She made sure to keep the door open. Wide open. She did not need to have a panic attack right now.
First she checked the floor beneath the hanging clothes. Shoes. A couple of empty boxes. When she found nothing of interest, she grabbed a step stool from the corner and searched the top shelf above the clothes, spotting a shoebox.
Maybe this was it. Maybe she’d find suspicious items belonging to the missing women. Phones. A shoe. A creepy lock of hair.
Her heart began to race, anticipation almost making her fingers shake.
One. Two.
She opened the lid.
Shoes. Men’s shoes.
Goddammit. She pushed the lid back on and put it back onto the shelf.
She stepped back to the ground. “I haven’t found anything. Nothing. Squat. It’s like…”
Something on the floor caught her attention. A pamphlet that sat in the corner that she’d almost missed.
Slowly, she lifted it to see it to see an AA information sheet.
What was this? Was Jonah an alcoholic? Was that why he’d been away from her mother a few evenings and not wanted to tell her? “Joel?—”
Joel was suddenly in front of her. His hand covered her mouth and he stood so close, her face was almost in his chest.
She was about to yank his hand away when she heard it—the front door opening.
Oh no…
Joel stepped forward, shuffling her backward before pulling the door closed behind him. Then it was just them, in a space so small that her skin began to crawl.
Not good. This was not good. She’d hidden in a closet at Lilith’s house, but that space was bigger. Brighter. There was room to move. To breathe.
Shit.He’d known this was a bad idea. He should have stopped her. He should have tossed the woman over his damn shoulder and driven her home.
Cursing sounded from the other room.
“That gun. That stupid gun!”
Joel frowned at Jonah’s angry muttering.
“This is bad,” Jonah continued. “Reallybad.”
Soft steps against carpet sounded, like the guy was pacing in the bedroom. Then the sound of a dial tone while on speaker.
“Hello, Benson Defense Lawyers, Ashley speaking. How can I help you?”
“I need to speak to Martin Tills,” Jonah said quickly.
“I’m sorry, sir, he’s in a?—”
“No. This is urgent. Tell him it’s Jonah Goodwill.”
Polly’s heavy breathing suddenly pulled Joel’s attention away from Jonah. Not just heavy…ragged. And she was trembling.
Her claustrophobia. Fuck. How had he forgotten? Of course she couldn’t breathe. This space barely fit one person, let alone two.
His hand was still over her mouth, her quick breaths against his fingers. Even though there was no space between them, he inched closer, his entire front touching hers. Then he leaned down, his lips grazing her ear as he whispered, “Breathe for me, Sunshine.”
