"Thanks." Toni hesitated with her hand halfway in the box. There were plain doughnuts and bear claws. She quickly grabbed a plain one and scanned the monitors. She could see Sabrina still sleeping in the silver room. Phineas and Dougal were on the twin beds in the guardroom, while Ian lay dead as a doornail on the floor. Poor guy. Though he would hardly notice a hard floor.
"So I heard it got rough at the Horny Devils last night." Howard grabbed a bear claw from the box. "Yeah, pretty grisly." She winced and crammed the doughnut in her mouth to keep from talking. "Like a virgin," a female voice sang. Toni sat up and looked around.
Howard chuckled. "Your pants are singing." Toni jumped up and pulled the phone from her pocket. She opened it, cutting off Madonna's claim that she'd been touched for the very first time. Carlos's idea of a joke, no doubt. He could laugh all the way to hell. "Hello?"
"Menina, how are you?" "Carlos." Toni walked across the office. "I swear I will have you declawed." He laughed. "I see you like your new ringtone. How is Sabrina?" "She's still asleep." Toni glanced at the monitor. "Are you able to talk freely?" "Sure. I'm in the security office with Howard Bear--uh, Barr." She winced. Howard chuckled and grabbed another bear claw. "Menina, the police were just here in the apartment building, looking for you and Bri. They
knocked on all the neighbors' doors to ask about you." Toni swallowed hard. "So they think I'm involved in her disappearance?" "They suspect you. They questioned me, too, and asked to see my apartment." "Good grief, what about Teddy?"
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"Don't worry. I sent him out this morning with some money and instructions to buy new clothes and a new hairstyle. We're supposed to meet in Washington Square at three."
"He's fine, then?" Toni had worried that Teddy wasn't quite ready for the real world. "He's very happy. The police are looking for him, too. They had photos of him and Bri. I gather the hospital takes pictures of all the patients when they're admitted. I acted very shocked and concerned, of course, about Bri's disappearance."
"Good." Toni could just imagine Carlos putting on a convincing show for the police.
"They think Teddy and Sabrina might have developed a romantic relationship and escaped together." "Did they say anything about the nurse, Bradley?" Toni asked. "No, I suspect the hospital wants to keep that little problem a secret." Toni checked the monitor again. Bri was still asleep. "I asked her about her purse. She thinks it's
still at her uncle's house." "Hmm." Carlos paused. "I could drive over there and see if the maid would give it to me." "But we would still have the problem of her uncle Joe wanting her back in the psych ward." "And problems with the police," Carlos added. "I'll bring Teddy this afternoon, and we'll discuss
strategy." "Okay, sounds good." "I--I hope Bri can get over her fear of me," Carlos said sadly. "I hope so, too." Toni hung up. She also hoped Bri could get over her fear of five orphaned were-
panther children. Those poor kids needed help. They needed acceptance and love, so they wouldn't grow up feeling like monsters who deserved to be butchered like their parents. "A guard's coming." Howard stood and lumbered toward the door. Toni noted the daytime Romatech security guard on a monitor. He was holding a small gold box. Howard opened the door. "Yes?" "This was delivered to the front gate. For Toni Davis." "Thanks." Howard closed the door and offered the small gift box to Toni. She eyed it warily. "Do they expect me to fall for that again?"
Howard smiled. "This is legit. I saw Ian order it online last night." "Really?" She grabbed the box and unraveled the golden ribbon. Inside the box, on a bed of cotton, lay a beautiful, gold filigree heart. She grinned. With the filigree design, it was obvious there was nothing hidden within the heart. It was pure.
Wedged in the top of the box was a note. My dearest Daytona,
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You've brought sunshine back into my life.
Ian
She pressed the note to her chest as her heart constricted with emotion. In that moment, she knew no matter what happened, she would not make a mistake as long as she followed her heart.
When Ian awoke Thursday evening, he warned Dougal and Phineas to be extra vigilant. Jedrek would be completely healed after his death-sleep and