Free Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands Page A

at the now closed door and glanced to Valerie, but shook his head. “Not tough enough. She knew you were missing and that something must have happened, but didn’t do a damned thing about it. She couldn’t even be bothered to call the police. She was afraid they’d take Roxy away and she wanted the dog.”
    “You don’t know that,” she protested on a laugh.
    “I do,” he assured her.
    “How?” Valerie challenged.
    Anders opened his mouth, paused briefly, and then said, “I drove around the block three times, each time her front curtain twitched and she looked out. I guarantee that woman sits in her front room watching the street. She probably sees everything that goes on, including the attack the night you took Roxy for a walk. It might have been slightly blurry for her at that distance, but she would have seen shapes and been able to tell enough to know that you were attacked and dragged off and Roxy came limping home.”
    “How did you know the attack took place on this street?” she asked with surprise.
    Anders paused again, but then shrugged, “You’re a woman. I imagine you’d stick to your street that late at night and circle it several times rather than venture farther away.”
    Valerie frowned. It all sounded likely enough. Common sense and logic really, but there was something about the way he was avoiding her eyes that suggested to her that there was more to it than that.
    “We should go,” Anders said suddenly, taking Valerie’s arm and turning her back to the driveway.
    She didn’t protest, but allowed him to walk her back to the SUV. Roxy stuck to her other side like glue, bumping up against her with every step. The others fell into step behind them and they were almost to the vehicle when Valerie suddenly stopped.
    “I should get Roxy’s dog food while we’re here,” she announced when Anders paused and eyed her in question.
    He frowned, his eyes traveling over the street and then to her house.
    “It’s a good idea, Anders. Roxy has to eat,” Marguerite pointed out. “Besides, there may be things Valerie needs that I didn’t think of when I packed her bag.”
    “My computer,” Valerie announced at once. “I need it for classes. And I need my class notes and books.”
    “Right,” Anders said grimly and turned to hand Bricker his keys. “Move the SUV to Valerie’s driveway. It’ll be easier for loading.”
    “Will do,” the man answered as he withdrew another set of keys from his own pocket and held them out. “You’ll need these.”
    “My keys,” Valerie said as she recognized them.
    “It’s how we got in earlier to pick up your clothes,” Bricker explained. “They were in your coat pocket at the house.”
    Valerie nodded, recalling Leigh mentioning that the men had found her wallet and keys in a coat in her cage at the house.
    Anders took the keys and urged her in the direction of her rental.
    “We’ll come help,” Leigh announced, trailing after them. When Anders slowed and glanced back, she added, “It will be quicker.”
    Sighing, he nodded and picked up speed again.
    It was just as strange entering her rental as it had been going through the clothes they’d brought her. It all felt just a bit alien. Valerie shrugged that feeling aside and set about what she was there for. She headed for the kitchen first to gather Roxy’s food dish and water dish, the big bag of her dry dog food, the spare leash, her bed and a couple of her favorite toys. Valerie set them on the kitchen table as she collected each item, but when she then found a grocery bag to stuff the smaller items in, Marguerite took it from her.
    “Leigh and I will pack this. You go ahead and get your computer and whatever else you need,” she suggested.
    “Thanks,” Valerie said and slid from the room, aware that Roxy and Anders were hard on her heels. She found her computer case and the backpack with her notes and books for her courses in the living room. She started to pick them up, but Anders