Page 73 of Rekindling Desire

“Apple collars. We’re getting her one once she’s home.”

“Are those a thing?” My heart hurt. “What if we don’t find her?”

“Ella, look around. Amber didn’t want in your house for Duchess.”

Slowly, I turned, taking in my living room and kitchen, down the hall to my office and foyer. “Nothing seems wrong.”

“Let’s go back upstairs.”

I clung to Damien’s arm as we climbed the stairs. “I don’t know what I should be looking for.”

Nothing was out of place, nothing that I hadn’t disrupted while looking for Duchess. “Damien, I don’t see anything.” I frowned, my forehead furrowing and my eyebrows knitting together. “I hate that she was in here.”

“Call the police,” Damien said. “File a report. While you’re doing that, I’ll call local shelters and let them know Duchess is missing.”

“I saw Amber during your press conference. I tried to ignore her.” The memory came back. “She was smug. That’s why I thought she expected you two to mess up. But she was smug because she knew what she’d done—that she’d been in my house.”

As I pulled my phone from my purse, my hands trembled. “I don’t know what to say.” I searched for the non-emergency number and walked back toward my office. “Hello, I’d like to report a break-in...” I gave the dispatcher my address. When she asked if anything was missing, I choked on my answer. “My cat.”

“Are you alone? Are you in the house?”

“I’m in the house.” My gaze went to Damien. “I’m not alone.”

“Are you certain no one is in your house?”

“Yes, we searched everywhere for our cat. The back door was left open.”

“We’re sending a unit right away.”

My temples pounded as I disconnected the call.

Damien spoke, “The humane society is closed, but I left a message. Let’s send out a post on your neighborhood app.”

I handed Damien my phone. “You can do it.”

Taking my phone, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to his side. “I love you.”

Tears filled my eyes as I nodded against his suit coat. “What if she’s scared?”

“Duchess isn’t scared. Wherever she is, she’s in complete control of the situation. She’s probably bored.”

“After I left you,” I said, “she kept me sane. I know she’s a cat and it sounds stupid, but I talked to her.”

“You told her bad things about me?” Damien asked.

I sighed with a nod. “She was a safe listener.”

“I don’t know what Amber’s plan was, but I can’t believe it was to cause harm to Duchess.”

We both turned at the ringing of my doorbell.

“That was fast,” Damien said.

“The cameras,” I said, remembering they were out. “She disconnected my cameras.”

“Is there footage on your doorbell of her coming up the front stoop?”

The doorbell rang again.

---