High-Caliber Holiday by Susan Sleeman Read Free Book Online

leaving a rose and note for the former girlfriend—but it was less common for actual physical harm to occur.
    Brady grabbed the doorknob. An image of a man turning the same knob flashed into his brain. A sick man, focused on Morgan. Doing everything necessary to gain her affection. Stalking. Hunting when she was alone. Unprotected.
    What if Rossi blew her off like Brady suspected? Left her to fend for herself?
    Brady couldn’t let that happen. Wouldn’t let that happen despite his desire to put distance between them. This was no longer about a promise to Darcie to see Morgan home. About guilt for hesitating to pull the trigger. This was about a woman’s life. Plain and simple.
    If he couldn’t convince Rossi to help Morgan, he’d have no choice. He’d force down these feelings that kept surfacing around her and step in. She could count on him to be by her side and keep her safe.
    * * *
    Waiting for Brady to return with the detective, Morgan shoved her phone into her pocket and sent the threat letters feeding into the printer. She’d called her mother and learned that the keys were right where her father had left them. She’d also managed to raise her mother’s suspicions, but Morgan had avoided telling her the truth. If her dad had answered, it might have been a different story.
    Morgan listened to the hum of the copier and looked around the room she’d so carefully decorated. The space was neutral on purpose. No photos. No mementos from time spent with her family, which would only remind her of their disagreement about where she should live.
    She’d planned this place as a sanctuary. A symbol of her new independence. Now each shadowed corner held fear. Her space had been violated. Along with it, so had she. Again. For the second time tonight.
    Stress weighed heavily on her and nausea formed in the pit of her stomach. Stress. When she’d worked on the lawsuit, the stress had left her with daily nausea. So many people had depended on her back then. Her father. Preston. The mill workers who would lose their jobs if she lost the case. Despite feeling sick, she’d dug deep for the strength she needed to go on. She did her duty, then broke free of her father’s desire to keep her employed at the mill. She’d formed her own life, and her stomach had settled down. Even when her father basically disowned her.
    She’d just started to enjoy life and now this? It was almost too much to bear.
    â€œWhy, God?”
 
she whispered.
Isn’t my father disowning me enough? Do You have to take my new start in life, too? My peace?
    Okay, fine, she got that God didn’t actually take her peace. She let the fear take over and steal it. But after her night, how could she not?
    She heard a noise in the bedroom and jumped. She knew it was the old building groaning with age as it often did, but still, the room suddenly seemed oppressive without Brady. She didn’t want to admit to needing anyone. Would never admit it aloud, but his presence had kept the panic at bay.
    Despite what common sense told her, she hurried to the front door and slipped into her shoes before jerking it open. Brady stood, his feet planted wide, his shoulders back like a tower of strength. She was reluctant to lean on him, but she needed him to get through this.
    Tonight only
, she told herself as joined the men.
Tonight only.
    â€œMs. Thorsby.” Rossi stepped forward and ran a wide thumb over the doorjamb.
    â€œPlease call me Morgan.”
    He gave a clipped nod. “As Owens said, there’s no sign of forced entry.” Instead of looking at Brady, he eyed Morgan, his eyebrow raised, as if she’d done something wrong. She didn’t like his attitude, but didn’t know what to say so she said nothing.
    â€œShow me the rose and picture,” he said, his voice almost accusatory.
    He seemed to be blaming her for this. Or was he mad at having to stay out all night?