rejected all thoughts of food.
The sound of her home phone ringing caught her by surprise. She automatically jerked back a step, hypervigilance from the night’s events bleeding into her reaction. Taking a long, deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves before answering. “Hello.”
“Jordan!” Karen’s voice was filled with anguish. “Derek called and told us what happened. I’ve been worried sick since you didn’t show for dinner. I kept calling but got no answer. My God, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just a little shook up. I must have accidentally left the ringer muted. I never even heard it ring.” She strained to inflect some feeling into her voice. Her effort fell flat. The words came out sounding wooden and hollow, a reflection, she assumed, of the numbness that coated her from inside. “Actually, I’m glad you called. I was wondering if you and Mike would swing by and pick me up in the morning. I left my car at the office.”
There was a momentary pause on the other line. Karen had recognized the deviation from her normal tone. “Absolutely.” Another beat of silence followed. “Hey, are you going to be okay by yourself tonight? You know we can be there in a second if you want to stay at our place?”
She didn’t want Karen to worry, but she needed time alone to even begin to process the events of the night. She tried to sound more like her usual self. “Thanks, but it’s okay. To be honest, I only want to go to sleep. I feel like I’ve been up for days.”
Karen released a sigh. “Okay, hon. We’ll be there around seven, then. If you don’t feel up to going in tomorrow, give us a ring in the morning. Work can wait. Taking care of you is more important right now.”
Jordan pulled back the plastic wrapping from her dinner and stirred the sauce while contemplating her friend’s advice. “I know, and I will, but I have so many open cases right now, and it’ll help me to dive back in.”
“I get it. But please don’t feel pressured—you know, because of the practice—if you change your mind and need some time.”
“I won’t. I promise.” Her tone was solemn.
“Good. See you in the morning then. And, Jordan—” Karen choked up, “—I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t want to even think about…”
Jordan could hear the tremble in her friend’s voice. “I know,” she said softly, “but I really am okay. So try to get some sleep yourself.”
Upon hanging up, Jordan felt lighter. The attack was still at the forefront of her mind, but the numbness that blanketed her emotions had eroded somewhat. She was fortunate to have such supportive friends. As she speared a piece of broccoli, she was surprised to find that she was starving. At least something is back to normal .
CHAPTER TWO
The parking area appeared undisturbed in the early morning light. Mike maneuvered his car into his reserved parking space while Jordan craned her neck around, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. But there was nothing. Even the crime scene tape had already been removed.
“You okay?” Mike asked, glancing back at her in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, I’m good. It just feels weird, I guess. Looking around now, it’s as if yesterday never happened.”
Nothing that hinted of the horrible experience that had transpired remained. At the scene anyway. She tugged on the scarf she’d worn to cover the dark purple bruises scattered around her neck. Last night’s attack had left its mark on her physically and emotionally.
Still deliberating on the motive behind the attack, she peered over at her car. It was there, exactly as she’d left it, the only difference being the addition of a few loose oak leaves as adornment. Karen’s voice tore her from her thoughts, and Jordan realized she’d been speaking to her. “I’m sorry. What was it?”
Karen repeated her question. “I was wondering if you ever found out who the guy was?”
“Not yet. He
The sound of her home phone ringing caught her by surprise. She automatically jerked back a step, hypervigilance from the night’s events bleeding into her reaction. Taking a long, deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves before answering. “Hello.”
“Jordan!” Karen’s voice was filled with anguish. “Derek called and told us what happened. I’ve been worried sick since you didn’t show for dinner. I kept calling but got no answer. My God, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just a little shook up. I must have accidentally left the ringer muted. I never even heard it ring.” She strained to inflect some feeling into her voice. Her effort fell flat. The words came out sounding wooden and hollow, a reflection, she assumed, of the numbness that coated her from inside. “Actually, I’m glad you called. I was wondering if you and Mike would swing by and pick me up in the morning. I left my car at the office.”
There was a momentary pause on the other line. Karen had recognized the deviation from her normal tone. “Absolutely.” Another beat of silence followed. “Hey, are you going to be okay by yourself tonight? You know we can be there in a second if you want to stay at our place?”
She didn’t want Karen to worry, but she needed time alone to even begin to process the events of the night. She tried to sound more like her usual self. “Thanks, but it’s okay. To be honest, I only want to go to sleep. I feel like I’ve been up for days.”
Karen released a sigh. “Okay, hon. We’ll be there around seven, then. If you don’t feel up to going in tomorrow, give us a ring in the morning. Work can wait. Taking care of you is more important right now.”
Jordan pulled back the plastic wrapping from her dinner and stirred the sauce while contemplating her friend’s advice. “I know, and I will, but I have so many open cases right now, and it’ll help me to dive back in.”
“I get it. But please don’t feel pressured—you know, because of the practice—if you change your mind and need some time.”
“I won’t. I promise.” Her tone was solemn.
“Good. See you in the morning then. And, Jordan—” Karen choked up, “—I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t want to even think about…”
Jordan could hear the tremble in her friend’s voice. “I know,” she said softly, “but I really am okay. So try to get some sleep yourself.”
Upon hanging up, Jordan felt lighter. The attack was still at the forefront of her mind, but the numbness that blanketed her emotions had eroded somewhat. She was fortunate to have such supportive friends. As she speared a piece of broccoli, she was surprised to find that she was starving. At least something is back to normal .
CHAPTER TWO
The parking area appeared undisturbed in the early morning light. Mike maneuvered his car into his reserved parking space while Jordan craned her neck around, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. But there was nothing. Even the crime scene tape had already been removed.
“You okay?” Mike asked, glancing back at her in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, I’m good. It just feels weird, I guess. Looking around now, it’s as if yesterday never happened.”
Nothing that hinted of the horrible experience that had transpired remained. At the scene anyway. She tugged on the scarf she’d worn to cover the dark purple bruises scattered around her neck. Last night’s attack had left its mark on her physically and emotionally.
Still deliberating on the motive behind the attack, she peered over at her car. It was there, exactly as she’d left it, the only difference being the addition of a few loose oak leaves as adornment. Karen’s voice tore her from her thoughts, and Jordan realized she’d been speaking to her. “I’m sorry. What was it?”
Karen repeated her question. “I was wondering if you ever found out who the guy was?”
“Not yet. He
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