Page 83 of Betrayed

Will came back. “I didn’t find anything. But I got a weird feeling, so let’s be on guard while we go up. I’ll go first.”

Zara looked at AJ. “Do you have Harry?”

AJ shook her head.

“Okay. Logan can take the rear.”

The four of them went up the stairs. The door didn’t show any signs of tampering, but it hadn’t when the cameras were installed either.

Zara unlocked the door, and Will and Logan went inside, sidearms drawn, ready to engage. Will flipped on the light.

Both men gasped as the women came in behind them.

The apartment had been trashed.

Logan said, “You two wait here. We’ll make sure no one is inside.”

As the guys cleared all the rooms, AJ took in the space. Two cartons of ice cream were turned over on the kitchen table, oozing everywhere. The cushions were off the couch and oddly dispersed throughout the room. Every last one of her books were now upside down on the bookshelf.

“All clear,” Logan called. “AJ, come here.”

She carefully stepped around the random things strewn across the floor and found Logan on the threshold to her bedroom. “What?”

Her room was backward. The creep had not only been in her bedroom, but he had rearranged all of her furniture. Her bed was on the opposite wall from where it had been, as were her dresser and desk.

And all of her underwear and socks had been dumped on the bed.

But as violating as that was, it wasn’t even the most shocking part. On the wall, written in oozy red, were the words: I still see you.

A shudder rippled through her body.

“I think it’s ketchup.” Logan opened the closet door. “He messed with this too.”

All of her hangers had been turned around, plus the clothes had been switched to the opposite order from what they had been in.

Her skin felt like it was going to crawl right off her body. Some creep had touched all of her things. “What on earth?” AJ wrapped her arms around her middle.

Logan shook his head. “This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen. I have no idea what he was thinking.” Logan walked over to her, and she accepted his embrace.

She was so grateful for his strength and comfort. And glad she wasn’t having to cope with this alone. A dreadful thought burst into her head. “Oh no.”

“What?”

She let go of Logan, ran to her nightstand, and opened the drawer. Her StopBox was missing. “No!”

“Again, what?”

“Harry’s gone.”

“He stole your gun?”

She nodded.

“Hey, guys?” Will called.

AJ and Logan left her room and found Will standing outside the bathroom.

He said, “Look at this.” He stepped aside, giving them a clear view of the bathroom floor. It was covered in … shampoo, soap, conditioner, shaving gel. It was as if he had opened every bottle and emptied them onto the floor. In fact, that was exactly what happened.