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Dani rummaged around again and was about to shake her head when she froze.
“What is it?” Gia demanded.
Slowly, Dani’s head came up and there was a freaked-out expression on her face. “The little photo album,” she said. “It’s gone. Gia, it’s the only thing missing.”
“Are you sure?” Now Gia was going through Dani’s purse. “Maybe the album fell to the bottom. Or maybe it fell out while he was running away?”
“It’s not there. I went through every nook and cranny of this thing. And it couldn’t have fallen out. The bag was zipped. He had to have unzipped it, taken what he wanted, and re-zipped it before he tossed the bag away. There’s no other explanation
I can think of.”
By now, Gia had paled. “Who would want pictures of you as a child?”
“I don’t know. But they obviously wanted them badly enough to mug for them.” Dani raked a hand through her hair. “I don’t feel great.”
Gia took out her phone and fired up the Uber app. “Car service,” she explained, seeing the questioning look on Dani’s face. “Neither of us is up for a long walk and a train ride. Given what’s happened, a car service is the best alternative. We’ll swing by and get our packages from the hotel, then head back to my place.”
* * *
An hour later, Gia turned the lock of her townhouse door and let the two of them into her apartment. They’d barely spoken during the drive home. Both of them were exhausted, creeped out, and in a bit of shock. They’d checked Dani’s purse a few more times, each time confirming what they already knew—that the photo album, and only the photo album, was gone. They’d even checked Gia’s purse to see if it had gotten mixed into Gia’s things, but only her album was there.
Maybe the plan had been to steal Gia’s photos, too.
Maybe the opportunity just hadn’t presented itself.
It was a reach, but it was a scary one—one that wasn’t out of the realm of reality. Did someone else actually have an interest in their physical likenesses?
The thought was weighing on both their minds as they made their way into Gia’s living room.
“I’ll get you some Neosporin and a bunch of Band-Aids,” Gia said, tossing aside her purse and shopping bags and eyeing Dani’s knees. “You need to treat your cuts before they become infected.”
Dani shook her head. “Thanks, but I’d rather take a shower first. Then I’ll treat them. I’m dirty, achy, and tired.”
There was something in the sound of her voice, and Gia gazed at her, knowing the answer even as she asked the question. “You’re flying back early.”
Slowly, Dani blew out a breath. “I’m going to try to get my flight changed from tomorrow night to tomorrow morning. It might sound juvenile, but I’m a total mess, not as much from the mugging as from what was taken. I have a feeling you and I will be talking far into the night. After that… I don’t feel much like partying or sightseeing anymore. I need some time alone just to chill before I go back to work the following day. Are you okay with that?”
“Of course. I’m pretty much a mess myself. I doubt I’ll be doing anything productive tomorrow, either. But, yeah, we have to talk about this, explore it from every angle. Something’s off. We know that. What we don’t know is why.”
With only a terse nod, Dani went off to take her shower.
* * *
The plan had worked.
The girl used her cell phone and switched her plane tickets to a morning flight. That meant she was scared shitless. She’d be out of New York and back in Minneapolis where she belonged.
Major threat averted—at least one end of it.
Now it was time to take care of the other end.
CHAPTER 15
Gia drove Dani to the airport and walked her to the check-in point.
“Safe flight,” she said, fiercely hugging her friend good-bye. “Message me later. Whether or not we’re related, we have a strong connection. I don’t want to lose that.”
“We won’t.” Dani hugged her back. “I’ll touch base after I’ve had some recoup time, probably tonight.”
