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Always preparing for the worst.
I reached over to the side table and picked up the phone. Even though I knew it would just be telephone solicitors. “Hello?” My lips didn’t fully cooperate, and my mouth felt like a freaking desert.
“Jillian, thank God,” I heard Heather’s voice say on the other end of the phone. “Are you okay?”
I frowned and looked down at the floor. It was dark in here, but the light from the hallway filtered in enough that I could see.
“I’m fine. How are you?” My frown grew deeper—and then I remembered.
Everything.
It all crashed into my brain at once.
And the pain in my heart came back.
“Oh, Jillian. We’ve all been so worried about you. Listen, I need you to pay attention to what I’m saying, okay? Careful attention. I don’t have time to fully brief you. Shit, hold on,” she said and then I heard her muffled voice talking to someone.
“Shit, shit, shit,” she said into the phone. “There’s just too much to say. Please, listen carefully. I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
I had no idea why I was here.
But Heather said this was an emergency situation.
So, if Heather Clemens, kickass entrepreneur and woman goddess, told you to get somewhere fast—you did it.
Although I didn’t understand why she gave me a specific dress code and makeup instructions. It wasn’t like I was going to be on stage or anything.
This whole thing was crazy.
And to be honest, I think I was still half asleep.
But at least I looked fantastic.
I kept a full assortment of after-cry makeup in my dresser. Heather’s cryptic call and instructions had me a bit weirded out. And more than a little scared.
That had the added benefit of completely stopping my tears.
I was too worried about where Heather’s driver was taking me. I didn’t have time to let myself fall back into a self-pity party.
He drove up to the RCMP headquarters.
And gosh, there were a lot of cars up front where the driver stopped. “Ms. Clemens is coming out to get you. Just stay put for a minute, okay?” He looked at me in the rearview mirror.
I nodded and felt my stomach start to drop.
Why the heck was I at the RCMP headquarters?
Was I in trouble?
My door opened and Heather’s smiling face popped in. “Let’s shake a leg, come on.” She reached a hand to me, and I took it. I stepped out, and cameras began to flash. “Just keep moving. Follow me. Don’t stop.”
Heather pulled me along behind her, the whole time saying, “No comment. Ms. Parker has no comment at this time.”
People—who must be reporters, were yelling at me, but they were all talking at the same time. It was one big, jumbled mess. I heard a word or two, but nothing that made sense.
We walked inside the building. Heather’s arm slipped through mine, and we rushed down a long hallway. “We tried looking for you everywhere. I can’t tell you how panicked we’ve all been.”
Her eyes were glassy, but the strength, and determination behind them seemed to hold me up. “There isn’t time to explain. You just have to trust me. And whatever you do, don’t react. Do not show any emotion on your face.”
