Page 139 of Flame True

“I think the dress” Mulberry brushed her fingertips along the cotton dress.

“Yeah, the dress” Emma took it off the hanger.

A knock on the door sounded, echoing in the space.

“Liz was super fast.”

Mulberry followed Emma back out to the living room, to the door. Emma reached to unlock the door.

“Wait,” Mulberry said. “Check who is there, first through the peephole.”

Emma looked like she was going to disagree before realizing Mulberry was serious. “Of course.”

Standing on her tiptoes, she peered through the peephole. “It’s just Ashley.” Emma went to turn the deadlock.

“Who is Ashley?” Mulberry nudged her friend aside and looked out for herself. Her stomach dropped to the floor.

“Ashley is the stuntman coordinator for Dad’s next movie. Remember I told you about her? I thought she was a production assistant at first.”

Mulberry’s fingers trembled as her hand closed around Emma’s. “Don’t open the door.”

“What? I’m not going to leave her there. She’ll just get in through the other door to the office.”

Mulberry’s mouth grew dry, and her body trembled.

“Emma, go lock the office door.”

“What?”

“Now!”

The fear in Mulberry’s tone startled Emma into action. She ran down the hall, opened the office door, then marched over to the door and locked it, putting the chain on it.

“Mulberry, are you having an anxiety attack?”

Mulberry leaned on the door, trying to slow her thoughts because the woman knocking on Emma’s door was the woman from the restaurant.

She didn’t know why she was here or how Emma knew her, but she wouldn’t let her inside.

“I need to call Nick. Don’t let anyone in.”

“Okay, but I think you’re overreacting.”

“I can’t explain.”

“Actually, I think you need to.”

Mulberry turned and walked back into the living room, trying to find her phone. Knocking continued on the door.

“Mulberry, I’m serious, tell me what’s going on,” Emma said, putting her hand over Mulberry’s phone.

She froze, frantic for a moment, trying to sort out what this meant that the woman who threatened Nick was here outside Emma’s door and someone Emma had known for months?

“It’s a long story.”

“I got time” Emma sat down beside her.

“Okay,” Mulberry took a deep breath as the knocking grew insistent. “But you must promise to believe me, no matter how out there it sounds.”