“Nothing. It’s fine,” Billie lied.
I knew she was lying because she still had a tell. Every time Billie Bliss lied her nostrils flared.
“Then why did you have a detective’s card, and why couldn’t we call nine one one?” Birdie asked in a much calmer tone than Bailey. “And why did you say there was another incident when you were on the phone speaking to, I assume, that detective?”
It was taking every ounce of self-control not to demand Billie tell me what was going on. I could see she was not happy with my presence. She hadn’t looked directly at me, but I knew, for a fact, she was aware that I was there.
Billie inhaled through her nose slowly, then finally her eyes lifted to meet mine. As soon as she did, it felt like someone punched me in the gut. I could see fear in her eyes. Actual fear.
My hands automatically fisted at my sides. I wanted to pick her up, put her in my car, and drive her away from here. I wanted her to tell me everything that was going on because Billie Bliss did not scare easily.
“You can go,” she said pointedly to me. “Everything’s fine.”
To anyone who didn’t know her, her voice sounded strong and calm. I heard the panic in it.
“That’s not happening,” I stated firmly. If she wanted me to leave, she was going to have to forcibly remove me.
“Whatishappening?!” Bailey demanded.
Billie blinked. It was just a half a beat slower than her normal blink, but I knew what that meant. It was the blink she blinked when she was about to do something she didn’t want to do. Her slow blink meant she was going to tell us everything.
“On Friday night, I got home from my date, and there was a note in my apartment on my kitchen counter.”
I didn’t love hearing the word date, but that was a problem for another time.
“From who?” Bailey asked. “What did it say?”.
“It said, ‘Did you really think I would go away?’ But that’s not the point. The point is, someone had been in my apartment.”
“Did you call the police?” Birdie stepped closer to her.
“Yes, of course.”
“What about your alarm?” Bailey questioned.
“It was set when I got home. My doors were locked.”
Birdie and Bailey both looked at each other, and I could feel the sisters were terrified, they weren’t the only ones.
“What did the police say?” I asked.
“Nothing really. I think they thought I had probably given someone access to my place and forgot about it.”
My phone rang, and I pulled it out and saw that it was Genesis calling again. I knew that I needed to speak to her, butthere was no way I was going to step away and take the call now. I silenced the call.
“You can take that,” Billie encouraged.
I stared at her. She stared right back. She wasn’t going to win. I was not going to take the call. I put it on silent and put it back in my pocket.
“So they didn’t take you seriously?” Birdie prompted.
“I don’t think so. He checked the place out, made sure no one was inside, and told me to come down to the station to make a complaint. Then yesterday, when I went down to leave for Carly’s birthday, there was another note on the passenger seat of my car.”
“What?!” Bailey shrieked.
“Your car?” Birdie repeated in horror.
“What did it say?” I asked.
