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Ash’s gaze zeroed in on her. “When?”
“No more than ten minutes ago,” Cal answered. “Just after you left.”
He nodded. “I’ll contact the cell phone company and see if we can nail down a location for his phone. What did he say?”
Her lips were numb, her throat raw from suppressed tears, but she still managed to whisper, “He said... ‘help.’” Her gaze strayed back to the fire. Had he called from inside the house? Was he still in there?
Ash’s eyes narrowed on her. “Anything else?”
“I think... I think he always said ‘Shadow Stalker.’”
He growled low in his throat. “Get your dog and go home. There’s nothing you can do here.”
“Was he in there? Ash!” she called when he started to turn away. “Was Connelly in that house?”
He turned back, his features a grim mask. “Firemen found a body in the garage. It was in the driver’s seat of Connelly’s car.”
“No.” She shook her head. She wouldn’t believe it was Connelly. She couldn’t believe it. “No, no, no.”
She just spoke to him.
He was alive ten minutes ago.
It wasn’t him.
“Is it him?” Cal asked softly.
Ash gave a slight shake of his head. “We can’t tell. It’s male, but beyond that, it’s too badly burned. It’s like the fire started right on top of him. We’ll have to wait until the autopsy for an ID.”
Veronica clasped her hands in her lap and stared out the windshield at the blaze. “He’s alive. I know he is.”
Ash said nothing for several seconds. “I’ll have Rebel brought over to you. Take them home, Cal, and don’t let them leave again.”
* * *
Her house was overrun again.
Alexis, Ellie, Anna, Sasha, Rose…
They had all come back. And all of their men, except for Ash, came with them.
Veronica knew they meant well, but it was too much. Too many bodies, too many voices, too much concern. Everyone spoke in hushed tones and tiptoed around her like she was a fragile china doll ready to shatter.
And maybe she was.
She certainly didn’t feel strong or capable at the moment.
Alfie scampered around at everyone’s feet as if unsure who to comfort first, but Rebel was uncharacteristically still, curled up on Veronica’s lap, her intelligent eyes tracking the flurry of movement around them.
At some point, Anna made tea. Veronica mechanically accepted the mug, cradling it between her numb hands for warmth more than anything else. She didn’t notice the tears dripping into the steaming liquid until a saltwater droplet splashed onto her thumb, and Alexis hugged her.
At three a.m., Ash finally called with an update. Cal put him on speakerphone.
“The body is not Connelly.”
Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh. Veronica closed her eyes and choked back a sob of relief.
“Then who is it?” Cal asked.
