“Harper, I don’t want to leave here only to take him back with me.”

“Oh, Dani…I don’t know what I can do. Mize knows what my reservations are about this. That doesn’t seem to matter. He’s got his orders too.”

“Which is to make sure nothing happens to me while I’m on your watch, regardless if you catch him or not.”

“Yes.”

Dani nodded. “So again…do you know any good bodyguards?” Then she smiled, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly. “Or better yet, are you available?”

Harper laughed. “You mean leave this glamourous job of mine to follow you around? I don’t know. What does it pay?”

Dani laughed too. “Oh, honey, I’ll pay whatever you want.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Harper jerked awake, listening. She turned her head slowly, finding Dani next to her, both hands wrapped around Harper’s left arm tightly. She listened to her breathing for a moment, then tried to determine what it was that had awoken her. There were no sounds out of the ordinary, but something didn’t feel right. Sixth sense perhaps, but she knew something was wrong.

“Dani,” she whispered. She moved her arm slightly, nudging her awake. Dani opened her eyes sleepily.

“Hmm?”

“Wake up. I think…I think I heard something.”

Dani’s eyes popped open. “What is it?”

“Don’t know.”

She sat up and pulled on her jeans, not bothering with her shoes. Her weapon was beside the bed and she picked it up. She heard Dani dressing too and she knew better than to suggest she wait here in the room alone.

At the door, she held a finger to her lips, indicating to Dani to be quiet, then she slowly opened the door. There was a lamp on in the living room. She frowned. Had she forgotten to turn it off? No. No, she remembered plunging the room into darkness after she’d checked the locks.

She turned to Dani. “I need you to stay here,” she whispered. “Don’t argue with me.”

“But—”

“Stay right here in the hallway where you can see me.” She pointed. “Someone’s been inside.”

“Oh, Jesus.” Dani clutched her arm. “He could still be inside,” she whispered.

“Yes. Stay here.”

Thankfully, Dani didn’t argue. She pressed against the door and nodded. “Be careful.”

Harper felt her heart pounding in her chest as she crept down the hallway. She nearly gasped when she saw it; a lone balloon—bright red—was tied to the lamp. It bobbed harmlessly overhead, the message mocking her.

Have a Nice Day!

She went to the front door, finding it still locked by a deadbolt. So were the windows. She flipped on the lights, then went into the kitchen. The back door was also locked. With a deadbolt. From the inside.