by Beth Ehemann
I knelt down next to the table and studied her tiny face. “Can I touch her?”
Dr. Sells nodded. “Gently.”
With one finger, I smoothed down the hair on her front paw. Tears welled up in my eyes when I thought about that psycho walking around my kitchen, coaxing my sweet baby into drinking poison. Those same tears spilled down my cheeks when I thought about what would have happened if June hadn’t been one of the most organized people in the world who had the same schedule every day.
“She’ll stay here tonight and get a good night’s sleep,” Dr. Sells said, “but like I said, if I’m right about the antifreeze, you’re very lucky. It was caught early and is treatable. She’s a strong girl.”
I stood up and sniffed, gladly taking the tissue that Dr. Sells was offering. “Thanks for taking such great care of her.”
“Of course,” she replied as she pulled her dark hair into a low ponytail. “I’ll call you when we get the test results back. You have our number, so if you want to call before that just to check in, feel free.”
“You might be sorry you said that,” I responded with an awkward laugh as we walked back to the waiting room.
I waved at the receptionist as I passed by her desk and walked toward Andy and June. They jumped up in unison when they noticed me heading their way.
“How is she?” June asked in a shaky voice.
“She actually looks okay,” I answered, putting my hand on her shoulder. “She’s only here because of you, June. I don’t know what I would do without you . . .” The room started spinning, and I reached out, grabbing Andy’s arm for stability.
“Whoa, whoa . . . you okay?” He hooked one arm under mine and the other around my waist, literally holding me up.
“Yeah, I think I’m fine. It’s just . . . a lot.”
June drew her brows in tight as her eyes traveled up and down my body before sliding over to Andy. “Get her home. She needs to rest.”
Andy nodded and led me carefully to his car. He waved good-bye to June and slid into the driver’s seat as I buckled my seat belt.
“I talked to Detective Larson while you were in the back room—”
My face whipped to his. “You did?”
“Yeah. They took the bowl to fingerprint and analyze it, but it sounds like the doc was right. That’s what he thought it was, too.” He stared straight ahead with his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“I never thought he would do something like this,” I murmured, letting my head fall back against the seat.
“Me either.” He turned toward me but didn’t start the car. “He’s unpredictable, and he’s only getting crazier. I mean . . . he was in your house.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I know. I’m gonna go to a hotel tonight.”
“The hell you are,” he said sternly as he started the car. He put his hand on the back of my seat and turned to check behind his car as he pulled out. “You’re coming to my house and that’s all there is to it.”
“No way! I’m not bringing this to your house with your kids.” I shook my head adamantly.
“I’ve got that covered.”
“How?”
“Dani, I’ve had security following you for a few weeks now. I’ll just quadruple it.”
“Wait. What? You have?” I fumbled.
“Yep.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
We pulled up to a stoplight, and he turned his face toward me. “What would you have said if I told you that I hired someone to watch you?”
I shrugged. “Probably that I didn’t need it.”
“Exactly. That’s why I didn’t tell you.” The light turned green, and he started driving again. “Dani, you are the single most stubborn person I’ve ever met. You’re so independent and so hell-bent on doing things your way all the time. For once, don’t argue, just take my help, okay?”
“Okay,” I conceded softly. I was too tired to fight and too scared to be alone.
“Really? Okay? That’s it?”
Closing my eyes, I took a big, shaky breath and let it out slowly, praying that I was making the right decision. “Yes, that’s it, but just until I can figure out a more permanent solution, or until he’s finally caught.”
CHAPTER 25
Andy
I knew when I was ahead, and I knew when to quit, so we rode in silence the rest of the way to Dani’s house. When we pulled up, I walked around slowly and opened her door. She didn’t move.
“Are you okay?”
She just shook her head, staring straight ahead.
“You don’t have to go in there if you don’t want to, ya know? You can direct me, and I can get you some clothes and whatever else you need.”
“No.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I need to do this.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “Well, take your time. No one’s rushing you.”
After another minute she finally stood up in between the car and the door and smiled at me. It was a sad smile, unlike the perfect, sparkling grin Dani usually gave out that could bring a grown man to his knees. “Thanks, Andy. For everything,” she said in a somber, defeated tone.
“You’re welcome.”
She stepped out from the car, I closed the door, and we both turned to look up at the house. I wasn’t sure how many people Detective Larson had brought with him earlier, but most of them had already gone, leaving just Larson’s car.
We started to climb the stairs up to her door when Dani reached out and grabbed my hand. I paused and looked over at her. “You okay?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugged. “Just don’t let go, okay?”
“You got it.” I squeezed her hand tight and patted the top of it with my other hand.
I followed her lead, slowly up the stairs and through the front door.
“Do you want me to go in there first?” I asked cautiously.
“No, that’s okay.” She shook her head quickly, pulling herself together a little bit as she walked slowly into the kitchen. Except for a few small piles of Roxy’s puke and a light white dusting of powder where they were hoping the spineless coward might have touched, everything looked pretty normal.
I’d only known Dani a few months, but I already knew that she was strong as hell and didn’t let a lot rattle her. This guy, though . . . he was inside her brain, moving slowly through it like a parasite trying to take over its host. She was fighting hard, but I could tell she was getting weaker, letting it consume her piece by piece.
