Page 24 of Code Trauma

“And Andy? Where’s he?”

“He was with the sheriff when he called, but he’s on his way here. Said he wants to escort me to the motel.”

“And then?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll just take it one day at a time.”

“Well, you’re not staying there by yourself,” Raina said. “As soon as I’m off shift, I’m coming over.”

“Yeah,” Penny nodded. “Me too.”

Holly stepped forward for a group hug. “Thanks, guys,” she whispered.

After a tight squeeze, she let go and picked up her bag. She followed Raina and Penny back into the large living area only to see a dark-haired woman standing just inside the door.

“Hi,” Penny said, “can we help you?”

“Yes, please. I’m looking for someone named Holly Cooper. I was told I could find her here.”

Penny stepped in front of Holly from the right side while Raina did the same from the left. Closing in and protecting her.

“And who are you?” Penny asked.

“Victoria Mann.”

Mann? As in Garrett Mann?A sister or cousin perhaps?

Holly wasn’t about to let her friends put themselves in danger for her—should this woman be dangerous. She stepped around her self-appointed guardians. “I’m Holly.” She set her bag on the floor but didn’t move forward like she normally would. “What do you need?”

“I need you to stay away from my husband.”

Penny gaped and Raina clasped Holly’s bicep, obviously ready to yank her out of harm’s way.

“And who is your husband?” Holly asked, knowing the answer without hearing it, but needing it confirmed.

“Garrett Mann.”

She knew it, but she still gasped. When she snapped her lips shut, she couldn’t help but stare. “I’m sorry, what? Garrett Mann ismarried?”

The woman scoffed and crossed her arms. “Are you saying you didn’t know?”

“Of course I didn’t know. Not that it would matter, because I’m not interested in the man.”

“Then why is your picture all over his phone?”

Holly blinked. “Again, I’m completely at a loss. I have no idea why he’d have my picture.”

The woman pulled her phone from her purse, tapped the screen and then held the device out to Holly. “This is my phone. When he was in the shower yesterday morning, I AirDropped the pictures from his phone to mine. Look. Nothing but you.”

Raina snatched the phone before Holly could move and passed it over to her. Holly raised a brow at her friend. “Thanks.” Then she glanced at the screen and sucked in a breath. Swipe after swipe revealed pictures she had no idea had been taken. A tremor swept through her. “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why he has these, but if you look closely, you can see they were taken when I wasn’t looking at the camera.”

A flicker of uncertainty flashed in Mrs. Mann’s eyes. “Even so, it’s obvious he’s obsessed with you.”

Holly passed the phone back to the woman. “But I’m not with him. In fact, it looks like he’s stalking me.”

Her quiet words hovered in the air between them, then with a huff, Mrs. Mann spun and darted out the door.

“You need to tell the sheriff about this,” Raina said. “I know that they cleared Dr. Mann as being the one after you, but what if they’re wrong? What if someone is working with him and he just reported his car stolen so he had that out?”

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