You're Only Mine: Minnesota Romance novel series

By Edna Curry

Forced to Flee…

When an anonymous stalker makes her life as a California actress and cover girl unbearable, Annessa decides to disappear. She goes to extensive lengths to take on a new identity and build a new life.

But who can she trust?...An attractive neighbor with a cute little daughter woos her, her ex-husband wants to reunite, a new friend's nephew is a movie fan, a workman comes on to her. Then the anonymous threats in notes and scary phone calls resume.

Could one of them be her California stalker?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edna Curry
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201284510

Edna Curry

Edna Curry lives in Minnesota and often sets her novels there among the lakes, evergreens and river valleys. She especially enjoys the Dalles area of the St. Croix Valley, gateway to the Wild River, which draws many tourists who give her story ideas. Edna is married and is a member of the Romance Writers of America and one of its chapters: Northern Lights Writers. Visit her website: http://www.ednacurry.com https://www.facebook.com/Edna.Curry.author Twitter: @Edna_Curry Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Edna%20Curry Minnesota Romance novel series  These novels are stand-alone novels that can be read in any order. My Sister’s Keeper Best Friends Lost Memories Mirror Image Hard Hat Man Traveling Bug Double Trouble Flight to Love Circle of Shadows Secret Daddy Never Love a Logger (historical romance) I’ll Always Find You Meet Me, Darling Wrong Memories My Twin's Wedding *** Lady Locksmith Series: The Lilliput Bar Mystery – Book 1 Body in the Antique Trunk - Book 2 The Missing Banker - Book 3 Girl Who Cried Wolf - Book 4 Robbery at the Lilliput Bar - a short story Lacey Summers’ PI Mystery Series: Yesterday’s Shadow -- Prequel Dead Man’s Image –Book 1 Dead in Bed  -- Book 2 Eccentric Lady  Book 3 Related book: Earth in 2093 A futuristic romantic suspense novel starring Lacey’s granddaughter, Nell Summers and police detective Dave Barns. *** Non-fiction: The Jam of all Jams The story of the world’s largest logjam ever, that took place at Taylors Falls, Minnesota, in June, 1886.

Book preview

You’re Only Mine

Stalking the Cover Girl

By Edna Curry

A person on a magazine cover Description automatically generated with medium confidence

You’re Only Mine

Stalking the Cover Girl

By Edna Curry

Copyright 2021 by Edna Curry ________________________________________

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This is a work of fiction. All events and names in this story are fictitious and any resemblance to any event or person living or dead is purely coincidental.

No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without written permission of the author, except for short excerpts for reviews.

Credit:

Cover by: Elle at http://www.CoveredPages.com

***

Blurb:

Forced to Flee...

When an anonymous stalker makes her life as a California actress and cover girl unbearable, Annessa decides to disappear. She goes to extensive lengths to take on a new identity and build a new life.

But who can she trust?...An attractive neighbor with a cute little daughter woos her, her ex-husband wants to reunite, a new friend’s nephew is a movie fan, a workman comes on to her. Then the anonymous threats in notes and scary phone calls resume.

Could one of them be her California stalker?

Table of Contents:

You’re Only Mine

Stalking the Cover Girl

By Edna Curry

Blurb:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

The End

About the author:

You’re Only Mine

By Edna Curry

Chapter 1

Annessa? Are you home? Sandra used her key to get into their Hollywood apartment, and came into the kitchen, tossing her purse on the table. Oh, there you are. Her curly red hair bounced.

Hi, Sandra. Yes, I’m here. I made some coffee.

Thanks. I saw your car, but the door was locked. Oh, did you get another threatening note? Sandra’s worried blue eyes regarded the letter in her roommate’s hand. Sandra had just returned from her job in the costume department at the same studio where Annessa worked as an actress.

Annessa swallowed and nodded, her brown eyes on the envelope she’d brought in with her mail. The third one this week, she admitted. She drank more coffee to ease her dry throat.

What does this one say? Sandra poured herself some coffee and sat opposite her.

Annessa held it out to her and Sandra stood and took the note and read it aloud. "I’m your one and only. If I can’t have you, no one will. Her face paled and she dropped back into her chair. Every note get worse than the last." She sipped her coffee.