I stood quietly as she walked through the kitchen slowly, her eyes darting all over the place. As she passed the island, where June said she’d found the note, she slid her finger through a thin layer of the white powder. Making her way to the other side, she froze and stared down at the floor where June had found Roxy lying. The urge to go over and wrap my arms around her shoulders was intense, but somehow I thought this control, this walking through her kitchen and taking it back, was cathartic for her.
A few minutes later, Detective Larson cleared his throat from behind us, and Dani, clearly lost in her own thoughts, spun to face him.
“Sorry. I know this is hard for you, and believe me, the last thing I want to do is rush you, but I want to get back to the office to get working on this, and I’d really like you guys to be out and the house secure when I leave.”
Dani nodded. “Yeah, sorry. I’m just gonna run upstairs and grab some clothes. It won’t take me long.”
“Want me to come, too?” I offered.
She looked up at me, and though her mouth remained flat, her eyes smiled just a bit. “No, I’m okay. But thanks.”
I turned toward Detective Larson. “They did a thorough sweep of the whole house, right?”
“Absolutely. It’s all clear up there,” he said confidently.
“I’ll be right back.” She hurried past me and jogged up the stairs.
Detective Larson leaned on the edge of the counter as I grabbed a wad of paper towels.
“What are those for?” he
asked.
“I don’t want her to have to deal with this,” I said as I walked over to the piles of Roxy’s throw up and scooped them up.
“I’m glad you talked her into staying at your house for a while.”
“Me too.”
“The thought of her being here alone and that guy coming back . . .” He trailed off and sighed, both of us most likely thinking about the same horrific scenario.
“Okay, I think I have everything,” Dani finally said with a heavy sigh as she dragged a huge suitcase down the stairs.
“All right, I have both of your cell numbers and the house number in case I need to get a hold of you,” Detective Larson said as we all made our way out the front door. His dark hair was disheveled, and he had bags under his eyes. Clearly the day had taken its toll on him, also.
“Thanks, Detective Larson.” Dani gave him a small smile as she closed and locked the door.
“Danicka, I said this to Andy earlier, but please know that we’re doing everything we can to stop this situation. If you think of anything at all, no matter how insignificant it seems, please call me immediately. Sometimes we just need that one tiny piece to start putting the whole puzzle together.”
“I will. Promise.”
He gave us a quick wave and headed to his car, wasting no time in starting the engine and disappearing down the street. I opened the trunk of my car and placed her suitcase in before opening the passenger-side door for her.
I stepped back and waited for her to sink into the seat, but she paused in between the door and the car, staring up at me with her big dark brown eyes. Her face studied mine for a minute before she looked right at me. “Why are you so good to me?”
I swallowed, unsure how to answer. Pretty sure it was her sleep deprivation talking, I leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. “Because whether or not you’re ready to admit it, you’re my girl.”
CHAPTER 26
Danicka
We got to Andy’s house, and I didn’t know what to expect. My mind was all over the place.
Will the kids be okay with me being here? Will Andy and I get along? How long will I be staying?
And most importantly . . .
Will that psycho follow me to Andy’s?
We pulled into the garage, and he closed the door behind us.
“Ready?” he asked, looking over at me as he unbuckled his seat belt.
I shrugged and dropped my gaze toward my lap. “I guess.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just nervous. I have a lot on my mind.” I lifted my head and stared straight ahead at the shelf in front of his car that held three basketballs, two suitcases, and a storage bin labeled “Xmas decorations.” His garage seemed so . . . normal. “I’m a little frazzled, obviously. And staying at a weird place isn’t calming my nerves at all, unfortunately.”
“This isn’t a weird place, it’s home . . . for now. Let’s go in and get you settled, then we’re having a meeting.”
I twisted toward him and crinkled my eyebrows. “A meeting?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Gavin Mercer has a few guys from his security team coming here tonight, and we’re going to go over some things. You don’t have to be there if you don’t want to, though. I can handle it all.”
I sighed, letting my head fall against the headrest. “You’ve been handling it all. I’d like to be there.”
He let his head fall back, too, mirroring my gaze. “I really haven’t handled all that much, Dani. Just trying to support you any way I can. I feel really helpless in this whole situation, and I fucking hate that.”
I lifted my head and forced a fake smile. “It is what it is, right?”
Andy’s nostrils flared as he inhaled, clearly frustrated at my brush off, but I’d had enough for one day. I wanted to eat something and sleep. Sleep for days. Sleep until Detective Larson called and said they’d arrested Cole and I could go home again.
We walked to the trunk, he grabbed my suitcase, and I followed him into the house.
“Surprise!”
My head sprang up, and my heart started thumping hard at the sudden, loud outburst. I leaned to my left, around Andy, to see what was going on. Becca, Logan, and a woman who I assumed was Gloria were all sitting around the island, facing us with big smiles on their faces. In front of them was a huge feast of pot roast and baby red potatoes and green beans with almond slivers. As we walked farther into the room, the smell drifted into my nose, making my stomach growl. If warm and cozy had a smell, it would be that pot roast.
