“You don’t look fine. Let’s go back in. I’ll get you some water. Or some herb tea.”

“No. Please. Just let me go.” I shrugged him away.

He dropped his hands from me. “Of course.”

“You should…”

“I should what?” he asked.

“You should get rid of Father Jim,” I said. “He’s not who you think he is.”

Then I ran.

I ran until I was somewhere behind the church, in a rose garden. The roses were in bloom, and their scent infused the air. I breathed in deeply. Rose was supposed to calm, but it did anything but. I stared at the ground. A piece of white paper lay between the bushes. I knelt down and absently grabbed it, not knowing why. I crushed it in my fist and tried to stand.

I breathed in again, but the air forced itself outward as quickly as I could get it into my lungs. Panic. Sheer panic.

I fell to the ground. Among the leaves and thorns. Help Help Help.

Then bells ringing.

Bells. A church bell?

I shifted back to reality. It was a phone. My phone.

I breathed in hard and grabbed the phone out of my purse, not bothering to look at who was calling. “Hello?” I said breathlessly.

“Zee.”

Reid’s voice. Reid’s soothing voice.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I said, trying not to stammer. “I’m okay. Now.”

34

Reid

“You don’t sound okay.”

Worry for Zee edged through me. She sounded out of breath. Maybe she was working out. But I knew that wasn’t the issue. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I did.

“I’m fine.”

I didn’t believe her, but I’d called for a reason. Morgan was done with me—just a bunch of badgering about things I’d already told him—and I had to prepare Zee. “I’m going to send someone up to the apartment to get you. The detective will be ready for you in about an hour, and our attorneys need to prep you.

“I… Okay.”

“Lydia will answer the door and come get you. Are you still in my bedroom?”

“Oh. No, I’m not.”

“In the home gym, then?”

“Uh…no. Why would you think that?”

“You’re out of breath. I thought you might be working out.”

“No. I’m… I’m not at your place.”

Ice gripped the back of my neck. “Where are you, then?”

“At a church. St. Andrew’s.”

“Fuck,” I said under my breath. “Why are you there?”

“I wanted… I don’t know what I wanted.”

“Are you okay? Did anyone…” What was I going to say? Did anyone hurt you? Why would she intentionally go to Father Jim’s parish?

“I’m okay. I’m in the rose garden.”

“Listen to me, Zee,” I said. “Leave the rose garden. Go back to the street and find a café. Do it now while we’re on the phone together.”