"Who are you?" the girl asked. She had bright red hair, just like her mother's.
"I'm Kerney. What's your name?"
"Sherry."
The woman stopped what she was doing and came toward Kerney.
"Is your last name Crombie?" he asked the girl.
"Uh huh."
"Don't talk to strangers, honey," Kerri Crombie said, as she pulled the girl away by the hand.
"Can I help you?"
"I hope so, Mrs. Crombie." Kerney showed his ID and studied the woman. Of medium build and about thirty years old, Kerri Crombie had a narrow head, curly red hair, a pale complexion, and tired eyes.
"Have you had any problems with prowlers?" he asked.
"Prowlers? No. Has somebody reported prowlers?"
"Have you seen any strange vehicles in the neighborhood?"
"No."
"Have you received any hang-up phone calls recently?"
"No."
"Have any cars followed you home from work in the last week or so?"
"No. What's this all about?"
Kerney held out Bernardo Barela's driver's license photograph.
"Do you know this person?"
Kerri Crombie took the photograph and looked at it.
"I know who he is. He drinks at the bar where I work."
"Has he given you any trouble?"
"No more than any other drunk who thinks barmaids are easy targets."
"Do you know him by name?"
"I think it's Bernard. No, it's Bernardo. He comes into the bar a couple of times a week."
"How long has he been drinking at the Rough Rider?"
"Ever since he turned twenty-one."
"Has he shown any unusual interest in you?"
"Mister, I've been working in bars and nightclubs for seven years. To me he's just another horny drunk with a foul mouth and wandering hands."
"You haven't seen him around your house?"
Kerri Crombie pulled her head back and the expression on her face turned serious.
"Do you dunk he might be a stalker?"
"It's possible. I understand that you're married. Is your husband usually here when you get home from work?"
"Always. He works days and I work nights."
Kerri Crombie gave the photograph back to Kerney.
He knelt down and showed it to the little girl.
"Have you seen this man, Sherry?"
Sherry inspected the photograph and nodded.
"Are you sure?"
"Uh huh," Sherry said.
"Take a real close look to make sure it's not just somebody who looks like this man."
Very seriously. Sherry studied the photograph. " I saw him," she finally said.
"When?" Kerney asked.
"When I was on the front porch playing with my dolls."
"Today?" Kerney asked.
"The other day before we went to the movies."
"Did he say anything to you?" Kerney asked.
"Nope. He just walked by the house."
"Just once?"