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TYLER

“WHAT DO YOUthink of this one?” I asked Alex. I had recruited him to help me on a special mission. I could have asked Kayla since she knew Jen so well, but I was afraid she’d get too excited and accidently spoil my surprise.

“I like it. But are you sure it’s not too big? What about this one?” He pointed at a different option. “It’s a bit smaller, but still classy.”

“No, I think this is the one.”

Alex clasped my arm. “Listen, I’m not trying to discourage you, but I just want to ask one more time. Are you sure about this? There’s no real rush, you know.”

“I know it seems early, but I know this is right. I’m ready, and I think Jen is, too.”

He nodded. “Okay. For what it’s worth, I think you’re right. I’m really happy for you. Let’s do this.”

We walked back over to the salesman, who’d been watching us, grinning in anticipation of the large commission he would be getting.

We sat down to work out a few details and sign the paperwork. Another sales associate stopped to whisper into the ear of the man helping us. “Um, Dr. Cranston, I’m afraid we have a small problem. Your car was just towed.”

It took two frustrating hours of tracking down the towing service and finding the garage where it had been towed because a distraught woman had called and said her tires had been slashed. Sure enough, all four tires had been punctured and had to be replaced. More time spent filing a police report and subsequent investigation. I had already determined Natalie must be the ‘distraught woman.’ I’d deal with her later, but in the meantime, I called my dad and gave him an earful on the bitch he was married to and what she had just pulled. Then I hung up on him without giving him a chance to respond.

I’d tried a few times to text and call Jen to let her know I’d be late for dinner, but she didn’t answer her phone. She had a habit of leaving it in a different room when she charged it, but I knew she’d eventually get my message.

As if on cue, my phone rang. I grabbed it out of my pocket and answered. “Jen, I’m glad—”

“Dr. Cranston, this is Mrs. T, Jen’s neighbor.”

“Oh, Mrs. T. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I have some extra strawberries that my grandson brought by earlier today. He goes out and picks them every year. I swear that boy doesn’t have any sense about just how many he picks. He gets going, and he just doesn’t stop.

“That’s very nice, Mrs. T. But I don’t understand why you’re calling me. I’m sorry, I’m in a bit of a hurry . . .”

“Oh, you younger generations are always in a hurry,” she scolded. “Anyway, my Mikey brought me more strawberries than I can manage, and your young lady promised she’d stop by and get some. She said she would love to have them to use for a dessert tonight. You know, she can make the best—”

I sighed. I knew she was lonely, but she could talk forever if I let her, and I needed to get back to my first mission so I could get to Jen’s apartment before it got any later. “Mrs. T,” I said as gently as I could, “why don’t you call Jen? Maybe she just forgot.”

“Young man, that girl always does what she says she will. I wish I could count on everyone the way I can count on the girl.” I rolled my eyes at Alex. I made a talking gesture with my hand and pointed at my phone. “Jen’s neighbor,” I whispered.

“But I figured she must have gotten busy,” Mrs. Thibault was continuing. “So I stopped over at her door. I thought I heard something thumping around in her apartment again. I thought maybe she was having another headache or something, but I left my key over at her place the last time I was there, so I can’t check on her. I thought maybe you should know.”

I felt a little tremor of alarm. “I’m on my way over there right now, Mrs. T. Thanks for letting me know.” I hung up before she could talk anymore. Quickly, I speed dialed Jen and prayed she’d pick up. Once again, I got her voice mail.

Alex looked at me curiously. “What’s going on?”

I quickly explained, and he grabbed his keys. “Let’s go.” We both hurried to his car since mine hadn’t been released to my custody, yet. It could wait until tomorrow. I was more worried about my girl.

Alex had barely parked before I jumped out of the car and scurried into her building. Alex was quick to catch up. I waited impatiently for the elevator to deposit us on the fifth floor. I didn’t bother knocking. I used my key and walked straight in, calling her name as I moved forward into the living room. She didn’t answer, and I was about to head back to the bedrooms, but a burning smell caught my attention, and I turned instead to the kitchen.

“Fucking hell,” Alex exclaimed. Alex’s harsh words assured me the nightmare in front of me wasn’t my imagination.

“Jen,” I whispered first, then screamed as I ran to her, slipping on the blood that covered the tile floor.

Jen’s face was pale and her eyes remained closed, despite my yelling her name. Her back was semi-propped against the cabinets under the sink. She was half naked, her shorts and panties bunched around her knees. Her remaining clothes were torn and bloodied. I could see various bruises marring her face and the skin of her chest and stomach. A knife covered in blood lay on the floor. Just as startling was the half-naked man whose body was prostrate on the floor on his stomach, his face laying on her thighs.

“Oh, God, baby, what happened to you?” My hands shook as I started to gather her face in my hands, willing her to wake up with my touch.

“Tyler, we need to find the source of the blood.” Alex’s quiet but firm words and his hand on my shoulder were just enough to put me back into doctor mode. He was right.

I shoved the man’s head off her lap and felt for a pulse at her neck. My fingers shook so hard I struggled to feel anything, but finally, there it was. I started to breathe again and nodded at Alex, whose face relaxed.