“Hey, gang!” Andy called out as he set my suitcase on the floor in the corner of the kitchen.
“Hi,” I said as confidently as I could, waving at them.
“You’ve met the kids, but Dani, this is Gloria. Gloria, this is Dani,” Andy introduced with a big smile.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I held my hand out and walked over to her, surprised when she went past my hand and wrapped her arms around me instead.
“Awww, you poor thing. What you’ve had to go through, no person should ever have to go through. I’m glad you’re safe now.” Up until that moment, I had no idea that some people could hug better than others. She squeezed me so tight and was so comforting about it that I thought I might start crying again right then and there. Instead I squeezed my eyes so tight there was no room for a tear to form even if it wanted to.
“Thanks so much, Gloria.” I pulled back and motioned toward the island full of food. “You didn’t do all this for me, did you?”
“Of course we did. You needed a proper welcome dinner, so the kids and I took a vote.” She smiled and turned toward them.
Becca’s hand shot straight up in the air. “I voted for Lucky Charms.”
“I wanted pizza.” Logan pouted as he crossed his arms.
“You always want pizza.” Andy laughed and walked over, rustling Logan’s blond hair before pulling him into a playful headlock.
“I can’t say that I blame him,” I added. “Pizza and Lucky Charms are practically the best foods on the whole planet.” I looked over at Becca and winked as she smiled proudly.
“Well, this happens to be my favorite dinner on the whole planet, and I say we eat before it gets cold.” Andy scooped Becca up and tickled her as they walked to the kitchen table. She giggled and squirmed in his arms as Logan followed along behind them.
Gloria picked up the bowl of beans under one arm and tried to carry the bowl of potatoes in the other, but it wobbled unsteadily in her hand. “Here, let me get those,” I offered, reaching for the bowl.
“No, no, no. You’re the guest of honor. You sit down and I’ll take care of everything.” Her lips pulled into a wide, warm smile, and she nodded toward the table for me to sit.
I returned her smile and headed over to the table, surprised that it was already set for five.
“Will you sit by me?” Becca asked, grinning up at me so sweetly that I couldn’t say no.
“Of course.” Sliding around behind the table, I took the empty seat in between her and Andy. I pressed my lips together, trying to hide my smile, as she scooted her chair over a couple of inches toward me.
Gloria set the bowls of green beans and potatoes on the table before she turned back to get the huge platter of pot roast from the island. When she was done setting all the food on the table and had taken the last empty chair, Becca and Logan linked hands like clockwork, Andy and Gloria following. Becca held her hand out to me. I stared down at it for a second, following it back up to her tiny, grinning face. I returned her smile with my own as I took her hand in mine. A nudge from the other side made me turn to my right, where Andy’s hand was also waiting. I took it and lowered my head along with everyone else.
To my surprise, Becca was the one who started speaking. “Thank you for our food. Thank you for our family. Thank you for our warm house. Thank you for green beans. Thank for you my new hula hoop. Thank you for my gymnastics teacher, Miss Joyce. Thank you for popsicles. Amen!”
Her head snapped up excitedly, and everyone freed their hands as I bit my lip, desperately trying to keep a giggle inside. That was the cutest prayer I’d ever heard, if it could even be considered that.
“I’d just like to add one more thing,” Andy said before we started filling our plates.
Logan frowned in confusion but bowed his head again without asking any questions. Everyone else followed suit.
“I just wanted to say a special thank-you tonight for keeping Dani safe and bringing her to our house. I also ask that you continue to keep her safe, as well as the rest of us. Amen.”
“Amen,” Becca, Logan, and Gloria said in unison.
Amen.
Staring down at my plate, I tried to swallow as I felt my throat growing tighter. I’d cried more that day than in the last two years combined, and I just didn’t want to do it anymore, but Andy’s simple prayer almost opened the floodgates again.
“So . . . school starts next week. Who’s excited?” Andy asked as he spooned a pile of potatoes onto his plate.
“Not me,” Logan groaned. “Summer went too fast.”
A small tug on the left sleeve of my shirt caught my attention. I turned, and Becca’s face was so close her chin was practically resting on my forearm. “Can you get me some beans, please?” she asked quietly.
“Sure, honey.” I reached forward and scooped up a big helping of green beans, setting it on her plate.
“Sorry,” Andy apologized. “I usually sit there and help her with her plate.”
“That’s okay.” I shrugged, glancing at him quickly. “I don’t mind at all.” Before she asked for more help, I happily piled a little bit of everything on her plate. “Butter or no butter?” I asked as I took a piece of warm bread out of the basket.
“No butter,” she said, twisting her face up and sticking her tongue out.
“Okay.” I giggled.
“Dani, after dinner, do you want to watch TV?” Becca asked through a mouthful of bread. “Or we can play a game. Or we can color a picture. Or we can—”
“Whoa, whoa,” Andy interrupted with a laugh. “Slow down there, princess. Dani hasn’t even had a chance to unpack her stuff yet, plus she’s had a long day. Let’s give her some time and maybe tackle your to-do list tomorrow, okay?”