Page 35 of Prince

Many were expressions of concern or outright demands to know where she was from work friends, relatives, and people in her apartment complex.

Dree—Dree honey—Dree are you there—Dree are you coming to work?

Aunt Mortie is sick but she’ll be okay. But she wants phone calls. (eyeroll emoji) Call Aunt Mortie.—Jesus, you didn’t call Aunt Mortie and she’s pissed.

This is to notify you that your request for the return of your security deposit has been denied due to cleaning issues.

What do you get when you cross an MRSA staph infection with syphilis? Room 4929 and Dr. Luis in hazmat gear. (picture of a portly man in a yellow spacesuit)

Hey, what up babe.—Fine don’t talk to me.—You should smile more.

Loretta Mabel has shared a photo album with you. Press here . . .

Mandi: Oh my God, Sis, thank youso so so muchfor the money. I can’tbelievehow much therapy and supplements I was able to get for Victor. He’s improving. He’s improving! He signed to me that he wanted milk this morning! And hedrankit because that’s what he wanted! MILK! I’ve never been so damned excited about freakingMILKin my life! He hasn’t destroyed anything or slammed into me or bounced off a wall fora week!Neither one of us haveanyfresh bruises. Thank you.Thank you.May Mary bless you forever.

Dree had to stop for a moment and breathe.Milk.Victor had never purposely signed anything. The reduction in self-injurious behavior and violence was amazing.

Okay, she had to keep the money going.

More texts flooded her phone.

Text C to confirm your dentist appointment on December 8th.

Saw this in Gaggle Magazine and thought you’d like it. (Picture of shirtless vampire actor from TV.)

I’m bored. Call me.—You there?—Hey, Dree? Good Sam says you were fired. U ok?—Dree, I need you to call or text or something. I’m worried.

You have a new statement from Southwestern Medical Group.

Hey Dree baby where are you? No one has seen you for days! You okay?

And then there were the ones that worried her.

Dree couldn’t stop reading them.

We’re all going to pizza and beer tonight. You in?—You didn’t show. You cool?—Dree, we can’t find you or Francis. What’s going on?—Jesus, Dree. Call somebody. We’re freaked out.—The police asked me weird questions about you when I called them. Are you in trouble?

Yes, she was in trouble.

Dree texted Caridad Santos and other nurse-friends from work, assuring them she was okay and somewhere safe and to pass it on. She didn’t want to worry them.

Is this the phone of Ms. Andrea Clark? We have some serious questions for you about your finances with Francis Senft. He says you have the money he owes us, and we should get it from you. Please call us to discuss payment of your debt as soon as possible. My name is Kir Sokolov, and my number is—”

The same number had texted again.

A week has passed and you have not contacted us regarding the payment of your debt from the funds Francis Senft said he deposited in your name in your bank accounts. He assured us you do have the money and you will pay us from those funds. It seems Mr. Senft had been stealing some of our merchandise. He sold it for the street rate and kept the funds instead of paying for the merchandise. We now require to be paid for said merchandise. Please call me, Kir Sokolov at—”

Boiling water splashed down Dree’s back. Heat burst through her, and her hands began to shake.

It has been another week, and there is still no attempt from you to contact us to set up a payment schedule. By now, the police will have contacted you about finding Francis Senft’s body. I would hate for what happened to him to happen to you. As you can see from the body, it was not quick for him. I am Kir Sokolov. Call me immediately.

And he left his number.

There were more texts after that, demanding money, threatening her.

The phone felt like ice in her cold fingers. As numbness crawled under her fingernails and through her joints, the phone slithered away and tumbled toward the floor tile.

Dree batted at the chip of black ice as it fell, but it slipped off her fingertips and clattered on the floor.