Page 8 of Smith

“Red Tesla. I don’t know the make and it doesn’t have a front tag.”

I heard a door slam then what sounded like a garage door open.

“I’m headed that way,” he told me and suddenly fear started to creep in. “Get back on the highway but take 1 south to 301. You need to go through the tolls. Don’t get off to bypass them.”

Shit.

This was happening.

I was being followed.

The calm I felt before I called Smith flew out the window.

“Okay.”

“Depending on traffic, I won’t get to you until somewhere near Millington or Galena.”

“Maybe I’m wrong.”

“You’re on your second loop of the mall,” he reminded me.

And that was precisely why I was now scared. I could chalk everything before that up to coincidence but what were the chances the Tesla was making the loop a second time. I exited the parking lot and pulled back out into traffic.

“I saw the car pull out behind me when I left the hotel.” I felt the need to explain. “And it stopped at the same gas station I did. Then when I was talking to my dad on the phone I noticed it behind me. Then it followed me off the exit. Then?—”

“Aria,” Smith cut off. “It’s all good, babe. Just get on 1 and we’ll take it from there. What hotel did you stay at?”

“The Notary.”

The car in front of me sped up to make the yellow light to exit. I followed suit riding the Nissan’s bumper, praying the person didn’t brake-check me for being a crap driver tailgating.

“Sorry. Sorry. Sorry,” I chanted and slowed as soon as I made it through the intersection merging onto 1 south. “The Tesla didn’t make the light.”

“Good. Speed up to put some distance between you, but Aria, nothing crazy. He’s gonna catch up to you and that’s fine as long as he stays a few car lengths away. Now tell me where you stopped to get gas.”

“Um. A Wawa next to Philly airport.”

“Okay. Good. I’m gonna let you go so I can call this into the office and see who’s in to pull footage. I’ll?—”

“No!”

I hated how desperate I sounded. I hated what that said about me but I just needed Smith on the phone for a few more minutes.

“What’s happening?”

My gaze snapped to the screen at Smith’s demand. I knew I couldn’t see him but his tone was commanding and firm. Neither of which I’d heard from him before. Both set my hormones on fire.

What was that about?

I glanced back at the road and admitted, “Nothing. I’m just feeling…”Needy. Scared. “Off.”

“Listen to me. Everything’s fine. You’re fine. The likelihood of this person making a move while you’re driving is slim. Very slim. Just drive and in less than forty-five minutes we’ll meet up and I’ll follow you home. I’m coming up to the Bay Bridge now.”

He was right of course. The Tesla had been behind me for a while, and it hadn’t done more than follow me. It was highly unlikely the person would try to run me off the road. Or maybe due to traffic, that hadn’t been a possibility…yet.

The area around the mall was busy, there were lots of cars. Route 1 normally didn’t have as much traffic as 95 unless it was a popular beach weekend, then you could be stuck for hours. But less traffic didn’t mean no traffic. There would be other drivers on the road with me and this wasn’t the movies. Some lunatic wouldn’t run me off the road and kidnap me.

“You’re right. I’m being silly.”

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