Don had decided on his own to call the detective to help him scan Donna's place for bugs. Sure enough, they found several areas where a bug (microphone) was
hidden out of sight. One was under the kitchen table where everyone sits during the meetings. The second bug was in the phone in Donna's bedroom. Hopefully that was all.
Don figured that since he had been in the house at least twice, the intruder was able to get a good layout of the house also.
Lieutenant Henson told Don He would have to deputize everyone except Charles, Donna's dad, due to his prison time. He also asked Don to call everyone while at work and explain the bugs and that they left them so as not to give the Intruder any idea that they were on to him.
Plans were then made for a lunch meeting that next day in a room separate from the lunch crowd. There a new plan was presented by Lieutenant Jim Henson, the department's detective on the case. It was agreed to be put in place for Saturday evening. They would have a fake meeting on Tuesday. They would go over the old plan at the kitchen table where the bug was hidden and hopefully throw the pervert off.
Don would mention that John was absent from the meeting. He and Deanna (both were still hanging on to their relationship) for now but John would secretly keep his high-rise away from Deanna and try to see if the spark that caused so much trouble for so many people, was still there. That took care of John's excuse.
Until the actual plan went down on Saturday, Don would be staying with Donna at night and in the day time, Charles would keep an eye on Donna until Don got there every afternoon. Donna had to admit that she liked having her two favorite men keep her safe; still she carried her pistol with her like it was an old friend. She shuddered to think what might have happened to JoAnn and her the night the guy came up and was banging on the door.
Back to the plan: The new plan would be set up to happen at Donna's house Saturday night. Since they would make it look like Donna's friends had crossed times and had accidentally left her by herself. The plan was for everyone to have an excuse and be unavailable to keep an eye on Donna.
Don would say he was going out of town on Thursday to handle a case for another lawyer who had to have emergency heart surgery. He wasn't sure how it long the case would last. Then early Saturday morning Don would let Lieutenant Henson and Officer Tindelman into Donna's house and so they could hide in the safe room until the plan went down Saturday night.
Donna's dad was to say he was going to leave for a few days to see his sister and brother- in-law but circle back into town early Saturday morning and join John at the vacant lake house that was for sale just down from Donna's place so they could let the others know when the intruder approached the house and then join them once they had the intruder.
Lieutenant Henson made it clear that Don was to hold back and let he and Officer Tindelman apprehend the suspect, unless things took a wrong turn and his help was needed. All the men were armed except Donna's dad, Charles, who could not have a gun, because of his crime and parole requirements. John would make sure Charles was safe while all this went down. Don was to keep Donna safe.
The plan was to make it look as though Donna was left alone Saturday evening due to some emergencies and changed work schedules crossing up.
JoAnn was to call Donna faking an illness and apologizing for not being able to come over until Sunday.
That would just leave the policeman and department detective in town. Donna would request they keep an eye out on her house but when she calls the detective on one of the telephones that's bugged, he will tell her they are both unavailable making the intruder think Donna will be at home Saturday evening through the night by herself. Donna will thank them and assure them that she should be fine for that length of time.
Everything was falling into place as planned. In the meantime, Donna went to town and stocked up on plenty of groceries for the three that would be hiding in the safe room. She cooked several casseroles, made a cake and brownies for each house, and got a deck of cards to cover everyone at both houses to keep any of them from having to go out and risk being seen.
She then put clean sheets on all the bunk beds and extra towels in the safe room bathroom. One thing about being a chief nurse, was Donna's attention to details.
Donna was really glad that John had added a kitchenette, full bathroom installed when the safe room was added which also included a large enough area for a decent living area and he included enough bunk beds to sleep six and a sleeper sofa, which, in this case, was a real plus! Most safe rooms in a home were just the basic room, no extras.
Everything was planned and ready to go.
Friday came and just like clockwork Don called Donna and she answered on her bedroom phone where one of the bugs was found so the intruder could purposely hear Don's message to her about going out of town. Don was actually calling from the safe room where he would make himself comfortable and wait for Tindelman and Henson to join him early Saturday morning as planned.
Donna's dad, Charles, called her and she answered the kitchen phone. Charles told Donna he wanted to see his sister and brother-in-law and would be back Monday afternoon.
John was clear since Don gave his excuse at the meeting already. That left Officer Tindelman, and Lieutenant Henson. They would wait until Donna called them Saturday morning to say they were unavailable.
Everyone was accounted for except for JoAnn who would call about noon Saturday faking a case of the flu.
Friday came and went with no changes, no scares,and no surprises. However, Don noticed Donna was really a little bit skittish. She hurriedly did things so that she could be back around Don.
Don called her over to him on the couch and put his arms around her and whispered "Tell daddy what's wrong?" She smiled and said, "Well daddy, I never thought I would be scared like this." "Don, I feel like I'm waiting to die for something I didn't do."
"I know hon, But if we let this go on, you might be caught off guard and the woman of my dreams would be just that! "Aww..."That's so sweet!"
Donna, there is so much I want to say to you but honey I want this business done before we talk serious about us." Donna's heart was full of happiness in spite of all the chaos. She, too, had come to the same decision in her own heart about Don.
That night Donna lay in Don's arms and felt the tenderness and love that she had longed for so long and closed her eyes and thanked God for her life and asked His watch and care for everyone involved to be safe and come out alive from this mess!