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“It’s a long story,” Roxie gave Glenda a professional smile. “Let’s get you and Rosebud back to an exam room, and we’ll see what’s wrong with her, shall we?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing really bad. I was thinking that if she got a chance to visit with some of the other cats…” Glenda’s voice trailed off.
“No,” Roxie said firmly. “If Rosebud isn’t feeling well, she might have something contagious, and we can’t have her back there with the other cats. I have to tell you, Glenda, I’m a little worried. She seems to have lost some weight since I last saw her. Let’s go on back.”
“Thanks for your concern, Roxie.”
“That’s just who she is,” Ava smiled.
“You have my number, Joy,” Glenda said. “Don’t hesitate to use it. Sometimes having an older friend to lean on is exactly what the doctor ordered.”
I gave her a wan look. “Yeah, okay.”
She gave me a soft smile. She was so nice. “Anything you need, just ask.”
“Glenda, Graham’s on the phone, I need to speak to him.” I pointed to the phone on Ava’s desk. “Let Roxie check over Rosebud, and I’ll give her a cat treat before the two of you leave.”
She patted my shoulder. “Okay.”
“Are you done, Joy?” Graham growled. “Can we get back to the reason you thought a madman wrote you the note?”
I licked my bottom lip and gripped the edge of Ava’s desk. “I don’t know why I said that,” I lied.
“You’re lying,” Graham called me out.
“Maybe I’m just paranoid. New job. Staying in a new house. New boyfriend…”
There was a long pause, and I realized my mistake. I shouldn’t have said that. “Graham, I didn’t mean it.”
“You’re right, you are going through a lot of changes, but it doesn’t negate the fact that you’re fucking lying. Now tell me the truth. Why are you freaked the fuck out?”
“Fine!” The word burst out of me. “I’ve been stalked before. I never got a bouquet of flowers like this before, but I’ve gotten creepy notes. I know what it feels like. I know what this is.”
“Fuck!” Ava shouted. “What in the hell happened? Did they get the guy?”
“No, they didn’t,” I all but shouted back. I was practically in tears.
“You listen to me. All of you. Nobody leaves Joy by herself. Got it? Nobody. Lock the doors and set the goddamn alarm! I don’t even want her going into the bathroom alone, you got me?”
He paused.
“You got me?” he snarled.
“Yes,” Ava squeaked out. She gave me the ‘eek’ face.
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in twenty. Don’t move.”
My phone went dead.
Ava and I looked at one another, then she edged around me and went to the alarm panel on the wall and set the alarm that none of us had reset after letting Glenda into the clinic. Then she turned around, and our eyes met above the bouquet. The smell of the flowers was oppressive. I wanted them gone!
Suddenly everything in the clinic seemed wrong. Hell, even the dogs were quieter. My skin felt like fire ants were crawling just beneath the surface. Even Glenda, God love her, actually irritated me a little, so that told me just how out of sorts I was.
I needed these flowers gone.
I needed Graham.
Chapter Eighteen
