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“You know?” I don’t have to elaborate. Alice’s words are confirmation enough, but I need to know I’m not the only one watching out for Brooke.
“She told me in case he called or showed up.” She looks past me. “I think Cam and security know too.”
“Which means the owners know.”
“Yeah. Cam wouldn’t keep this from them. And Cam put her in a guest room, not the staff quarters, so I assumed they insisted on that.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t known she was staying in the Lodge. It lessens my worry but not enough to let her stay here. She needs to be with someone at all times.
“Granger?” Brooke’s breathy voice has a shudder rippling through me.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I turn, my gaze meeting hers, and I know she’s not buying my cheery greeting. Hell, I’m not buying it.
Her shoulders slump. Just a fraction, and maybe no one else would notice but I can’t help cataloguing every single little thing about this woman. “What happened?” she asks as she lowers two mugs to the desk next to her.
“Ah…” My delay lets her mind work it out.
“The vandalized car. It’s mine.” Her head dips, her gaze going to the floor, and I hate the defeat rolling off her. “Why won’t he leave me alone?”
I don’t think her muttered question is directed at anyone. It’s more a thought that slips from her head without permission. “Brooke.”
“I need to see it.” Her head snaps up, her eyes blazing with anger. “Now. I want to see it now.”
“I haven’t towed—”
“That’s why you’re here? To tow my car away?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s the police? Why aren’t they here?”
“They are. They’ve been asking people if they saw anything and getting the security footage for the lot.”
“No one has come to…” Her head tips slightly, her eyes narrowing. “They sent you.”
“No. I wanted to be the one to come get you. You don’t need the police hunting you down at work. Again.”
“Oh. That’s…nice of you.”
Her confusion is clear to hear and see and I don’t have an explanation to clarify things for her. Well, none that either of us want me to voice. Yet.
Brooke’s gaze moves to her boss. “Alice, I’m sorry, we’ll have to finish what we’re doing after I’ve dealt with…I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. I can do other things and wait for you to come back. There’s nothing urgent that needs your attention. If you need the day, take it.”
“Oh, no, that shouldn’t be necessary.” Her gaze moves to me. “It shouldn’t take long because I don’t know anything. I haven’t seen my car or been outside this building since eight last night when I got back from having dinner with Michelle and her family.”
“No one followed you?” I had no idea she’d left the Lodge yesterday. If I had, I would have been the one following her.
“No. Not that I noticed.”
Brooke has been very aware of her surroundings for weeks now, so if she says no one followed her, I believe her. “Okay. Let’s go talk to Asha. Then I want to talk to you about your car and accommodation.”
“Why? My car is probably totaled, I’ll have to deal with insurance. And I’m living here.”
“In a guest room.” My mistake registers when her eyes widen.
“A guest room…?” Her gaze moves back to Alice. “You said—”
