Harper made Reid bring the rental back while she drove the squad car, lights flashing. Yeah, it was a bit of overkill, but the panic in Dani’s voice had…well, it had tugged at her conscience. Dani was scared. Dani was alone. And yes, she felt responsible for her.

And the son of a bitch hadn’t taken the bait, he hadn’t followed the tracking device. Had he known it was a setup? Or was he watching the rental all along and knew it wasn’t Dani who had gotten behind the wheel?

Regardless, leaving Dani there alone probably wasn’t the wisest thing she’d ever done. Numerous scenarios crossed her mind—the stalker posing as a cop, for one—for the bastard getting into the building unimpeded. She had assumed Dani would be fine there. But what if the guy had gotten up to the third floor? Then what?

He was dressed as a freakin’ clown, she reminded herself. No way he got past the front desk. Again…what if he wasn’t? What if he wasn’t dressed as a clown, but a cop? Well, until they had this crazy clown bastard, she’d take more precautions.

A few minutes later, when she stepped into the squad room, Dani jumped to her feet, an obvious look of relief on her face. For a second there, she thought that Dani was about to fly into her arms.

“Thank you,” she mouthed as Harper walked in.

“You okay?”

“No.” Dani handed her a piece of paper. “I think he’s…well, I no longer think that he doesn’t intend to harm me.”

Harper read the note, her jaw clenched. She read it again, trying to read between the lines. There really wasn’t much between the lines though.

You’ll be mine…now and forever…until death.

Yeah, there wasn’t much between the lines. It was all right out in the open. But as Reid might say, his notes were kinda lame. “I’m sorry I left you here,” she said. “I was so sure he’d follow the tracking device.”

“I don’t know how to explain it, but I think I knew that he wouldn’t.” Dani pressed closer to her. “Is he watching me? Did he know it was you in the car and not me?”

“That seems the most logical explanation.”

“So now what?”

Harper pulled the small plastic tube out of her pocket, the one they’d put the tracking device into. “We leave this here, for one thing.” She put it into her desk drawer. “He knows where I live so I don’t know if that’s safe tonight.”

“Hotel?”

“Might be too public. Do we want to chance someone recognizing you?”

“Where else?”

The double doors burst open and Reid hurried in. He nodded at Dani, then pulled her to the side.

“Got a call. Rape victim,” he said quietly.