“I’m ignoring it. It’s just us right now.”
The phone stopped ringing, only to start again immediately.
“Maybe you should answer it,” she said.
“Damnit.” He raised up onto his elbow and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. He glanced at it before swiping his thumb across the screen.
“What?” His tone angry, impatient. “What?” Worry crept onto his face. “Yeah. She’s right here. Hold on.” He held the phone out to her. “It’s Tim.”
She took the phone. “Hello?”
“You weren’t answering your phone. Figured I’d try Jase,” Tim said.
“It’s in Jase’s truck. What’s wrong?”
“There’s been another attack.”
She put her other hand over her eyes.Oh god, not again.
“Wait.” She dropped her hand to Jase’s upper arm. “You said attack, not murder.”
“The girl’s roommate came home early and found her. EMS was able to stabilize her and get her to the trauma center.”
“There was another note?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
She tried to swallow around the lump in her throat. Jase’s fingers threaded into her hair, brushing it away from her temple. She took strength from the calming, repetitious movement. Polly whined low next to her.
“Bree, can you come in again? The investigators would like to ask you some more questions.”
“We’re supposed to go camping tomorrow.”
“You can come tonight. Or first thing in the morning before you leave,” Tim said.
“I’ll call my lawyer. See if he can meet me tonight.”
“Okay.” He paused. “Bree.”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
“I will,” she whispered.
She gave the phone back to Jase. She curled into him and felt his chest rumble as he talked to Tim. Polly took up position next to her.
“Yeah… It’s late. I’m going to tell her to set it up for the morning… We aren’t leaving until around noon… I’ll let her know… She’s staying with me tonight.”
She nodded her head against his chest.
“See you then.” She heard the phone thump against the blanket. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back, the gentle strokes soothing her. Tension slowly eased from her neck and shoulders.
“We can go back to your house so you can get your stuff, or we can just go in the morning,” he said.
