Chapter 48

CHAPTER

FORTY-EIGHT

Maddie turned off the TV and sat on the edge of the couch. Whoever had turned this on was gone. They'd been trying to scare her.

It had worked.

She knew her room was clear. She'd checked every possible space. But now it would be nearly impossible to relax. She had too much on her mind.

She still needed to give the engagement ring back to Josh. In fact, she really should have put the jewelry in the safe before she'd left earlier. But she hadn't. She hadn't been thinking clearly at the time.

Maddie forced herself to stand. She should just do this now while she was thinking about it.

She walked to the nightstand. But when she reached the table, the top was empty.

The ring wasn't there.

Panic raced through her.

Had the person who'd turned on the TV seen the ring and taken it?

She quickly searched her belongings. Nothing else seemed to be missing.

Maybe in the stress of the situation, she was misremembering where she'd left it.

She searched the rest of the room, determined to find that ring. It was worth a lot of money. She should have never left it out.

She searched under the bedspread and tables and in drawers and under pillows. There was still no ring.

Maddie scanned the room again, wondering where else she could check. There weren't that many other places it could be.

It couldn't have somehow fallen into one of the vents. They were all high on the wall.

At the thought, she looked up at the vents.

Her eyes stopped at one. Something on the cover appeared out of place.

She squinted, unsure if she was seeing things correctly.

Grabbing a wooden chair from the table, she walked toward the grate. She stood, found her balance, and then used her fingernails to pry the clasp up.

The metal grate opened.

Her blood grew cold at what she saw inside.

A small camera had been mounted to the edge.

Someone had placed a camera in her room?

Someone had been watching her.

Maybe even recording her.

Before Maddie could stop it, nausea rose in her.

She leaned over and threw up on the carpeted floor.