Last Dance by Linda Joy Singleton Page A

ability to communicate with animals, but had promised to keep it a secret. So I ignored Thorn’s questioning gaze and turned back to Dominic. “Did the manager say when Mrs. Baskers would return?”
    “She hopes to catch a flight out in the morning.”
    “Which means she won’t be here until tomorrow night! But I can’t stay that long.” I groaned, thinking of my plans to help Penny-Love decorate for the dance and my date with Josh.
    “You go back home and I’ll finish up here,” Dominic said. I knew I should be grateful for his offer, but I wasn’t ready to leave yet.
    I didn’t say much as we left the cottage, instead I argued back and forth with my conscience. I’d been looking forward to this dance, eager to show off my decorating creativity. Also, there was Josh, who was so hot other girls envied me for dating him. This would be our first appearance as a couple and I couldn’t wait to dance with him.
    But then I thought of my grandmother. She trusted me to find the remedy. There would be other dances, but there was only one Nona.
    I was about to tell Thorn my decision to stay, but as we returned to the parking lot, she suddenly screamed. Horror played on her face and she ran forward.
    Dominic and I exchanged a surprised look, then raced after her. We caught up with Thorn by her yellow jeep. With her mouth open in shock, she pointed to her jeep.
    The canvas top was cut to ribbons, the tires were slashed, and the windshield was cracked. As we ran up for a closer look, I saw a sheet of paper on the seatback of the driver’s seat.
    It was held in place with a huge knife.

Dominic pulled a rag from his pocket and carefully pried the knife out of the seat. With a solemn nod, he handed the note to Thorn.
    She took one look, went a shade paler, and then handed it to me. The message was short, printed in thick black ink: “Leave town or die.”
    “Who would do such a thing?” I exclaimed, my hands shaking as I read the note again.
    Thorn shook her head.
    “I don’t get it,” I said in a feeble attempt to act calm and not panic. Still, it was hard to ignore a death threat. “Why would anyone want us to leave? Is this some sick joke?”
    “Nothing funny about that knife,” Thorn said with a shudder.
    “Or this note,” Dominic said solemnly. “Any idea who left it?”
    “None,” I answered. “First the phone call and now this. It’s more than a coincidence. Someone is trying to scare us away.”
    “A note doesn’t scare me, but my mother does.” Thorn rubbed her forehead. “When she sees her jeep, she’s gonna kill me.”
    “This isn’t your fault,” I said. “Besides, isn’t it your mother’s job to be forgiving?”
    “Not when it comes to her car. I’d rather take my chances with the sicko.” Thorn sagged against the door and rubbed her forehead. “I’ll have to report this to the insurance company or the police.”
    “Then we’d be stuck here for hours filling out papers and answering questions,” Dominic pointed out.
    “And the sicko wins because we’ll have to leave town without talking to Eleanor Baskers,” I added glumly.
    “Do you think that’s what this is about?” Thorn asked. “Someone wants to prevent us from talking to Mrs. Baskers?”
    “Well it isn’t going to work because I’m not giving up,” I vowed.
    “But what about my jeep?” Thorn asked, spreading out her hands in a frustrated gesture. “How am I going to fix it?”
    “Leave it to me.” Dominic stepped forward. He went around to the bed of his truck and came back with a plastic bag. Carefully, he placed the knife in the bag. Then he offered to handle the repairs to Thorn’s car.
    “Since when do you know about cars?” I faced him with my hands on my hips. “I thought you only knew about animals.”
    “Stick around and learn more.” With a wink, he turned and pulled out his cell phone.
    While he was talking to some “pal” in the auto business, I studied him. Why did he make me feel so