What the hell?David sat up in bed and glared at his phone.If this was one of his brothers ringing him this time of night, he was going to…
He picked up his phone.It was Don.Swearing, he answered.
“Do you know what time it is?”he barked into the phone.
“Where are you?”Don asked him.There was something in his voice.
“In Hermanus, why?”he asked, rubbing his face.
“Good.Go to Dana.Now.”
It took a few seconds for David to understand what Don was saying.But then he was, grabbing his jeans and his keys.
“Why?What happened?”A cold hand clamped around his throat.
“I’m not sure.She just phoned Caitlin, but we couldn’t quite make out what she was saying.Something happened to upset her enormously.Could you please go find out what’s going on and let us know?We’re leaving for Hermanus as soon as we’ve packed up.”
“On my way.”After hopping into his jeans, he sprinted for the door.
*
He saw itas he ran up the porch steps.The front door flew open, and Dana stood there, her eyes big, her whole body shivering.There was a note, he saw, but for the moment that didn’t seem important.He stepped over the body of a mutilated cat and had Dana in his arms before she could open her mouth.
She was shaking so badly she couldn’t walk.
He locked the front door behind them and picked her up.Her arms went around his neck and she clung to him, sobbing against his chest.His own heart was beating furiously and with the adrenaline rush dying down, he sat down quickly with her in his arms.He was feeling dizzy.
He’d gotten there in record time—his only thought that something had happened to Dana.His breathing finally calming down, he pulled her closer, stroking her hair until she stopped sobbing.
“Can I get you anything?”he asked.
She shook her head, her arms folded tightly around his neck.
“What happened?”
“Something woke me up.”She sniffed, sat up, and dropped her hands.
“I thought it was you on the porch, and I—”
“Wanted to take a swing at me?”He smiled and pulled her closer.
But she didn’t return his smile.Another shiver shook her body.“And then I saw… that.”She pointed toward the front door.
“There was a note,” he said, remembering the piece of paper he’d seen.He put her down gently.
“A note?I just saw the dead cat and remembered…” Dana swallowed and, still shivering, wrapped her arms around herself.
He walked outside and picked up the note with two pens he found in his pocket.It was tucked beneath the cat.
“I noticed this when I came up the stairs.”He placed the note on the coffee table in front of Dana.
She bent forward and read it.Catching her breath, she became even paler than before and sagged back against the cushions.
David had also been reading the typed letter.“You shouldn’t be snooping around,” the note read.
Dana looked stricken.
“What?”he asked urgently.
