Stella just told me what happened. Kelly called someone who called someone who called her an hour ago.
Brigit?
Ten missed calls, too. From him, from another unknown number, a few texts supposedly from Stella. From mom, who I'm definitely not fucking dealing with now.
I don't have time for this.
Outside the door, the officer has given me a few updates on my rapidly dwindling time.
I have time to sendonetext.
I'll just have to gamble that the person I send it to will be the right one.
911
I turn on the camera to record video, then put it in my pocket. If nothing else, I'll get audio of him doing something sketchy.
Finally, the last thing I do is retrieve my little pistol from its new home, check that the safety is on, and slide it down the front of my skirt, like Cormac did the first day we met.
I have no way of knowing if that's the best place for it, but he's the one whose instincts I would trust on that.
Smoothing my shirt over it, the frigid metal rests against my stomach, goosebumps breaking out across my skin.
With only ten seconds left, I flick on the main light and open the door, rubbing my eyes to play up the exhaustion.
Hopefully, the smudged makeup and red, swollen eyes will help sell it.
On the other side of the entrance, he looks surprised that I opened the door at all, taking a step back.
"Miss Danaan," he says. "I've been knocking for ages. Are you alright?"
Holding back the eyeroll I want to give him, I nod, holding the door partially closed as a makeshift barrier between him and my home.
"I was asleep. Sorry. What do you want?"
Holding up his phone, he shows me screenshots of the article, giving me a smug grin that says just how much he enjoys that he's caught me in my lie.
"Wrong place. Wrong time," I yawn. "Is that all?"
Placing one hand on my open door, he pushes it slightly, and I hold it back, keeping it from opening any further.
"Like I said," he grits. "I have reasonable belief that he's going to be making you his next victim. And soon. You'll need to let me in to secure the premises."
He's lying, and we both know it.
"I'm not worried," I tell him. "I upgraded my security system.No oneis getting in here without me knowing about it."
Raising a brow, he presses again, aiming to squeeze past me into my apartment. Even though I'm taller, he's stronger, and I'm wearing fucking tights that slide across the floor as the door squeaks open just enough for him to slip inside.
The moment the door closes behind him, he drops the act, "You told me you had no idea where he was."
I shrug, "I didn't. Still don't."
Barking out a laugh, he looks around the apartment casually, his eyes landing on the recycling full of the boxes from my new system. "But you've seen him since he got out."
There's no point in denying that now.
"I'm a regular at Mingle. We crossed paths. Didn't know he owned it," I explain, keeping my distance from him.
