Simon Says Die

same thing you just apologized for.”
    She blew out a long breath. “Fine. Let’s get my computer. I’ll try to be nice.”
    â€œDon’t try too hard. Then you wouldn’t be your sweet, stubborn self.”
    â€œNow who’s being ‘waspish’?”
    He laughed. “I guess you’re rubbing off on me.” His smile faded. “Stay behind me until I check everything out.”
    She raised her hand and saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
    He rolled his eyes and opened the door. He immediately held his hand out to stop her. “Hold it.”
    â€œThe alarm is beeping. I have to key in the code before it goes off.”
    â€œI’ll get it. Wait here.” He stepped farther into the foyer to the keypad.
    She looked down and saw what he’d seen, a white sheet of paper on the floor. Someone must have slipped it under the door. She leaned down to pick it up.
    â€œDon’t touch it.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her with him back onto the porch. He squatted down to look at the note. As soon as he read it, he reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone.
    A sick feeling flashed through Madison. “What are you doing?”
    â€œCalling Hamilton.”
    â€œNo, don’t. Please don’t call him. Can’t we just ignore this? It’s not like he’ll figure out who left the note anyway, or how they left it. He’ll just assume I’m a nutcase, or worse, arrest me like he threatened.”
    â€œHe won’t arrest you. Even he can’t ignore this.”
    His worry began to filter into her. She leaned over his shoulder to read the words printed on the sheet of paper.
    I ’M COMING FOR YOU.
    M ADISON JUMPED UP from the wing chair across from Lieutenant Hamilton.
    â€œWe’re nowhere near to being finished here,” he said.
    She waved her hand toward Pierce, who was sitting beside Hamilton on the couch, and the three uniformed policemen milling around her family room.
    â€œI don’t think I have to worry about my safety inside the house with all of these guns sitting around. I’m just going to the kitchen to make us some coffee.”
    â€œIt’s not your safety I’m concerned about. I don’t want you finding another note for me to look into.”
    â€œKnock it off,” Pierce said. “Madison didn’t have an opportunity to leave that note. She’s not the one who wrote it.”
    â€œTyped it you mean.”
    â€œSo, your theory is she printed it while I wasn’t looking and shoved it under the door? Again, while I wasn’t looking?”
    â€œYou said you brought her here to pack her things yesterday. Were you with her every moment? I assume you carried her luggage to the car. Did she wait inside, maybe make that last-minute check women like to do, to see if she’d gotten everything while you were outside at the car? And was she the last one out the door?”
    Pierce didn’t answer.
    â€œThat’s what I thought.”
    While Pierce and Hamilton were busy arguing, Madison headed into the kitchen. She pulled the pocket door closed behind her. But it only slightly dampened the sound of angry voices coming from the other room.
    No surprise, Lieutenant Hamilton was playing the same old tune. He was convinced she was some nutcase who wanted attention. At least he hadn’t arrested her, yet.
    She grabbed the coffee can and filters out of the pantry, then slumped against the counter. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was losing her mind. Nothing in her life seemed to make sense anymore. And she was getting so tired of arguing, of trying to make everyone believe her, to listen to her.
    She was starting not to even believe herself.
    For the first time since calling Logan the day of the shooting, she seriously considered calling him and telling him everything that was going on. He was one of the smartest men she’d ever met. He’d be able to help her, wouldn’t he?
    She rested her elbows on the countertop and dropped her head in her hands. Logan was smart, yes. He’d be able to help, but then . . . his curiosity would drive him to keep digging, and digging, and then, when he dug far enough, he’d know her secrets.
    What would happen then? No matter how hard she tried to think of a good outcome, she couldn’t. No, she couldn’t tell him. Not now, not ever. And somehow, she had to keep Pierce from finding out.
    Before he destroyed