Page 96 of The Sweetest Obsession

“Hey!” I dart forward, pelting across the parking lot. “What are you doing? Get away from my car!”

I go swinging around the bumper of the Ford, ready to tackle whoever’s messing around with my vehicle until—

You guessed it.

There’s no one there.

My heart jams in my throat as I stop cold, straining to breathe, just staring at the yellow line between the parking spots.

Nothing.

What the hell? Did I imagine it?

Is this what too much stress does?

I shove myself between the cars, staring past the narrow band of grass beyond the edge of the parking lot to the trees bordering it before I pull myself away and walk to the sidewalk, looking left and right as I go.

Still no one around aside from a few kids just getting off the bus halfway down the block.

A few other people look bored, mulching leaves in their yards with mowers or covering their gardens with tarps for the coming winter. A middle-aged woman I don’t recognize pushes a stroller, but I don’t see that tall, quick shape anywhere.

Not him.

Not the panicked oddball who grabbed me and told me I’d die.

Ugh.

However much I downplayed it for Grant and wanted to believe he’s a harmless dementia case, maybe it did get to me.

I’m actually seeing things.

I must be.

Shaking my head at myself, I sigh and head back to my car. But just to be safe, I give it a quick once-over, popping down and peering under the wheels even if I don’t know what I’m looking for, exactly.

Evidence of tampering, I guess.

Anything that might be stuck to the car.

I’ve read enough thrillers to freak out about stalkers and GPS trackers. Unless they’re making them smaller than bugs now, I don’t see anything like that.

I don’t feel it either when I run my hands around the wheel wells for good measure.

There’s a dramatic moment when I unlock the driver’s side door and imagine the car blowing up the instant I pull the latch, just like in the movies.

I almost laugh. Now I’m being ridiculous.

A stalker, that’s my worst case. Not winding up on a mafia hit list.

Of course, nothing happens.

Not until theDoor Openalarm starts pinging as I stand there with my breath thick, just waiting for something to goboom.

Yep.

Still being ridiculous.

There are better things to focus on.

---