“Damn, Harper. Maybe I’m glad I didn’t get this assignment after all.” He closed the door, then held up the note. “He must be pretty slick if he can get inside your car without setting off the alarm.”

“I’m more concerned with how the hell he found us. I was overly cautious. I took a different route home. I went out of the way. I got into traffic. I would swear there was no one following us.”

“Then you know what that means.”

“Yeah. She’s got a tracking device somewhere.”

“Luggage? You said he’d been in her house.”

“Could be.”

“What about phone?”

Harper shook her head. “She’s very private. From what I gather, not many people have her number to begin with. Just her inner circle.”

“We both know there are ways to find cell phone numbers. This guy seems very careful. Professional, almost.”

“A professional stalker?”

“You know what I mean.” He shined his flashlight on the note. “Okay, let’s see what we got.” He smiled. “He pegged you for a dyke cop. Wonder when he figured that out?”

“Just read what’s on the note, Reid,” she said a bit impatiently.

“It says ‘Danielle Stevens belongs to me, dyke cop. I’m not afraid to take you out.’” Reid glanced at her. “Kinda lame. Like a bad TV show.” He slipped the note into an evidence bag. “I’ll take this and the knife and see if there’s something on it.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know you’re busy, what with trying to keep Danielle Stevens safe and all. Tough job you got there, Harper.”

She lifted up the corner of her mouth in a grin. “Well, someone has to do it.” She let her smile slip away. “You let Mize know about my tires?”

“No. I didn’t even tell Hernandez. I just told him to pick me up here because you wanted the squad car first thing in the morning.” He paused. “You going to let Mize know?”

“Yeah, I’ll get with him in the morning. What about the sweep on her rental car?”

“They’ll do it tomorrow. What about her luggage?”

“I’ll have her bring it with us.”

He leaned closer and nudged her elbow. “Need me to stay here with you? Help protect her?”

“You know what, buddy? I think I can handle it.”

“So…what’s she like? Is she nice like she appears in the movies? Or stuck up like a big-shot celebrity?”

“She’s nice.” She glanced toward the house. “You want to come inside? I got a pizza,” she offered.

“Oh, yeah,” he said eagerly. “Will she mind?”

“I don’t think so.”

She found Dani in the kitchen, pacing. Her eyes flew first to Harper, then to Reid.