Got Your Number

in left the message, but I don't know what it means."
    "Old boyfriend?" He sounded dubious.
    Roxann frowned. "It's possible, but not likely."
    "Did you file a police report?"
    "No. Because I thought it might have been you."
    He scoffed. "Have you changed your mind about cooperating?"
    "No."
    "I can protect you from Cape."
    "I can protect myself."
    "Is your father home?"
    "He's gone for the weekend."
    "Don't tell me you're alone."
    "My cousin is here."
    "In the event Cape drops by, is your cousin a big strapping guy?"
    "No, but she could talk him to death."
    "Christ. Do you have a gun?"
    "No. I have pepper spray."
    "Christ. I have your father's address, I'll be there by daybreak. Stay put."
    "Don't—" But he'd already hung up. Roxann cursed and flailed for a full minute before she realized it was just the kind of hysterics that Capistrano would have expected. She counted to ten to calm her thinking, then used her cell phone to call Tom Atlas, her supervisor at Rescue.
    "Roxann, I was just about to call." His tone was rushed, elevated. "Where are you?"
    "At my father's in Baton Rouge."
    "Get out of there, pronto."
    "What's wrong?"
    "After you called me about the break-in, I left a message with Melissa Cape's sister. She just called back to tell me that Frank is on the warpath. Said he was going to find you and make you take him to Melissa. He has a dossier on you—where you live, where you work, where you grew up." Tom paused to take a breath. "He was making threats against your family, Roxann."
    Her throat convulsed—if something happened to her father because of her, she couldn't bear it.
    "Unfortunately, there's no money for a hotel. Do you have someone you can stay with for a while? Somewhere Cape wouldn't find you?"
    Her sluggish mind chugged away until Dr. Nell Oney's sweet face materialized. "I have a friend associated with the organization I can call. I'm sure she'd put me up for a few days."
    "Good. Keep me posted on your whereabouts."
    Roxann disconnected the call and extinguished all the lights, then with heart racing double-time, checked every window in the house to make sure they were locked securely. She flipped on the outside lights, irritated to discover that most of the bulbs were out. Frank Cape would be glad to know he had her completely spooked, although she was slightly relieved to know who was behind the break-in. Pure luck must have kept their paths from crossing at 255 Amberjack, Unit B.
    With a shaky hand, she punched in Dr. Oney's number by the glow of a flashlight, weak with relief when her voice came on the line.
    "Dr. Oney, it's Roxann Beadleman. Do you remember me?"
    "Roxann? Of course I do. I've been hearing such good things about you through Rescue. Are you coming to South Bend for Homecoming?"
    Her chest welled with emotion at the warmth in Nell's voice—she hadn't realized how much she missed her. "Not exactly," she hedged. "Although I could use a place to stay for a few days."
    "Are you in trouble?"
    "Just a disgruntled ex-husband of a woman I relocated a couple of weeks ago."
    "Ah—been there. Usually the bullies are more bark than bite, but there's no reason to take chances. And I'd love to see you again—why have you stayed away so long?"
    "I've...been busy."
    "Are you married?"
    "No."
    "Kids?"
    "No. I'll be coming by myself." She glanced toward the bedroom. Once she got rid of Angora, that is.
    "When can I expect you?"
    "I'm not sure—I might avoid the interstates."
    "Good idea. Don't hurry, I'll see you when I see you. Do you remember where I live?"
    "Yes." The few times she'd been to Dr. Oney's cozy little home, she hadn't wanted to leave.
    "I'll put a key under a flowerpot. You've been on my mind lately, Roxann—I saw an old photo of you in the alumni newsletter."
    "That rally seems like a lifetime ago."
    Dr. Oney laughed. "It was. I can't wait to see you and catch up."
    Roxann smiled into the phone, immensely cheered. She thanked Dr. Oney and hung up, then sank into her father's indented recliner, oddly comforted by its contours even as her body twitched to be on the road. But she'd have to wait until the alcohol wore off. At least she'd be gone by the time Capistrano arrived. Bothersome fool. She'd let him drive to Baton Rouge in case he crossed paths with Cape—better him than her father—but the detective needn't know where she was headed.
    She sighed and sat back in the dark, pulling her legs up under her. How strange that she and Angora had spent the evening