I know, Sandra. I know. Annessa ran a slim hand through her long, platinum hair.

Are you going to turn it over to the police? Maybe they can find some fingerprints or something to identify whoever is doing this.

It wouldn’t do any good.

Why not? Didn’t you talk to them last week?

Annessa nodded.

Well, Sandra prodded. What did they say?

She shrugged. The same as when I talked to them a couple of weeks ago. I should expect crazy fans as the price of fame, of moving up in the limelight with my more public roles. Apparently, stalkers are a common thing for leading ladies. He claimed their threats usually don’t amount to anything. He said I should just keep my eyes open for anything more than an overly enthusiastic fan. Or, he said maybe it’s my ex-husband, being nasty.

Really? Sandra looked doubtful. Did you tell them about the notes with the flowers? The middle of the night phone calls?

Again, Annessa nodded. They suggested changing my phone numbers again. Or unplugging my phone at night.

Sandra ran a chubby hand through her long red hair. You don’t really think it’s Joe, do you?

No. He never did things like that. I know he made my life miserable at the end of our short marriage, but he didn’t do stuff like this. Joe lied to me and cheated on me with other women, but he wasn’t mean.

Sandra sighed. Well, I think this guy is more than a fan. Fans don’t threaten to kill you if they can’t have you. They don’t say if you won’t be theirs alone, you’ll belong to no one. This is one scary nut.

Annessa smiled at her friend. You’re a sweetheart, Sandra. I appreciate your support. You know I haven’t slept well in weeks between the worries and the nightmares. The lack of sleep shows. The make-up gal has scolded me every day about it for the past couple of weeks. Even Barry Jones, my hairdresser at the studio, claims he can see a difference in my hair.

Really? Stress and lack of sleep make a difference in your hair? How is that possible?

Sounds dumb, doesn’t it? But he’s been my hairdresser for almost a year now and says it’s not as shiny as it was and it feels more brittle to him. Course, he bleaches it pretty often, you know, so I’m sure that contributes to the problem.

I suppose it does. I hope you feel better soon, Annessa. You know I worry about you.

I know. We’ve been through a lot together as roommates for the past two years.

And you stood by me through all of this nut’s harassment. I appreciate it, Sandra.

Sandra shrugged off that praise. Everybody has problems.

Annessa sighed and eyed her friend. True. But things are looking up now, I think.

Sandra stared at her in surprise. What do you mean, looking up now?

Annessa chewed her lip. I have something to tell you. I hope you won’t be mad at me.

Why should I be mad at you? You have enough on your plate.

I know. But I’ve made a decision. I can’t live like this anymore. I’ve finished this contract with the studio and I’ve decided not to sign another one.

You’re quitting acting? Sandra stared at her in dismay. But you love acting.

Yes, but I’m quitting. For now, anyway.

But...what did your agent say? He won’t like losing a good client.

He’ll get over it. He’s a good agent and never lacks for clients.

But, what will you do?

Annessa laughed. Don’t worry about me. I was a very good waitress in college. I can always do that until I find something I like better. But I’ll stay away from getting my picture on every entertainment magazine or gossip rag. I’m so sick of photographers following me around, I could scream. I wish I’d never listened to that recruiter who talked me quitting college and taking a job as a model and actress in the first place. Sure, it was fun and the money was great, but it attracts loonies.

But don’t you get future payments from some of the contracts you did?

I worked that out with my agent. He’ll put them into a special account.

Sandra frowned. But how will quitting work help stop this nut?

She shrugged. I’m not sure. But maybe if I’m not on magazine covers and in media news all the time, he’ll give up and find some other model to fixate on. I’m going to disappear for a while. A few weeks at a nice spa first, to try to undo some of the damage from worry and insomnia. Please don’t be mad, I’ve paid next month’s rent and I’m sure you can find someone else to share this apartment.

Sandra nodded. That’s no problem. Available apartments are scarce here. I’m just worried about whether you’ll be okay.

I have made careful plans. I think it’s best I don’t tell you about them, though. In case this nut tries to find out where I am through you.

