Page 58 of Betrayed

Chapter Nineteen

As AJ walked to the front door, she rolled her shoulders. Hopefully, it wasn’t too soon after her concussion for a run, but she needed it. She’d let herself sleep until eight, but thirty minutes later she was feeling completely restless. She would work her first full twenty-four-hour shift starting tomorrow morning. And she was ready, even if it was likely that Ty wouldn’t let her go out on calls.

She opened the front door. A card-sized envelope and tiny, stuffed dalmatian dressed up as a firefighter with a sign around his neck that said “Hero” sat on the wooden railing. Backing up, she let the screen door slam.

“Zara? Zara!” AJ stared at the items.

“What’s wrong?” Zara came out of her bedroom, pulling her hair back in a ponytail.

AJ pointed at the items.

“Oh, dear. Call Adam.”

AJ nodded and dialed the number.

“Jamison.”

“It’s AJ. The stalker is back. It’s an envelope and little stuffed toy. I can throw them in a Ziplock and bring them by later.”

“Not ideal, but we’re on another call right now. Is Zara there?”

“Yes. I’ll put you on speaker.” She clicked the button on her phone.

Adam said, “Take pictures and bag it without touching it. AJ, any chance you have a doorbell camera or such?”

“No. I’ve thought about it but never got one.”

“That’s all right. Call me immediately if there is anything else.”

“Thanks, Adam.”

They hung up, and Zara took care of photographing and bagging the items.

AJ wanted to know what the card said, but she knew better than to touch it without gloves. It would have to wait.

Zara set the bagged items on the kitchen table.

“Now I want to run five miles instead of two.”

“Oh no, you don’t. You aren’t leaving here by yourself. He may be a romantic stalker, but that doesn’t mean he won’t turn violent. No way I’m letting you go on your own.”

“Then lace up, because we’re going running.”

Zara shot her a fine-but-I’m-not-happy look. “Give me five.”

Seven minutes later, their feet were hitting pavement as they ran down the street toward the walking path. Having been married to a cop, AJ knew to vary her path, but she’d only ended up with five different routes she cycled through. Zara followed AJ’s lead.

The women didn’t talk—just ran, easily keeping pace with one another.

AJ was able to direct her thoughts to prayer and processing life. She ended up praying for Logan for nearly five minutes straight. The more she prayed for him, the more her heart yearned for him. She missed him in her life. Missed his hugs. Missed laughing with him. She even missed fighting with him. They were supposed to be living their happily ever after, but it was so far from that. She’d take ever after with him even if they couldn’t have the happy, because life without him was lonelier than she could have fathomed.

AJ was deep in her head when Zara grabbed her arm and yanked her to a stop.

“What?”

Zara pointed at the ground.

There on the asphalt, in sidewalk chalk, her name was written in three-foot letters.