The locket, p.11
The Locket, page 11
“No. I mean, no, that’s not it, however…hugs probably aren’t allowed.” Harper put her fork down. “What I mean is, I don’t talk about Jan. Ever. To anyone.” She picked her fork up again, stirring the food on her plate. “I don’t know why, really. Reid…he’s the closest thing I have to a friend here and I’ve never mentioned her.”
“And you’re questioning why you’ve told me about her?”
“Yeah.”
Dani folded her hands together, wondering what Harper was thinking. “Did it feel good to talk about her?”
Harper nodded. “I feel responsible for her death. I carry that with me. But I also feel…cheated. Cheated out of love. Cheated out of a life with her. We were happy. We had a good relationship. So I carry this guilt with me—because she’s dead—yet I still have a sense of selfishness. I feel sorry for myself for what I’ve lost.”
“From what you’ve said, you not only lost her, but you lost your family, her family. You left friends behind.” Dani waited until Harper met her eyes. “You don’t have any friends, do you?”
“No. I don’t have anyone.”
Dani reached across the table and covered Harper’s hand with her own. “We’re kinda in the same boat for completely different reasons,” she said quietly. “I’ll be your friend, Harper…if you’ll be mine.”
Harper turned her hand over, letting their fingers entwine. “Thanks. I think I’d like that.”
“Me too.”
* * *
Harper took her time in the bathroom, trying to give Dani some privacy as she changed clothes for bed. She admitted that the evening had been…well, it had been nice. Dinner was good. She’d even had seconds. They’d cleaned up the kitchen together, then they’d gone into the living room, flipping through channels on the TV before Dani found another cooking show to watch. They’d chatted some but mostly, it was a quiet—but companionable—evening. By ten o’clock, Dani was fighting yawns and Harper had to remind herself that they’d been woken up at four that morning by a baseball thrown through the window.
She’d looked out the window, seeing Ja’wan still parked across the street. It comforted her knowing that he was there. Before going to the back of the house, she checked all the doors and windows, making sure everything was locked. Maybe they’d have a peaceful night for once.
Dani was under the covers, the overhead light already out and the lamp turned on beside the bed.
“I know this is the opposite side of the bed from what we’ve been doing, but I wasn’t crazy about sleeping next to the door.”
“This is fine.” She didn’t think it mattered anyway. Each night, Dani seemed to find her way into the middle of the bed. She had exaggerated a bit with Reid, but yeah, Dani liked to snuggle. So far, it hadn’t been anything blatant…only holding Harper’s arm in a death grip while she slept. Harper doubted Dani even knew she did it.
“I also have a confession to make,” Dani said.
Harper paused as she drew back the covers. “Oh, yeah? Got another bombshell to drop on me?”
Dani laughed. “No, nothing quite as shocking as me being a lesbian.”
Harper got in beside her. “Shocking to some, I suppose. I had no preconceived notions about you so it wasn’t that shocking.” She reached out to turn off the lamp. The light from the bathroom cast enough glow into the room for her to still see Dani.
“Oh, come on. You were surprised.”
“Okay. A little. But only because you’re the most attractive lesbian I’ve had the pleasure to meet.”
Dani smiled at her. “Thank you.”
“And your confession?”
“Oh. Well, you seem like the kind of person who likes her personal space.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. You kind of keep your distance. You’re not a touchy person, at least not that I can tell.”
“Okay. I guess.”
“Yeah…so I…I kinda got into your space. Last night.”
Harper stared at the ceiling, a smile on her face. “Last night, huh?”
“Yes. I woke up and I was…well, I was kinda…well, I was using your arm as a clutch pillow or something.”
“And you thought you should confess that to me?”
“In case I did it again, you know. So you wouldn’t be shocked.”
Harper laughed. “Dani, you’ve done that every time we’ve shared a bed. Last night wasn’t the first.”
“Oh, my God! You knew?”
“Of course. I’m a very light sleeper to begin with.”
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know—”
“It’s okay. If it bothered me, I would have said something. Or at the very least, moved away from you.” She turned her head to look at Dani. “I know you’re scared. I know I’m the only one you trust right now. If you need that reassurance, if you need physical contact like that…I’m okay with it.”
“Thank you. You are the only one I trust.”
“I know. It’s okay. I think you’re safe here.”
Dani sighed. “Until I have to leave. You don’t happen to know any good bodyguards, do you?”
“I know this whole situation is…is crazy. The idea that we’re protecting you while you’re here, only to send you off on your own is ludicrous, in my opinion.”
“What would you do differently?”
“I would try to draw him out.”
“Use me as bait, like you said?”
“Yes. But it could be a dangerous game, and I know why Lieutenant Mize, the captain, I know why they won’t hear of it. There are so many things that could go wrong.”
“Then why do you want to do it?”
“Because when you leave here, he’s going to follow you. Provided, of course, that he can find you.”
“Which he’s been able to do so far,” Dani said as she rolled toward her. “Use me as bait how?”
“Not try to hide you, for one thing. He’s getting bolder. He’s obviously showing up, leaving dolls, slashing my tires, throwing baseballs. He’s getting close, but he’s not trying to come inside. Most likely because he knows I’m here.”