Sandra gasped. I love you and I’d never tell him.

I know, but this is extra insurance, Sandra. It doesn’t mean I don’t trust you. He might trick you into telling him. You know, by pretending to be a concerned friend or something, so you don’t suspect he’s my stalker.

Yikes, I didn’t think about that. I’ll be extra careful.

Thanks. Don’t worry. I’ll keep in touch with prepaid cell phones that I’ll keep changing. But I’ll always text you the new number when I change phones. Here’s my current one. She handed her a slip of paper with the new number. And I bought you a couple of prepaid phones too, just in case he’s managed to put a trace on our apartment phone here.

Oh, my God! Do you think that’s possible?

I don’t know, but we can’t take any chances, okay? Always use the prepaid phone to call me. And keep only one on at a time. Charge the others, then turn them off and hide them in different places, just in case he breaks in here.

Sure. Sandra took them. Do you really think he’ll go so far as to break in here?

Annessa shrugged. I have no idea who he is or what he’s capable of. That’s the scary part—the unknown. Remember, we discussed various ways he might be tracking us. So, if you have to buy more burner phones, do it with cash and leave your cell phone at home before you go to the store, okay?

Sandra nodded in agreement.

If I have to change burner phones, I’ll just send you a goodbye message. If you get one, that means you need to smash that phone and use the one I’ve marked number two, okay? And if you have to buy more, tell me the new numbers in the order you will use those phones, okay?

Sandra nodded again. I understand. But, Anessa, I don’t like the idea that you’ll be all alone if he finds you again. What shall I tell people who call here for you?

Try not to say anything, just that I’m not here right now and you’ll take a message. If that doesn’t work, say I’m on vacation in the Bahamas. You don’t know exactly where. Or I’ve gone to a fancy spa in Europe for some surgery, but I wouldn’t tell you where.

Sandra nodded. That should work. She eyed Annessa and glanced around the room, evidently just now noticing some missing items. You’ve already packed your things, haven’t you?

Annessa nodded. Everything I’m taking is already in my car. I took the rest of my stuff to a Goodwill store. The furniture stays here because it belongs to this apartment, of course.

She didn’t mention that she’d done this gradually over the past few weeks, while Sandra was out or at work, taking boxes and bags of stuff to several different thrift stores. She hated having to give up some of her favorite clothes, but she couldn’t have someone recognize an outfit they’d seen her wear in a magazine picture. Luckily, most of the outfits she wore on camera had been part of a studio’s wardrobe, so she’d never owned much.

Now she’d wear jeans, running shoes and plain colored tee shirts that were worn by most women and wouldn’t identify her. Simple slacks, plain blouses and ordinary pumps would do for dress up. No designer clothes, no unusual styles that would identify her.

She’d transferred the pictures of the stalkers’ notes to a prepaid phone, then smashed her beloved smartphone and computer, put them into a garbage bag and put it in her luggage. She couldn’t be sure if her stalker had been able to put any kind of tracking info on her phone or computer, so they had to go. She wanted the last place they could be tracked to be this apartment, where the nut already knew she lived. She’d drop them into separate dumpsters somewhere enroute.

She’d put her old birth certificate, driver’s license, passport and SS card into her bank’s safety deposit box, just in case she’d be able to return to her real identity if this nut was safely jailed.

What about your mail? Sandra asked.

It will continue to come here. Don’t tell anyone different or that you know how to contact me. You can open my mail and if it’s important, we can discuss it on the phone. Otherwise, anything like bank statements or anything with my name or address on it, burn or shred it, please. Just in case he tries to break in here to find any information about me.

Okay, but won’t you need your bank info?

No, don’t worry, I can access it online.

Oh, of course. I keep forgetting what a computer nerd you are. How about email?

I’ve cancelled all the online stuff.

I see. But what if he sees you leave here and follows you to this spa?

Annessa laughed. I doubt he’s someone who has the money or connections to get inside the expensive place where I’ll be for weeks.

Sandra grinned. That’s true. I hope it works.

"Really, I have to leave now. I’m sorry to spring all this