I hated the suspicions about Rob that entered my head once more. He seemed to dote on Juliet so much, and was so looking forward to having a family together. No, he didn't seem like the kind of man who’d want to go back to the ex. From what he claimed, Juliet fully provided the life he wanted with the woman he loved. It was hard not to feel envious of the couple who seemed to have it all.

As I turned onto my driveway, again I wondered if jealousy were the motive. Some people just hated seeing successful people who had something they couldn’t find or achieve. Fortunately, I didn't think I'd be the recipient of those kinds of feelings as I dragged my shopping bags into the house.

My refrigerator groaned with so much food, it took two good slams to close it shut properly. I breathed a sigh of relief that my shopping task was done. All I had to do now was cook the stuff, serve it, and clean up before I could consider my familial duty finished. At least, Garrett was bringing dessert so that was one thing off my mind. All I wanted to do now was kick off my boots, get in the shower, pull on my pajamas and curl up in front of a movie, calm in the knowledge that Juliet was being watched like a hawk.

I was just toeing off my boots in the entryway when my cell phone rang. Garrett's name flashed on the screen. "Yo, bro'," I said.

"Yo yourself. Sam has chicken pox so we can't make dinner."

"Are you kidding? Is he okay? Hey, is this like the time he used red marker all over his body and pretended to have chicken pox?"

"Nope, it's the real deal. I checked. The kid looks like a plague victim."

"That's too bad."

"I checked with Serena and Victoria hasn't had chicken pox yet, and we don't want to infect her, so we're keeping the kids home."

"What about Patrick and Chloe?"

"Patrick had it when he was six, but Chloe hasn't. We're hoping she'll catch it from Sam."

"Is that a good idea?"

"If we want to minimize sick leave from work, yeah."

"Let me know if you need any medicine picked up?"

"We have an entire pharmaceutical shelf devoted to not itching, so we're good. I'm really sorry we can't make it. Serena said you were ordering Chinese for everyone."

"I am not! I'm cooking."

"Oh, well, gee, that really is too bad."

"I can cook!"

"I know that. Let me know what happens; and again, I'm sorry we can't make it."

I promised I would, wished Sam well, and hung up, dropping my phone onto the small console. I jogged up the stairs, walking into the bathroom where I switched on the shower. Just as I pulled off my blouse, the phone rang again. I ignored it. It rang again. On the third call, deciding it must’ve been urgent, I jogged downstairs and answered it.

"Hi, Juliet," I said, with some trepidation as I held my breath. This was the termination call, I was sure. Juliet had, no doubt, lost faith in me after my evidence-less accusation. She and Rob probably had strong objections about my rooting through his emails. Also, hadn't I told her not to use her personal cell phone?

"Lexi!"

I was on alert the moment I heard her breathless voice.

"Juliet? What is it?"

"There's someone in the house." Her voice was thick and fast, and her breathing sounded hard.

"What do you mean? We have cameras watching you every second! We would have picked something up."

"There's someone in here, I swear. I saw them. I saw a shadow and I called out. I thought it was Rob, but they didn't answer so I came up to the bedroom and I called him and he's still out. Then I heard something downstairs."

"Did you call 911?"

"No. Why would they help me? They think I'm some kind of master criminal. They think I'm making all this up."

"Where are you now?"

"The bedroom."

"Does the door lock?"

"No... I think I hear the stairs creaking."

My heart thumped. "Does your bathroom have a lock?"

"The attached bathroom does."

"Go in there now! Take the phone and lock the door. Don't leave until I get there."

"Please hurry."

"I'm going to put you on hold, okay? But stay on the line. I need to call Solomon's team." I put Juliet on hold, and dialed Solomon. Two calls. He didn't pick up either time. I called Delgado, and my sister answered.

"What is it?" she hissed. "We're at dinner."

"I need to speak with Antonio."

"He just went to the bathroom."

"Can you get him to call me back?"

"Alexandra, we're at dinner and he needs time off from running around fixing your problems."

"He's not fixing my..."

"You need to get your job back with Solomon. Then you'll have a team instead of getting my boyfriend to bail you out."

"He's not bailing..."

"Our entrees are here."

"Can you ask Antonio to call me..." Click. The line went dead.

I tried Solomon again, but still got no answer. It was pointless calling Garrett because he was on chicken pox duty. I tried calling Jord, but there was no answer and Daniel 's phone went directly to voicemail. I had no one else to call, and I didn't know whom Delgado left in charge of watching over Juliet's cameras, nor did I know who Solomon had posted outside, watching the house. Feeling utterly inept, both at my lack of knowledge about Solomon's orders, and annoyed at myself for being so focused on racing to the supermarket that I didn't think to ask those crucial questions, I grabbed my jacket. I zipped it over my bra and stuck my feet in my boots before unlocking the drawer where I kept my gun. I checked it was loaded, and tucked it into my belt. Grabbing my keys, and with my cell phone still in hand, I ran for my car. I made one final call for backup as I fired up the engine.

"Hey."

"Maddox?" I looked over my shoulder as I threw the car into reverse, backing up onto the street.

"Lexi? Are you okay?"

"I need help. I think my client is in trouble."

"What happened?"

"She's alone in her house and someone else is in there with her."

Maddox was silent for a couple seconds. "This is someone bad?"

"I think it's her stalker and I think I know who it is. I need backup."

"Give me the address."

I did that quickly and hung up, switching to Juliet's line. "Are you still there?" I asked. "Are you locked in the bathroom?"

"Yes," whispered Juliet. "I locked it. What took you so long?"

"Don't worry about that. I'm on my way with backup."

"I think they're in my bedroom. I heard footsteps."

"Whatever you do, do not open your door."

"Okay."

"And stay on the line. Under no circumstances, do you hang up. Got it?"

"Got it?"

"Good. Stay quiet."

I drove as fast as I could. Juliet's house was quiet as I stopped outside, gradually rolling to a halt. I wanted to screech my announcement, but I didn't want whoever was inside — and Juliet assured me somebody was — to realize my presence.

"Do you hear anyone now?" I asked.

"No. Where are you?"

"I'm outside."

"I haven't heard footsteps for a few minutes."

"Do not open the door," I warned her.

"I won't. I promise."

"Stay on the line. Backup's here."

"You called the police?"