Page 169 of The Night Shift
She flinches as she tries to sit up. “Someone —” Her voice is hoarse and raw, like she’s been screaming. “Someone broke in. I-I didn’t see them. Just —” Her eyes flick toward the mirror.
I follow her gaze. There’s a bloody message scrawled across the bathroom mirror, dripping down the glass in thick, coagulating streaks. Four words.
stay away 4rm her
What the FUCK?
A cold realization locks me in place. The message…it’s exactly like the one at Theo’s.
What the fuck is goingon? “You should’ve called me, Cami. Or the police.”
She laughs. “The cops? Right. And tell them what? That some lunatic broke in just to play Picasso with my face and finger-paint threats on my mirror?”
“You need medical attention.”
Cami stiffens, pulling back. “No.”
“Cami —”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine! Your face —”
“Is fine.” The sharpness in her tone makes me flinch. She notices and softens again. “I just…I don’t want to go to the hospital. Not tonight. Can you stay here with me?”
I hesitate. My mind is already calculating the time. The wedding. The early morning departure. Theo. “I have to leave for Cooperstown in a few hours,” I say. “April’s wedding. Theo and I —”
Cami’s expression changes immediately. “Right. Of course, I totally forgot about that.”
“You know I would if I could.”
“It’s fine.” Cami forces a smile. “You don’t have to explain. I get it. It’s April’s wedding. Of course, you need to go.”
My stomach churns. A deep, uncomfortable weight settles in my chest. Someone just broke into Cami’s apartment and left a blood-message on her mirror. When Theo got attacked, I pulled a man’s heart out and burnt his house down. I don’t even like the guy. Cami is mybestfriend and I’m about to leave her alone? What is wrong with me?
“I can stay for a little while. Theo can drive by himself. I’ll take a bus in the morning.”
Cami’s smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. It pulls at her split lip, making her wince. “You don’t have to do that, Holly.”
“I want to. You’re my best friend, and you’re hurt. I need to be here with you.”
She exhales sharply, like she’s already exhausted by this conversation. Her eyes wander over my hoodie, and I pray she doesn’t notice it’s on inside out — a detail I picked up a bit too late while in Theo’s car.
“It’s okay.” She winces a little as she props herself up against the bathroom wall. “I’m not mad. It’s why I didn’t call you in the first place. You have so much going on already, I didn’t want to put this on your plate too.”
I shake my head immediately. “Don’t be ridiculous, Cami. You were hurt. Of course, I want to be here.”
She gives me a small, almost grateful smile. “You coming here all the way from his place to check on me is more than enough.”
“I can stay.”
“I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll ask a friend from work to sleep over tonight.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind —”
She shakes her head quickly, already waving me off.
I press my lips together. “At least let me clean you up a little before I go?”
