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Caleb says, “I’ll confirm the best option to keep you safe and still give you the ability to lead a somewhat normal life. Detective Chambers is well trained. He’s done undercover work before and understands what to look for and when. This is temporary, Jasmine. Once this is over, you can go back to living your own way.”
“All right.” She sighs. “You’re right. I think it just caught me by surprise.” Jasmine holds my gaze for what seems like eternity but is more like a few seconds, then adds, “I want to go back to my apartment and get what I need. I know it’s risky, but there’s no way you’ll get it all.”
“We’ll do that this afternoon,” I agree, nodding. I decide to get this all over with so we can move on with our day. “Jazzy, this all started happening three weeks ago. Something changed to trigger this guy to come after you so hard. You’re going to have to write down everywhere you’ve been and who you’ve talked to over the last month.”
“I’m boring.” Jasmine stands and lifts her hands. “I work. I come home. I go to the grocery store. I have tea with Mrs. Dickson. There’s nothing to me.” She looks around at everyone. “Really!”
I go over to her and take her by the hand. “Hey.” I use a gentle tone, like I’m trying not to spook a newborn fawn. “I get that this is overwhelming. It seems like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack, but we’re the best at the precinct.” I give her my most reassuring smile. “We have a method to how we gather information. We’ll get a calendar. Maybe you have an agenda or a datebook, even a calendar on your phone? We’ll go through each day. If anything pops out, that’s great. If not, we’ll move on to the next option. It could be an insignificant item. Maybe you went to the cleaners and bumped into someone. Means nothing to you, but it could mean something to us.”
She licks her lips, and a light sparkles in her eyes. “I have an agenda.”
“That’s good, babe. See? It’s getting easier already.”
Chloe chimes in, “Obviously, the last couple of days are enough to jolt the best of us. Why don’t Sabrina and I go grab some takeout while Jaz takes a break. After lunch, Zeke can take her to the apartment.”
“Good idea. We’ll do a rundown of the last few weeks tomorrow,” Caleb suggests.
“No. I’ll write out everything I remember tonight,” Jasmine says. “This needs to end. I want to know why me? What scares me more is if my parents are in danger. I haven’t even called them. I need to do that. They’ll worry if I don’t.” She starts searching for her phone.
“Jaz, wait.” Alex stops her from heading back into the spare bedroom where her bag is still sitting on the chair next to the bed. “Might be better if you call from a different cell. We don’t want anyone tracking calls until we’re ready.” He turns to Caleb. “I’ll go grab a burner.”
Caleb nods. Alex turns back to Chloe and Sabrina. “I’ll drop you and Chloe off and pick you up on my way back. I won’t be long.”
With Alex, Sabrina, and Chloe gone, and Damian and Caleb in my computer room, that leaves Jazzy and me alone for the moment.
“You have great friends,” she says.
“I know.”
“They’re great coworkers too.”
I grin. “Yup. And tomorrow, we’ll be working together as well.”
Jasmine lets out a nervous giggle. “Yup.”
FOUR
It’s a Mess
JASMINE
It felt good to have a normal afternoon. Zeke and his friends are great. Chloe and Sabrina are warm and inviting, really making me feel like I belong. It felt like old times with Monica and Macey when we would have girls’ night in. It makes me realize how much I miss them. It also brings to my attention that I haven’t made much of an effort to meet new people and that my circle of friends has shrunk to colleagues and my neighbor.
Everyone went home, except for Caleb, who decided to come with us to gather my belongings at the apartment. He says it’s to make sure Zeke and I have backup. Personally, I think it has something to do with the next-door neighbor. Considering how well put together Caleb is, I’m surprised at how upset he gets over some girl doing her own thing at her own place.
As soon as we get to my place, I tell Zeke that I have to go see Mrs. Dickson. I don’t want her to worry about me being missing. Zeke insists on coming with me.
“My sweet girl. Where have you been?” Mrs. Dickson pulls me into her arms, holding on for dear life with a hug. “After I heard all the ruckus, I ran over, well, walked briskly”—she lets out a shaky chuckle—“and when you didn’t answer, I thought you fell. I’ve been calling Josh to see if he could go check on you.”
“Josh?” Zeke asks abruptly.
“Don’t worry, young man. Josh is our handsome, fifty-four-year-old, happily married maintenance man,” Mrs. Dickson says in a consoling tone.
Caleb says, “Mrs. Dickson, you mentioned a ruckus.”
“Why, yes!” she says, drawing out theyes. “At first, I thought you lost something and were searching frantically for it. Then I heard a man’s voice and was rejoicing that you were finally having a little fun. But then I heard a grating sound, like a chair was being dragged across the floor, and these thuds. I came upstairs myself and started calling your name. I pounded on the door, but everything went quiet. My imagination was running wild. I came back downstairs and called your phone, and when you didn’t pick up, I started to panic. I’ve been calling Josh to go in and check on you. He’s on his way over now. His family was visiting his mother, and they’re on their way back. My next call was going to be to the police.”
“How long ago was this?” Caleb presses.
