Page 27 of The Familiar Stranger

“I wish someone would have called me to let me know what was going on,” I said.

“We all assumed you knew,” Mike said. “I’m sorry. I should have found a way to track you down earlier, let you know what happened.”

“It’s the reason I did,” Andi said. “I just wondered … well, you helped the police before. Can you help them now? We’re coming up on two weeks since his death, and I’m afraid the police are not doing all they can. You know what I’m saying?”

I did.

She’d implied that maybe a black drag queen wasn’t worth their time.

“I don’t think that’s it at all. He was an icon, well-loved in this community,” I said. “And we don’t know all the details yet. We should wait a bit before we?—”

“It makes sense!” she insisted.

“Andi …” Mike warned.

“No, it’s okay,” I said, holding up a hand. “It’s a conclusion that is neither far-fetched nor unlikely. But there’s something you don’t know …”

Where to begin telling them about the connection with everyone who’d been injured or killed … and me?

“We think someone’s out to get Sloane,” Maddie blurted out as she took a huge bite of her turkey-and-provolone.

Mike jerked his head back. “Oh my.”

“Hold up,” Andi said. “I haven’t finished saying all I need to say. It’s true, I agree. Sloane is a big part of this whole thing. She has to be.”

“You sound so sure,” he said, his expression one of confusion. Then he dropped his head to the side as his shoulder slumped. “What haven’t you told me?”

“It wasn’t intentional, Dad. I realized it just a few minutes ago.”

She pulled out a piece of paper from her sweatshirt’s pocket.

Parchment.

Small square.

Maddie gasped.

I put my hands in together in front of my lips, prayer formation.

It can’t be … yet another note … no.

CHAPTER21

Always the brave one.

I knew you’d assist.

Bring them to me

For one final twist.

There it was, another note, and the first one I’d been able to see in person, hold in my hands. It was not as cryptic as Harmony’s message. In fact, it was downright clear as day. And now we could see the full image of what we’d thought was an L or an E on Harmony’s note. It was a simple cross. The vertical bar was made up of dashes, while the horizontal bar was a solid line. The note also held a strong musky scent, just like Almond had described.

Without knowing, Andi had led us closer to the man—or woman, I had to admit—who had it out for me.

A person who would do harm to anyone close to me, just to make me squirm.

The spiraling thoughts from the car ride leered at me, front and center.I am the target, and everyone who knows me, even remotely, is in danger.

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