“So, this former client? Is she a little old lady or something?” Carly eyed the cat figurine with interest. “I think my grandma had one like that.”

Eli ignored her and picked up the envelope included. It wasn’t sealed and contained a single sheet of computer paper.

I wonder if she even noticed it was missing.

His blood chilled. Something in his face must have alerted Carly because she took the letter away from him and scanned it.

“When was this sent?” he barked.

Carly fumbled with the packaging. “It was postmarked a week ago but I only got it from the mailroom a few days ago.”

Eli tucked the figurine back into the padded envelope and closed it. He wished now that he hadn’t opened it with his bare hands but doubted it made much of a difference in the end. The types who were crazy enough to send threatening letters were rarely crazy enough to leave fingerprints. He tucked the box under his arm and grabbed his coat off the back of the kitchen chair.

“Wait, Eli! Where are you going?” Carly trotted behind him as he walked to the front door. She stepped out onto the porch and waited as he locked the door behind him.

He didn’t look back as he got into his truck and started the ignition.

“Cancel all my appointments next week.”

KAY WALKED BACK into the control room to a hearty round of applause. Jackson had called that afternoon and asked if she was available to record that night because one of his other artists had canceled. At first she’d said no because she didn’t want to be one of those girls who constantly bailed on her girlfriends. However, when she told Sasha, her friend hadn’t minded at all and decided instead to meet her at the studio. Now she was clapping and whooping the loudest.

“As many times as I’ve heard you sing, you can still bring tears to my eyes.” Sasha swiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Her long, glittery nails sparkled under the studio lights.

Her friend loved making a statement, which was obvious from the bold manicures she got every other week to the daring clothes she wore. Today her entire outfit was made of some kind of lime-green shredded fabric that hugged her hourglass figure perfectly. The color looked good against her cocoa complexion. With her hair elaborately braided and twisted up into a high ponytail, she looked like an Egyptian princess in a club dress.

Kay grinned as Sasha enfolded her in a hug. They’d just finished recording the first power ballad on the album, and Kay was quite sure she’d nailed it. Mac and Jackson both seemed really pleased with her, so she could only hope that meant they liked her songwriting. She’d been afraid they were only saying they did to spare her feelings.

“Thank you. I’m starting to get really excited about this. I mean, I was excited before, but it’s different now. Having my songs out there.”

She shook her head, not sure how to express what she was trying to say. Luckily Jackson seemed to get it.

“It’s because these songs are yours. They represent you. It’s great to have people love your singing, but it’s better to have them love your style. To have them love you.”

“Yes. That’s it exactly.”

Mac sat back in his chair, appraising her openly. “I have to say, I didn’t know you had it in you, Kay. You’re not singing like a church girl anymore.”

Kay was about to respond when the outer door leading to the general office opened and Matt Simmons, her former bodyguard, strode in. His eyes swept over all the electronics in the room with a cursory glance before stopping on Kaylee.

“You’re here. Good. I’ve been trying to find you for the past hour.”

Kay jumped up, unconsciously responding to the urgency in his voice. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?” She clapped a hand over her stomach. “Is it Hope? Did something happen?” She could hear her own voice rising with hysteria until Matt came forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

“She’s fine.” Matt squeezed her arm. “It’s nothing to do with her. I just need to show you something.

Kaylee let out the breath she was holding. “Okay.”

“Have you ever seen this before?” He held up his cell phone. There was a picture of a small ceramic figurine displayed.

“Yeah. I have a similar one.” Kay leaned closer. It was hard to tell from just a picture, but the figurine looked almost identical to the one she had.

“That’s what I thought. Uh, are you done for the day?” Matt glanced at the others uncertainly.

“Not really. Why?” Kay asked.

“Because we need to go. Now.”

Even though it had been months since Matt was assigned as her bodyguard, some part of Kay still responded to his authority because she immediately turned and gathered her things. It had taken her a while to get used to someone shadowing her every move, but she’d gone along with it because it was for her own protection.

“Whoa, what’s going on? Is she in danger again?” Jackson directed the question to Matt even as he stood and helped Kaylee with her coat.

Matt hesitated and the two men seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation. Kay rolled her eyes. This was exactly how things had been last summer, except then it had been Eli and Matt making decisions for her, treating her like she was a little girl who couldn’t handle knowing the truth.

“Just tell me, Matt. What’s going on?”

Matt finally looked at her directly. “I don’t have that many details. Eli just called and said I had to find you.”