“I don’t care what she said. Don’t schedule anything without clearing it with me first.” She squeezed the bridge of her nose tightly. “We’ll talk when I get back. This trip is kinda like a vacation so…let’s hold off on anything until I get home, okay?” She heard Shelly sigh, but there was no protest.

“Okay. As you wish. I’ll pass it on to Pamela, but you know she dismisses most of what I say.”

“Then be firm with her. She’s not the boss, Shelly. I am.”

She put the phone back in her bag, contemplating turning it off altogether. Despite her instructions that no one was to call her, she knew that Shelly would be the one to break. And of course, she was glad she did. Pamela tended to go a bit overboard whenever Dani wasn’t there to rein her in. She picked the phone up again, then flipped it in her hands several times. Without much thought, she held the button in, watching as it powered off. It was something that she should have done days ago. This trip was like a vacation to her. Well, except for the creepy clown guy. And the police protection she was getting. That part wasn’t so bad.

“God…you really are pathetic,” she murmured with a smile.

Chapter Nineteen

Dani pulled the covers up to her neck, pausing to listen to the light rain that was falling. She felt Harper shift beside her. Their dinner had been eaten in relative silence and even afterward, Harper had remained quiet…distant. Dani turned her head, seeing Harper’s face in the shadows. They’d left the light on in the bathroom.

“Does this make you uncomfortable?” she asked quietly. “Sharing a bed.”

Harper turned toward her too. “No. Should it?”

Dani should just keep her questions to herself. Harper was beyond reluctant to talk about herself. But…

“When’s the last time someone’s shared your bed?” She heard Harper laugh lightly, but she sensed it was forced.

“You want to know when’s the last time I had sex or what?”

Dani rolled to her side. “Okay. Yes.”

“Why?”

“You’re attractive. You’re nice. Most of the time,” she added. “Yet you don’t have anyone in your life. You appear to be single. Alone.” She paused. “Your eyes tell me you’ve been hurt.”

Harper’s sigh was so quiet, Dani almost missed it.

“It’s been…three years, four months…and a handful of days.”

“What was her name?” she whispered.

Harper turned her head to look at her. “Jan.”

“Is it…is it something you want to talk about?”

Another sigh and Dani assumed that was her answer. She was surprised when Harper spoke.

“There was a…a serial killer…and rapist…in Tucson. That’s where I came from,” Harper said. “They called him the Raggedy Ann Killer. He left a doll at each scene.”