Free Long, Lonely Nights by Marla Monroe Page A

while she got in the house. She wondered about it, but was grateful just the same. He didn’t say anything, just watched her get out of the car, unlock her door, and go inside.
    Jenna insisted the man liked her when she told her friend about it. “I’m telling you he does because otherwise, why bother?” she said.
    “I still think he doesn’t like me. I think he feels sorry for me. I know you told him about my break in last year. He has treated me different ever since then.”
    “I didn’t tell him. I promise,” she said.
    “You told Riley, though, didn’t you?”
    “Um, yeah.”
    Friday at noon, she and Jenna where just about to run for lunch when one of the secretaries brought in a vase of yellow roses.
    “Who are those for?” Jenna asked.
    “They’re for Tina. Aren’t they lovely?”
    “Me? I don’t know anyone to give me flowers,” she said.
    “There’s a card. See who sent them.” Jenna pulled off the card and handed it to her.
    The secretary sat the vase on her desk and left. She looked at little envelope. It had her name and where she worked on it. She frowned and looked at Jenna. Her friend shrugged.
    “Open it and find out.”
    She tugged out the flap and pulled out the card.
    You Belong to Me
    Tina dropped the card and backed away from it shaking her head.
    “What is it?” Jenna cried out.
    She bent and retrieved the card. When she read it, she stared at Tina with wide eyes.
    “It’s him isn’t it? It’s the same man who attacked you?”
    “Oh God. What am I going to do?” Tina covered her face with her hands trying to hold back the tears. She wouldn’t break down. She had to be strong.
    “I need to call the police, I think,” she said. She reached for the phone and dialed their number. She remembered the detective who had handled her case before and asked for him.
    “Ma’am, he’s not in right now, can I take a message?”
    “Give him my name, and tell him that he’s back.” She left her name and number.
    “I guess you need to stay here, so he can call you. I’ll go grab us something to eat and bring it back,” Jenna said.
    “I don’t think I can eat right now anyway.” Tina sat in her chair and stared at the offending flowers. She wanted to throw them out but knew she needed to keep them for the police to see.
    “I’m still going to go get you something. You will need to eat something before the day is over. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere alone. Not even to the bathroom.” Jenna grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “It’s going to be okay.”
    It all came back to her again: the fear, the frustration, the fury that she didn’t know what to do to put a stop to it.
    Why was he doing this to her? It had been a year. Why now? She paced the small room and tried to keep from looking at the yellow roses. She would never be able to look at another yellow rose without thinking about him again.
    The phone rang, and she jumped. In her haste to get to it, she tripped over the guest chair and banged her knee. Gasping, she answered the phone.
    “Hello?”
    “This is Detective McKinney.”
    “Detective, thank you for calling me. I’m Christina Antonelli. Do you remember me from last year?”
    “Yes, I do. Your note said he’s back. Are you sure?”
    “Yes, he sent me flowers here at work. The card says, ‘You belong to me.’” Tina swallowed back the bile.
    “I’m on my way over. Don’t do anything with the card or the flowers.”
    Tina hung up and waited for Jenna to get back. She rubbed her knee. It hurt, but it was the least of her worries. What was she going to do? They had to catch him. If they didn’t, he would kill her. She was sure of it.
    Jenna hurried through the door with two sacks. “Has he called yet?”
    “Yes, he’s on his way over,” Tina said.
    “Eat the sandwich before he gets here. You need to eat.” Jenna pulled out a ham sandwich.
    “I really can’t eat right now. I’m nauseas as it is, Jenna. Maybe later.”
    Her friend