Stalked (Predators MC 4)

He got off on Penni’s floor, telling himself he would take the stairs on his way down. It would be quicker than having to go back down in the elevator with the building’s occupants stopping on each floor.

As he neared the end of the hallway, Stump noticed the door across from Penni’s was open. However, he didn’t think much of it since Zoey had been disconcerted enough to have left her cell phone. Therefore, it was a no-brainer that she wouldn’t have shut and locked her door.

Stepping into the office, he didn’t immediately notice the yellow flowers sitting on the low table. Instead, his attention was drawn to the purple couch. Then he noticed a white table, the various plants lining the window ledge, a small cabinet set against the wall with a little wishing well fountain that gave a trickling sound as the water flowed. It was so bare that he wondered how long she’d had the office. It looked like she just moved in and hadn’t had the time to decorate.

The office wasn’t like any he had seen before. It was so small and simple that, with one glance around, he should have found the cell phone but didn’t. bare

Going to the couch, Stump ran his hand through the cushions to see if the phone had slipped between them. When he turned back, he saw a small card propped against the flowers. Picking the card up to see if the cell phone was behind it, he caught sight of the handwritten words on the card.

“What the fuck?” he said out loud, reaching for his cell phone in his back pocket.

Ice answered the phone immediately. “What’s taking so long?”

“Bro, you need to get up here. There’s something you need to see.” Stump read the note a second time, wanting a second opinion if he was reading it right.

“I’m on my way.”

Stump looked around for the phone again, making sure he hadn’t missed it. He hadn’t. It wasn’t there.

He went into the small bathroom and was coming out when Ice came through the door.

“What’s up?”

He pointed at the card he left on the table. “Take a look at that and see what you think.”

Ice picked up the card. “I think it’s fucked up,” he said when he was finished. “The last ones died. You should take care, or you will, too.” His eyes lifted from the card. “When did Zoey get the card and flowers?”

“How should I know? I don’t talk to the kook.” He shrugged. “Her phone isn’t here either.”

“You sure?” Ice swept the room with a slow perusal.

“How could I miss it? There isn’t shit here.”

Ice took his phone out.

“Who you calling?”

“Jackal.”

Stump listened as Ice ordered the brother to come to Zoey’s office.

Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the blank wall to wait. “Where’re Penni and Grace?”

Ice looked up from searching the couch cushions as he had. “Penni went in the ambulance with Zoey, and Grace is driving there.”

“One of them may know if the flowers were here before or after the alarm went off. You could text Grace and find out,” Stump suggested.

“And have my old lady worried? No. We can handle this without Grace wanting Zoey to move in because of some creepy-ass note.” Ice nodded toward to the door next to him. “What’s in there?”

“The restroom. I checked it out. Zoey’s phone isn’t in there.”

“Dammit. I didn’t plan on this taking all day. I have a meeting with Creed in a couple of hours.”

“You’re not taking one of us?” Stump dropped his relaxed stance at the information.

“No, Creed wants to keep it private.”

Stump wasn’t happy at Ice going alone. Creed was a brother who kept his contact with the Predators to a minimum. As a lawyer, he did what Ice ordered when and where he needed him, but as a brother, he couldn’t be trusted when shit went flying. Creed always made sure his ass was out of range.

Stump wanted to argue with Ice to at least take Jackal. He respected Ice’s judgment, but it was still hard when he didn’t agree with him.

Jackal came into the office, his scarred face growing dark when he read the note.

“Did Penni mention Zoey getting any flowers to you?” Ice asked.

“No. You want me to text her and ask?”

“No, I want you and Stump to go the hospital and try to ask without them getting suspicious.”

Jackal moved to the trash, nudging the empty can with his boot.

“You find Zoey’s phone?” Ice asked, seeing what Jakal was doing.

“No, it’s not in the trash can. There’s nothing in it.”

“I was looking to see if there were any dead flowers in there. How did the person who sent the note know the other flowers were dead?”

“He could have seen they weren’t in her office.”

“Or the fucker could have taken them.”

“Penni or Grace aren’t going to answer those questions.” Jackal went to the cabinet that had the water fountain on it. He tried to open the two doors but couldn’t. Taking out a small pouch from his back pocket, he removed a small pick to work the door open.