escorted her to a taxicab.
***
Anthony let Brandee watch until they pulled away. As soon as she turned to look at him, he snared her gaze. Her jaw went slack and he knew he had her.
“You saw nothing unusual tonight. You were not kidnapped or tied up. You did not see a wolf or a dog anywhere. All you remember is having a wonderful night out with Nick.”
Brandee nodded, and reiterated, “…a wonderful night out with Nick.”
“Very good. Now I’m taking you home, because Nick got called away on business. But he said he’d come over to your place later.”
“Okay. Why?”
“He cares about you very much.”
Brandee nodded, smiling. “And I care about him.”
***
Back in her apartment, Brandee rubbed her wrists and wondered why they were sore. She didn’t want to turn on a light, however, because that might wake Angie.
She tiptoed to her bedroom, but before she got there, Angie’s bedroom door flew open and her roommate stood there in her flannel pajamas with a baseball bat cocked and ready to swing. As soon as she saw Brandee, she dropped the bat and rushed to hug her roommate.
“Brandee! Oh my God, I thought you had been kidnapped, raped, and left for dead.”
“Jeez, Ange. Get a grip. I’m fine.”
Angie took a step back. Her mouth hung open. “Excuse me, did you just say, ‘Get a grip?’ Because if you did—and I’m fairly sure you didn’t—our friendship is in trouble .”
Brandee reared back, surprised by this crazy lady who had taken over her friend’s body. “Okay…I guess I didn’t say that. What’s wrong? Why are you so jumpy?”
“Are you kidding me? You were MIA for hours. You didn’t answer your phone. Didn’t leave a note. What the hell?”
“Oh.” Brandee wondered how in the world time had gotten away from her like that. Was one night with Nick Wolfensen that mind-blowing that she didn’t remember most of it?
“‘Oh’? That’s all you have to say for yourself? Just ‘Oh’?”
Angie’s tone irritated her. She’d be worried about a missing roomie too, but did Angie have to sound like her mother? That’s why Brandee moved out on her own in the first place. Ever since her dad left, she’d had a smother.
“Look, Ange. I know this is going to sound strange, but I don’t remember being gone that long. All I remember is being with Nick and having the time of my life.”
Angie crossed her arms. “Nick. You went out with One-Night Nick , and you expect me to believe you had so much fun you didn’t realize a whole afternoon, evening, and half the night had gone by? You didn’t hear your phone ring or the beeps that signaled missed messages? What did you do?”
“Good question. What did we do?” Oh, my first date jitters…what did we do?
Angie’s eyes narrowed. “Did that bastard drug you?”
“Of course not!” Brandee was becoming more concerned by the minute, but she didn’t want to worry her poor roommate any more than she already was. “I don’t remember having anything to eat or drink. In fact, I’m starving.”
“Well, I’m relieved. I didn’t really think he drugged you. That doesn’t sound like the Nick we know. So why didn’t you answer your phone?”
Brandee glanced around the apartment and looked for her purse. “I must have left my phone here.”
Now that Angie was up, Brandee switched on the living room light and saw her purse where she usually left it. She wandered over to it and pulled out her cell phone. “Looks like it’s out of juice.”
Angie rolled her eyes. “Well, when you charge it, you can delete my half a dozen messages. Each one is more hysterical than the last.”
Why did I leave without my purse? How did I get in? Every answered question brought up another one. Maybe her camera would fill in some of the blanks. She remembered taking her camera with her. But why?
She opened the closet where she kept her photography equipment. Everything was there except her 35 mm Nikon.
“Where’s my camera? I remember
***
Anthony let Brandee watch until they pulled away. As soon as she turned to look at him, he snared her gaze. Her jaw went slack and he knew he had her.
“You saw nothing unusual tonight. You were not kidnapped or tied up. You did not see a wolf or a dog anywhere. All you remember is having a wonderful night out with Nick.”
Brandee nodded, and reiterated, “…a wonderful night out with Nick.”
“Very good. Now I’m taking you home, because Nick got called away on business. But he said he’d come over to your place later.”
“Okay. Why?”
“He cares about you very much.”
Brandee nodded, smiling. “And I care about him.”
***
Back in her apartment, Brandee rubbed her wrists and wondered why they were sore. She didn’t want to turn on a light, however, because that might wake Angie.
She tiptoed to her bedroom, but before she got there, Angie’s bedroom door flew open and her roommate stood there in her flannel pajamas with a baseball bat cocked and ready to swing. As soon as she saw Brandee, she dropped the bat and rushed to hug her roommate.
“Brandee! Oh my God, I thought you had been kidnapped, raped, and left for dead.”
“Jeez, Ange. Get a grip. I’m fine.”
Angie took a step back. Her mouth hung open. “Excuse me, did you just say, ‘Get a grip?’ Because if you did—and I’m fairly sure you didn’t—our friendship is in trouble .”
Brandee reared back, surprised by this crazy lady who had taken over her friend’s body. “Okay…I guess I didn’t say that. What’s wrong? Why are you so jumpy?”
“Are you kidding me? You were MIA for hours. You didn’t answer your phone. Didn’t leave a note. What the hell?”
“Oh.” Brandee wondered how in the world time had gotten away from her like that. Was one night with Nick Wolfensen that mind-blowing that she didn’t remember most of it?
“‘Oh’? That’s all you have to say for yourself? Just ‘Oh’?”
Angie’s tone irritated her. She’d be worried about a missing roomie too, but did Angie have to sound like her mother? That’s why Brandee moved out on her own in the first place. Ever since her dad left, she’d had a smother.
“Look, Ange. I know this is going to sound strange, but I don’t remember being gone that long. All I remember is being with Nick and having the time of my life.”
Angie crossed her arms. “Nick. You went out with One-Night Nick , and you expect me to believe you had so much fun you didn’t realize a whole afternoon, evening, and half the night had gone by? You didn’t hear your phone ring or the beeps that signaled missed messages? What did you do?”
“Good question. What did we do?” Oh, my first date jitters…what did we do?
Angie’s eyes narrowed. “Did that bastard drug you?”
“Of course not!” Brandee was becoming more concerned by the minute, but she didn’t want to worry her poor roommate any more than she already was. “I don’t remember having anything to eat or drink. In fact, I’m starving.”
“Well, I’m relieved. I didn’t really think he drugged you. That doesn’t sound like the Nick we know. So why didn’t you answer your phone?”
Brandee glanced around the apartment and looked for her purse. “I must have left my phone here.”
Now that Angie was up, Brandee switched on the living room light and saw her purse where she usually left it. She wandered over to it and pulled out her cell phone. “Looks like it’s out of juice.”
Angie rolled her eyes. “Well, when you charge it, you can delete my half a dozen messages. Each one is more hysterical than the last.”
Why did I leave without my purse? How did I get in? Every answered question brought up another one. Maybe her camera would fill in some of the blanks. She remembered taking her camera with her. But why?
She opened the closet where she kept her photography equipment. Everything was there except her 35 mm Nikon.
“Where’s my camera? I remember
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