None of it made sense, and just trying to apply logic to it was giving her a headache.

Brandon turned to Javi. “You said you left at six. You notice anyone loitering around at that time?”

“Besides the usual? No. But this is downtown. People loiter.”

“Anyone casing the place? Or maybe sitting in a parked car?”

“No.” Javi looked at Leigh. “You?”

“Not that I noticed. But I was on the phone when I pulled up, so I was a little distracted.”

“What about security cameras?” Brandon asked. “Does your system include any?”

“Not ours. There are two in back, though, facing the alley.”

Leigh looked up, startled. “There are? How come I never noticed them?”

“They’re concealed.” He looked at Brandon. “The tenant back there is a PI. Total gadget geek. If anyone approached from the back, he definitely would have caught him on tape.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Leigh stepped into her house and heaved a sigh of relief before tapping in the alarm code. The digital clock on the keypad told her it was 11:45, but it seemed much later, probably because her limbs felt heavy with exhaustion.

She’d spent almost three hours with the police, answering questions and watching people stream in and out of the building. Then she’d walked through the office with Javi, relaying what had happened while trying not to look too long at the spot in the hallway where the attacker had pinned her to the floor. She’d felt claustrophobic just standing there, and at one point she’d been sure she was going to throw up in front of all the cops, but the moment passed. Tuning into her stress, Javi had offered to close things out with the police and lock up so Leigh could go home and put an end to her hellacious day.

The drive had been a blur. She couldn’t even remember crossing the bridge and turning onto her street.

But she was home, thank goodness. After slipping off her shoes, she walked into the kitchen and set her computer bag on the drop-leaf dining table. Her place was a mess, but there was something comforting about the clutter, something infinitely reassuring about being back in her own house, away from all the cops, with their heavy footsteps and clipped voices and incessant radio chatter.

All night, she’d been the lone woman surrounded by men. It was a situation she’d found herself in before—usually in meetings, or in hearings, or when she’d been a public defender and had to visit a client in jail. Usually, being the only woman didn’t get to her, and she held her own just fine. Or if not, she faked it. Tonight was different, though. Tonight she’d felt intensely vulnerable, and every stranger through the door made her think of her attacker.

Leigh’s phone chimed. She fished it from her bag, and dread filled her stomach as she recognized Brandon’s number.