Hi Sarah Slade!
Is that the name you’re going by these days?
I shudder. God, too much is happening too quickly.
“It’s Thursday,” I say slowly. “Yesterday was Wednesday.”
Now it’s Tim’s turn to look confused. He gives Emily a look that says,Is she for real?Emily places my mug on the counter very gently. She chews her lip anxiously, eyes on me.
I’m so nervous I could vomit. It’s not time for one of Tim’s jokes. Not when I’m already losing it. But when I look desperately to Emily—safe, calm Emily—for answers, it’s clear something’s horribly wrong. She fidgets with her wooden bracelet, playing with a pea-sized bead.
“Emily…” I swallow, sweat beading my forehead. “It’s Thursday, right?”
She presses her lips together like she doesn’t want to answer. “No, lovie,” she says gently. “It’s Friday.”
I step forward, my knees wobbling. “You were standingright thereyesterday morning,” I tell Tim. My voice is too high, frantic. I’ve lost it now. “You were drinking your protein shake, and you said, ‘I hate Wednesdays.’ ”
He blinks slowly. Emily studies me silently.
“That was two days ago,” Tim says finally and looks to Emily for confirmation. He scratches the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Yesterday was Thursday, and you didn’t show up for work.”
My head spins. He’s joking. He must be. I take a step back. “Then where the hell was I yesterday?”
“Sarah…” Emily steps forward, her paisley skirt swishing across the cool tiles. She’s at my elbow, softly patting my shoulder. “You’re going through a lot right now,” she says in her therapist voice. My eyes dart to Tim, and I hope she doesn’t say anything about me meeting Darren. I got in bed at 1a.m.and slept hard until Reaper woke me up. The note in the attic. I remember that.
I lick my lips. They’re flaky and dry. My head throbs so hard I wonder if Emily can hear it. Think, I tell myself. What happened after I found the note? I search my mind, but I just can’t remember. I awoke today in my bed…so I must have slept through the entire day and night. But how? I don’t feel hungry, only desperately thirsty.
But then I remember something from Wednesday night. I saw a flash of something out the lounge room window. Jeff Johnson. He planted that note. What else did he do while he was inside my house?
My legs tremble violently, and I find myself slumping to the floor. I can’t hold my head up. I rest it on my forearm, and my heart pumps weakly like it’s dying to stop.
Around me is a flurry of activity, panicked footsteps, someone tugging at my shoulder, trying to get me to my feet. I think I hear Emily say, “I’m calling the doctor,” before she rushes from the room.
Tim’s at my side, telling me to breathe in a surprisingly panicked voice. Footsteps come rushing up the hallway. Office doors snap open and colleagues call out, “What’s going on?”
I want to get to my feet and tell everyone to relax. But I can’t seem tomove. I reach blindly for Tim, wrap a clammy hand around his forearm. “How well do you know Jeff Johnson?”
“Don’t try to talk,” he cautions quite gently.
“Tell me.” I breathe into my lap.
“He’s bad news, Sarah,” Tim says gravely. “Why? What’s wrong?”
I inhale shakily, wiping my palms on my skirt. I raise my head, and Tim’s worried face flickers in and out of my vision. “Because,” I say, “I think he’s trying to kill me.”
Chapter 27
I stagger through my front door, dripping sweat. Reaper glances up from the couch cushion with interest.What are you doing home so early? And why are you sweating like a mad lady?
“They’re calling it a panic attack,” I tell my cat. “Adria sent me home early.”
I lurch to the stairs and grip the banister firmly. My legs are weak, and it’s hard to catch my breath as I climb. Behind me, Reaper drops from the couch and follows me up the stairs. So, I continue my conversation. With my cat. I don’t care if that sounds crazy.
“Adria’s pretty pissed at me,” I say, pausing to wipe my forehead. “Reallypissed, actually.”
She called me into her office and said brusquely, “Go home, okay? You’re looking very pale. We’ll discuss a few things on Monday…”
My head spins. I grip the banister with both hands now, afraid I’ll fall. I rest my head on my sweating forearm, breathing hard. Reaper leans against my leg, meowing anxiously.
