Dream Weaver (Dream Weaver #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Thank you,” Ivy and I said in unison, and couldn’t help a tiny huff of humor. Jinx. I knew she was thinking it, too.
                  “Miss Sweet, how old are you?” Officer Elliot asked, her voice small and careful.
                  Oh boy, here it comes. “Seventeen,” I told her.
                  “And you have no legal guardians?” Her eyebrows arched like tight-strung crossbows.
                  “No. I filed for emancipation after my parents were killed. I’ve lived on my own for a few months now.”
                  “I see.” She continued to scowl. “And there’s no one you would like me to call? At all?” she pressed.
                  “No. I’m fine. Ivy’s here,” I said, as though that explained everything.
                  Officer Elliot remained silent but her face twisted in thought.
                  Then the world shifted gears again, and lurched into slow motion like the Enterprise dropping out of warp drive. Ivy held my hand through the entire process, except during the CT scan and when Officer Elliot took pictures of my hands; she said to show evidence of defensive wounds. She stood by the head of my gurney in her cop pose, and took notes as she questioned us.
                  “So, from the beginning, what was this guy’s contact with you?” she began.
                  “He would call me at work, but only when no one else was around. Like he could see me.” My throat hardened around the words.
                  “Did you report the calls either at work or through Crime Check?”
                  Ivy supplied this answer. “Yes ma’am. Collin, our store manager knew and set up LP guys to keep an eye on her. And Jesse escorted her to and from her car every day. Crime Check took the report, but said there was nothing they could do unless the guy actually did something.”
                  “Do you know how the assailant got into the stockroom?”
                  Ivy shook her head but I answered. “He had a key.” My voice pitched higher. “One of us probably left it in the door and he took it. He was hiding in the old observation nest the whole time watching me.” Ivy laced her fingers through mine.
                  “Emari, I went in there during—the time you were missing. I couldn’t find you.”
                  I fought down a whine. “I know, Baby. We heard you.”
                  “What?! Why didn’t you call out for help? I could have…I could have…” she stammered.
                  “Because. He said he would kill me and you would be next. I couldn’t let him touch you, Baby. I couldn’t let him hurt you and I knew he would.” Ivy pulled my hand to her chest, clung possessively to the one part of me she could get to. She closed her eyes and sobbed, her hot tears cascaded down my skin.
                  “Oh no!” I gasped. “My bracelet!”
                  Ivy clutched my bare arm against her chest, stroked my forearm. “It probably came off during…in the stockroom. We’ll look for it, ‘kay?” she  consoled.
                  I nodded, and sent a tumble of tears down my cheeks. It had ceased to sting long ago.
                  “Miss Sweet, can you describe your bracelet for me?” the lady cop asked.
                  “Um, yeah. It’s white-gold, big links. It has a heart pendant with the engraving ‘Emari…FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS…Mom & Dad’. They gave it to me as a sweet sixteen gift.” My wrist felt weak and naked without the bracelet hanging around it where my parents placed it over a year ago. The memory of its tiny chimes shivered down my spine.
                  “Some of these guys like to take things. Like souvenirs,” Officer Elliot explained, but her face