“Then what happened?” I asked through clenched teeth, trying as hard as I could to sound normal.
“I freaked!” she answered honestly. “Between the bowl and the note, I was terrified he might still be in my house, so I told her to get the hell out and head straight to the vet, then I called Detective Larson immediately. He said he’s heading over to my house now and to keep him posted on how she’s doing.”
My mind started racing a hundred miles an hour. How did he get in her house? Had he made a key? Would he be back? I didn’t know the answers to any of these questions, but I did know one thing for damn sure. No way was Dani going home to that house tonight . . . or anytime soon.
Understandably, all Dani was worried about at the moment was Roxy, but all I was worried about was her.
CHAPTER 24
Danicka
As we drove, I stared out the window at all the people living their normal lives . . . kids riding bikes while their parents walked happily behind, an elderly couple sitting on a bench with ice cream cones, a woman jogging as she pushed a stroller.
I missed that. All of that. Going on about your life and not worrying if someone was watching you or taking pictures of you. Even though my days had been full of torment and paranoia, nighttime was different. My house was my safe place where no one could touch me, and now that had been taken away, too.
I had no idea what Cole Woods was trying to prove, but if he was trying to drive me crazy, it was working. I couldn’t live like this much longer. I wouldn’t.
I’ll take Roxy and disappear.
That’s it. I’ll quit and leave town. He wins.
“Oh, turn right here,” I blurted out, hanging on to the door handle as Andy turned at the last second. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He squinted through the sun. “Is that it up there?”
I nodded.
“I’ve heard of this place but never been here. The kids have been asking for a dog forever, but I haven’t given in yet.” He let out an awkward laugh, clearly trying to make small talk so that I would feel better, but it wasn’t happening.
He pulled into a parking space, and I jumped out before he cut the engine off. A little bell on top of the door jingled as I whipped it open. June stood up and rushed over, wrapping her arms around me.
“Oh, Dani. I’m so sorry.” She squeezed me so tight.
“Where is she? What’s happening?” I asked, panicked by her words.
“I don’t know.” She let go and took a step back, lifting her glasses to wipe her eyes with a tissue. “They took her back as soon as I got here, and they haven’t come out since. That’s a good sign, right? If something were really wrong, they would’ve come out, right?”
“I’m not sure.” Shaking my head, I strode over to the receptionist’s desk. “Hi, I’m Danicka Douglas. My dog, Roxy, was brought in by my neighbor. Can you tell me anything?”
The dark-haired receptionist typed something into her computer, then smiled up at me as she stood. “Let me just see what I can find out for you, okay? I’ll be right back.” She disappeared through a door behind the desk, and it took all of my willpower not to barge through that door after her.
I wrapped my arms around myself and paced the room, thinking back a couple of months to the time Sadie called me in total hysterics. Skyler was six weeks old and had spiked a 102-degree fever. They were on their way to the doctor, but she was scared and sad and felt incredibly helpless, exactly how I was feeling.
“Danicka?”
My head snapped up at the sound of my name.
Dr. Sells was standing near the receptionist’s desk, wiping her hands on a paper towel. She tossed it in the trash and gave me a tight-lipped smile. “Hi, let me fill you in on what’s going on so far.”
I nervously pinched at the skin on my neck and took a deep breath. Andy appeared next to me, resting his hand on the small of my back.
“As you already know, Roxy was brought in because she was unresponsive and vomiting. She threw up again once she arrived here, which was helpful to us because not only can I test that and see what’s going on, but that also means she’s trying to get rid of whatever is in there on her own.”
I’d never been so happy for dog barf in my whole life.
“We took some blood and did a urinalysis, and we should have those back shortly, but based on what June said about the unknown bowl and Roxy’s vomiting and lethargy, I’ve already given her some activated charcoal to block the absorption of what I think was probably antifreeze.”
“Holy shit,” Andy mumbled as June gasped.
“That son of a bitch gave my dog antifreeze?” I roared.