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Shit, he must have noticed my tone of voice.

“I’m fine. Will you answer my question?”

“Sure. Shoot.”

“Did you send me flowers?”

“No. Was I supposed to?” Graham chuckled. “I will if you want. What kind do you like?”

“I’m serious.”

“Joy. What’s wrong?” Graham’s voice was sharp. “Tell me. Did someone send you flowers? You sound freaked out.”

I guess I wasn’t hiding my distress all that well. “Y-Yes,” I stammered.

Roxie and Ava were watching me closely.

“Did Graham send you the flowers?” Ava asked.

“No, he didn’t,” I answered. “I told you he didn’t write that card.”

“Who are you talking to, Joy?” Graham wanted to know.

“It’s A-Ava.” Dammit, my voice was shaky again.

“Put me on speaker.”

I did as he asked.

“Ava, it’s me, Graham,” he announced.

“I know. Roxie’s with me. Joy got a humongous and beautiful bouquet of flowers, and it’s freaking her the fuck out. She didn’t think it was from you after she read the card, but I told her to call you just to make sure.”

“That was good thinking, Ava. Joy, what did the card say?”

I looked over at Roxie, who was holding the card. She tried to hand it to me, but I held up my hands to stop her and shook my head. There was no way that I was going to touch that thing again. Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.

“She doesn’t want to touch it, Graham,” Roxie said. “I’ll read it to you.” Roxie read the note aloud to Graham. I hated having to listen to it again. When Roxie was finished, Graham spoke up.

“Fuck, that’s whacked. No wonder you’re freaked, Joy.”

I literally jumped when something cracked against the front door of the veterinary clinic. My pulse spiked like a gunshot had gone off.

All three of our heads turned to look out the glass front door. Glenda stood there, and it felt like she was staring at me. Then I realized she was holding a cat carrier.

My gut clenched. I wasn’t up to talking to anyone, but I started to the door anyway. Roxie stopped me. “Stay here and talk to Graham. I’ll go see what’s wrong with Rosebud.”

“What’s going on?” Graham asked.

“It’s Glenda, she’s here with her cat,” I told him. I was finally getting my shit together. “Graham, don’t worry, I knew you would never write anything like that. I know you better than that,” I assured him.

Roxie and Glenda walked up to us. Roxie was holding Glenda’s kitten in her arms.

“Yeah, she said it was a madman who wrote the note,” Ava assured Graham.

“There’s a madman?” Glenda asked. She turned and looked at me. “Joy, you look pale, are you all right?” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. I shivered and shook my head.

“So, is that a yes or a no?” she asked. I didn’t want to talk. I looked over at Roxie, who caught on to my distress.