Ben rested his palms on Maddie’s dining room table and studied the note through the plastic bag. He’d been in the house for ten minutes and hadn’t said a word. When he finally looked up, he pinned her with his gaze. “Have you ever received notes this close together in time before?”

“Hold up.” Connor cleared his throat. “Did you say notes? As in plural?”

Yeah, she’d forgotten to fill him in on that part. Blame the unwanted attraction and blinding panic. The combination took her off her game.

“The number doesn’t matter.” She turned from Connor back to Ben. “And no.”

“How long of a period are we talking about here?” Connor asked.

“The notes started shortly after the excitement and horror of the summer died down and your brother headed back to D.C., so a few months ago. Maybe four.”

“How close together, Maddie?” Ben asked.

“They usually come a few weeks apart, then there will sometimes be a break, then a few more, but never on top of each other.” Terse and lecturing. They scared her but they were nothing compared to her life before. This felt like a way of letting her know she couldn’t hide and would never find peace. A very specific warning not to ever get too comfortable. Last time they skipped the threats and went directly to trying to kill her.

Ben stretched as he stood up, then glanced over at Connor. “This one mentions you.”

“No.” She refused to concede that part. “Not specifically.”

“It’s not a big mental leap,” Ben said. “We can assume it’s about Connor since you two are dating.”

Connor winced. “That’s not—”

“It was one dinner,” she said at the same time.

Ben let out a heavy sigh. “The point is, someone is watching Maddie and knows where she’s going and who she’s seeing.”

“Then it’s settled.” Connor stared at her, as if daring her to fight with him.

“What is?”

“You’re not safe here.”

She followed his argument and cut it off before he could elaborate. “I’m not leaving my home.”

A screeching sound echoed through the quiet house as Ben pulled out a chair and sat down in it. “That’s the wrong answer, Maddie.”

Connor gestured in Ben’s general direction. “Listen to the man. He’s law enforcement. He knows what he’s talking about.”

These two on the same side would be the death of her. “You don’t understand. Either of you.”

Connor crossed his arms in front of him. “I get that someone is coming after you. You don’t need to tell me why, but you do need to accept Ben’s help and then make a decision.”

She knew she’d hate his answer but the curiosity ate at her. She’d always been an instant gratification type. When she needed to know, she needed to know now. “About what?”