program had been even harder.

  ‘And here is a Help Number for those who need to talk further about their problem. Thanks Jamie for all your research for this special program. And thanks to our experts Dr Z. and Lawyer J. who kindly donated their time this Saturday night.’

  ‘Well done Jamie. D’you think we got him? You did get all the real names, addresses and contact numbers? Of course, they might be fake.’

  Lily felt a surge of energy, although none of the callers’ voices sounded familiar. Had he called?

  ‘Surely a real stalker wouldn’t give a real name.’

  ‘Usually they do. Or run close. Like with your on-air name. It’ll be close,’ said Dr Z. unexpectedly through the headphones. ‘Goodnight and thanks for the opportunity.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Lily, closing down the connections.

  In the studio, Jamie was playing back a tape. He listened intently. Genevieve’s voice filled the studio.

  ‘Hi. My name is Genny. My flat-mate is being stalked on the phone. What advice would you have for her? Her stalker is obsessed Can’t see why she might be…but there it is…’

  ‘Notice how Genny said, “she” and “her”.’ Distractedly Jamie ran his hand across his criss-crossed sprouting hair.

  ‘So? Oh, you mean she was talking as if my stalker were a woman.’

  Lily thought about that. ‘Is that possible?”

  ‘That phone call you told me about,’ said Jamie quickly. ‘On your unlisted number.’

  ‘Which one?’

  ‘You mean there’s been more than one?’

  Lily had to admit, Jamie was quick. His brain was computer-programmed. That’s why panel-operating was kindergarten stuff for him. Just a few switches and controls. Get the sequence right, he went onto automatic and then he was thinking of new challenges.

  ‘I meant the recording played into the phone.’ Jamie said .’I’ve been thinking about it. Using the clairvoyant’s recording meant you never heard your Stalker’s real voice.’ Lily knew Jamie didn’t believe in clairvoyants,

  but the audio dub was a fact.

  Bernie swept into the studio , tummy in front, like a banner. ‘That caller S on your program. The voice is the same as some of the Stalker’s messages on the 3BC comment line. Of course, some of the comments are in a disguised voice. And a caller to the comment line would obviously be a listener, but even so…. Have you got the caller’s details, Jamie?’

  Jamie’s fact sheet was in his usual sloping writing.

  ‘Read it out,’ urged Lily. ‘ S was a woman’s voice.’

  ‘Sam Taylor. Sam? That’s a female name too isn’t it?’

  ‘Sounds like that Doctor’s assistant’s voice,’ Georgio, the retired go-fer interrupted. ‘The one I called you to the phone about, Lily. We were listening in Bernie’s office and I mentioned it to him then.’

  ‘But a Stalker who has been so careful is not going to give us a proper name and address as a gift!’ Lily was having trouble coming to terms with the Stalker being a woman. Why a woman? And why stalk her, Lily?

  ‘Dr Z. doesn’t think so,’ reminded Jamie who had heard all the electronic exchanges.

  ‘Isn’t Taylors that big electronics company that invents robots and things?’ suggested Jamie. ‘And the caller said Ex-Stalker. Maybe she’s just stopped?’

  ‘ We’re checking this out. If you wish, 3BC will help you take out an intervention order against your stalker,’ Bernie informed Lily. ‘To protect you.’

  Ben overheard as he came into the studio. ‘I think that Lily has been doing a pretty good job of looking after herself. Anita and I were listening in the car.’

  ‘With a bit of help from my friends,’ added Lily. ‘Let’s check out this Taylor connection.’

>   I didn’t think Lily would make a formal complaint. I misjudged the stupid bitch. She thought she could get me to ring into her program, when she had those psychs on talking about stalkers. So I did, just to prove that I had specialised knowledge, was a practitioner. I knew things they only read about, secondhand.

  ‘Congratulations Lily,’ said an enthusiastic Bernie shaking her hand.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘We’ve had so many messages of support on the comments line. All your supporters. They’ve been so annoyed at the way you’ve been reported that there’s a backlash. ‘

  ‘It’s not my ex-Stalker doing different funny voices?’ said Lily cautiously.