“You’re not suggesting I stay somewhere alone, are you?”
“No. But somewhere where he would think you’re alone.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s too late for that. We’ve already tried to hide you. If we reverse course, he’ll know.”
Dani fidgeted with the covers for a second, then sighed. “Harper? Do you think I should just leave now?”
“Why?”
Dani sighed again, this one almost painfully loud. “I have another confession to make.”
“Okay.”
“When I picked you…your eyes, I told you that I knew I could trust you just from looking at your picture.” Dani turned toward her. “When I came here, I had a sense that he might follow me. And I knew if he did, that you would protect me. It was like, I would bring him down here and you would catch him for me.”
“You thought all of that just from looking at my picture?”
“Harper, I don’t want to leave here only to take him back with me.”
“Oh, Dani…I don’t know what I can do. Mize knows what my reservations are about this. That doesn’t seem to matter. He’s got his orders too.”
“Which is to make sure nothing happens to me while I’m on your watch, regardless if you catch him or not.”
“Yes.”
Dani nodded. “So again…do you know any good bodyguards?” Then she smiled, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly. “Or better yet, are you available?”
Harper laughed. “You mean leave this glamourous job of mine to follow you around? I don’t know. What does it pay?”
Dani laughed too. “Oh, honey, I’ll pay whatever you want.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harper jerked awake, listening. She turned her head slowly, finding Dani next to her, both hands wrapped around Harper’s left arm tightly. She listened to her breathing for a moment, then tried to determine what it was that had awoken her. There were no sounds out of the ordinary, but something didn’t feel right. Sixth sense perhaps, but she knew something was wrong.
“Dani,” she whispered. She moved her arm slightly, nudging her awake. Dani opened her eyes sleepily.
“Hmm?”
“Wake up. I think…I think I heard something.”
Dani’s eyes popped open. “What is it?”
“Don’t know.”
She sat up and pulled on her jeans, not bothering with her shoes. Her weapon was beside the bed and she picked it up. She heard Dani dressing too and she knew better than to suggest she wait here in the room alone.
At the door, she held a finger to her lips, indicating to Dani to be quiet, then she slowly opened the door. There was a lamp on in the living room. She frowned. Had she forgotten to turn it off? No. No, she remembered plunging the room into darkness after she’d checked the locks.
She turned to Dani. “I need you to stay here,” she whispered. “Don’t argue with me.”
“But—”
“Stay right here in the hallway where you can see me.” She pointed. “Someone’s been inside.”
“Oh, Jesus.” Dani clutched her arm. “He could still be inside,” she whispered.
“Yes. Stay here.”
Thankfully, Dani didn’t argue. She pressed against the door and nodded. “Be careful.”
Harper felt her heart pounding in her chest as she crept down the hallway. She nearly gasped when she saw it; a lone balloon—bright red—was tied to the lamp. It bobbed harmlessly overhead, the message mocking her.
Have a Nice Day!
She went to the front door, finding it still locked by a deadbolt. So were the windows. She flipped on the lights, then went into the kitchen. The back door was also locked. With a deadbolt. From the inside.
“What the hell?” she murmured. How had he gotten inside? Then her eyes widened. She’d left Dani in the hallway, but she’d never checked the spare bedroom…the hall closet. The other bathroom.
She turned and nearly ran to the back of the house, relief flooding her when she found Dani standing where she’d left her, her eyes swimming in fear.
Harper once again held a finger to her mouth, then went to the spare bedroom and pushed the door opened. It was dark and quiet. She turned the light on, finding the room undisturbed. She opened the closet door, then paused to look under the bed. The bathroom was also empty. Other than the damn balloon, there was no indication that anyone had been inside.
She blew out her breath, then went back out to Dani.
“All clear.”
She took Dani’s hand and led her into the living room. Dani gasped when she saw the balloon.
“Oh, my God.” She turned to Harper. “He was inside. He was really inside the house.” She sat down heavily on the sofa, staring at the balloon. “Just like before. At home. He would come during the night while I was sleeping.”
Harper pulled out her phone from her jean’s pocket, calling Ja’wan. After four rings, it went to voice mail. “Come on, come on.” She called again, as she went to the window and looked out. The street was empty. There was no sign of the patrol car, no sign of Ja’wan and Bill Ford.
“What the hell?” she murmured as she ended the call.
“What is it?”
“Looks like our backup is gone.”
“What? Why?”
“I have no idea,” she said abruptly. She grabbed Dani by the shoulders, holding her in front of her. “We pack our things. We go through the garage. We get in the car and get the hell out of here.”
Dani nodded but there was fear in her eyes. “He was inside. What if—”
“He’s not inside now.” She motioned out the window. “Without backup, I feel like we’re sitting ducks. We need to get out of here.”
Dani nodded. “Yes. Okay. Yes.” Dani took her hand. “But don’t leave me.”
“I’m not going to leave you. I promise.”
