Wicked Release by Katana Collins Page A

also your friend.” He paused, looking around the room again. “Why didn’t you answer me?”
    â€œI-I only just heard you and . . . um, I was getting dressed.”
    â€œUp here?”
    â€œYeah. I mean . . .” Jess scanned the room, finding a rolled-up yoga mat in the corner. “I was doing yoga and just had to put my shirt back on.”
    â€œYou do yoga topless?” Officer Laura Rodriguez asked.
    Jess stretched her spine, standing a little taller and noticing Rodriguez’s red lips. Could she . . . ? She and Rodriguez hadn’t exactly gotten off to the best start. She had been one of the cops to arrive on the scene when Jess first heard an intruder in the basement. She knew Rodriguez was a rookie cop. How long had she been working with Matt and Sam? How well did they trust her? “Actually, I do yoga naked.” Jess flashed them a coy smile. “It’s very freeing. You should try it sometime.”
    Rodriguez sneered. “I’m more of a kickboxing kind of girl.”
    Matt’s jaw dropped even more and he stuttered, looking away as though Jess were still totally nude right in front of him. “Oh, um, wow. Well, uh . . . no one else was up here with you?”
    â€œI thought I heard a man’s voice up here.” Rodriguez didn’t seem to be buying it and while Matt was looking around the room, the young female officer’s dark brown eyes fastened directly on Jess.
    Jess shook her head. “Nope. Just me. I sometimes talk to myself, though. You know . . . um, motivationally.” She dropped her voice an octave. “Keep going, Jess. Come on!”
    Matt and Rodriguez exchanged glances briefly and then Matt whispered, “If you’re in trouble, you don’t have to say anything. Just blink twice.”
    Jess paused, holding his stare without blinking. “I promise you, I’m fine. Could you come back tomorrow, though, to look in the basement? Today’s a bit busy.”
    She started walking down the stairs and luckily they both followed her.
    â€œOf course,” Matt said. “I’m surprised you’re still here. Sam seemed pretty convinced you had left to go home to Brooklyn.”
    â€œNot yet.” Jess gripped the banister, anxiety roiling through her chest. Reaching her front door, she held it open for them.
    â€œGood,” Matt said with a slight smile.
    â€œI wouldn’t leave without saying good-bye, Matt.”
    â€œReally? Because you’ve done it before,” he said, referring to high school when she had left town after graduation. “And I’m less worried about you saying good-bye to me—”
    â€œI promise you, this time, I won’t leave without letting everyone at least know.”
    â€œWe’d all appreciate that, Jessie.” He squeezed her arm, backing out the door with a very confused Rodriguez behind him. “I’ll call tomorrow before coming over to have a look at the basement.”
    Jess closed the door behind them and then waited until they were down the stoop before she locked the door and rushed back up the stairs.
    As she pulled the sconce back, the code rushed back to her mind. Zero-four-two-zero.
    â€œDane? You okay?” she called through the wall as she punched in the code.
    The wall slid open and he hopped out, a grin on his face. She closed the wall once more, sliding the sconce back into place.
    â€œNaked yoga, huh?” His grin stretched wider. “Wouldn’t I love to be a fly on your wall for a day.”
    Jess smacked him across the shoulder. “Don’t be lewd,” she laughed as her phone rang from within her pocket.
    â€œThis is Jess,” she said, answering the call.
    â€œJess?” a hushed voice echoed from the other line.
    â€œHello? I can barely hear you—”
    â€œJess, this is Zooey. I need you to come to the hospital right now.”
    Then the line went dead.

8
    R ain stung her cheeks as