It didn’t take them long to pack the few things they’d taken out. Harper shoved her clothes haphazardly into her bag without thought. She kept Dani behind her as they went through the kitchen and to the garage door. It, too, was protected by a deadbolt, locked from the inside. Still, she was cautious as she opened the door. The deadbolts hadn’t seemed to deter him from entering the house.
Her small flashlight was enough for them to see by and she felt Dani clinging to her back as they stepped into the garage. It was eerily quiet, so quiet she could hear each rapid beat of her heart as she flashed the light around. The garage was empty, as it had been yesterday when she’d parked there. No boxes, no clutter. No place for anyone to hide. She shined the light inside the car, hearing Dani gasp behind her. In the backseat was a doll, dressed in a police uniform. There was a knife stuck in the chest.
“Son of a bitch,” she muttered. “He was in here. How the hell did he get in here?”
“Harper…let’s get out of here,” Dani said urgently beside her.
They ignored the doll as they tossed their bags in the back. She jerked open the overhead garage door, expecting to find someone outside waiting for her, but the driveway was empty. She paused, looking around. The street was dark, quiet. Then a lone dog barked a few houses down, breaking the silence.
She hurried around to the car, getting in and slamming the door. She took off with a squeal of her tires, busting down the dark street at breakneck speed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“I know it’s three in the morning!” she said loudly into the phone. “I’m telling you, there was no unit there. Freeman and Ford were not out front. They were supposed to stay the night. He got into the house. He left a freakin’ balloon for us. And now I’ve got a goddamn doll dressed in a police uniform—with a knife stuck in its chest—riding with us in the car!”
“Calm down, Detective.”
“I am trying to be calm,” she said as she turned the corner, seeing headlights behind them. “He’s like a damn ghost. The house had deadbolts, Lieutenant. How the hell did he get inside? And who the hell pulled Freeman and Ford?”
Dani tugged at her arm. “I think someone’s following us.”
“I know.” She turned again, taking the corner too fast and missing the curb by inches.
“What?” he asked.
“Someone’s tailing us.”
“Then go to the station. He won’t follow you there.”
“We’re too far away. And I’m telling you, there’s a leak. Someone is feeding him information.”
“And I’m telling you that’s ridiculous.”
She glanced in the mirror, seeing the car behind her slowing. She sped up, then turned again. A few more blocks and she’d hit the freeway.
“Let me call you back,” she said.
“Did you lose him?”
“More like he lost us,” she said.
“Go to the station, Harper. I’ll get there when I can.”
“Yeah,” she said as she disconnected. “But…no, thanks.”
“What is it?” Dani asked.
“He wants us to go in.” There was little traffic as she took the ramp onto the freeway. A car or two ahead of her, another coming up from behind, that was it. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“What’ll we do?”
“I’m going to call Reid. Have him meet us somewhere. Let him take this damn doll out of here,” she said as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing those lifeless eyes staring at her.
“So he quit following us, right?”
“Looks that way.” She glanced at her phone, finding Reid’s number. It rang a four times before his sleepy voice sounded in her ears.
“Do you know what time it is?”
“I do. Get up. I need you.” She heard covers rustling.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need you to meet us somewhere. Now, Reid.”
“Jesus, Harper, what’s going on? I thought you were at a safe house.”
“There’s an IHOP off Mockingbird Lane. Meet us there.”
“Okay, okay. I’m up.”
“Thanks.” She put her phone in her lap, then looked over at Dani. “You okay?”
“Are you?”
“I don’t think I’ve processed it yet. He was in the house with us. A house with deadbolts that lock from the inside.” She shook her head. “If he’d wanted, he could have killed us tonight.”
“I’m sorry, Harper.”
“It’s not your fault, Dani. I’m the one who’s supposed to keep you safe,” she said, her voice shaky. “And I’m sleeping as if nothing is going on.”
“We were supposedly at a safe place. We had two cops sitting on the street in front of the house. Why wouldn’t we go to sleep?”
Harper glanced at her. “What is he doing? Is he just fucking with us?”
“It’s a game,” Dani said. “Since the beginning, that’s how I always felt, like he was playing a game with me.”
“Yeah. A game that he’s definitely winning.”
* * *
Dani was too nervous to enjoy the coffee, but she took a sip anyway. Harper sat beside her in the booth. Her eyes were glued to the door and she had yet to pick up her cup. As if feeling her watching, Harper glanced over at her.
“You okay?”
It was the third time Harper had asked that question, and Dani wasn’t sure how to answer. It was her fault, of course, that she’d brought this guy to Dallas with her. And yes, it was her fault that an innocent woman had been raped. Now Harper was on the run as well. Her fault too. Harper’s expression softened as their eyes met.
“You have guilt written all over your face,” Harper said quietly. “For no reason. You’re as much a victim as anything.”
“But I brought him here.”
“No. He followed you here.” Harper sighed and finally reached for her coffee cup. “I just don’t know what to do about it.”
“Do you think we should go in?”
“I don’t know. He’s getting his information from somewhere.” She rubbed her head. “I don’t know what to do anymore.” She glanced to the door. “There’s Reid.”
Detective Springer came inside, yawning. There were only three other tables occupied, and he smiled when he spotted them.
