Page 96 of Stalker

Why did it almost feel as if he was directing the comment to me?

“Well, that’s true. Maybe you have a point. The entire case was handled out of Chicago.”

“There you go. Are you going to eat that tomato?”

I laughed. “Have at it.”

Why was it that it almost felt as if the walls were closing in around me?

* * *

Fortunately, the rest of our lunch conversation wasn’t as conflicting, yet as I headed to my car, I had a strange sense that I was being watched all over again.

The difference in before was that this time I wanted to be. And I wanted it to be my mysterious stranger who’d awoken the woman inside.

I laughed at myself as I struggled to find my keys in my purse. Maybe I was waxing poetic a little.

Not like me at all.

Cash pulled out and I waved. Now I was even lying to my best friend and colleague. Tonight, I’d deal with Sugar Babies. But this afternoon, I’d hunt down the location of the single name I’d seen in the documents. The one case worker who’d remained constant.

With my key fob in hand, I pressed the button to unlock it.

When a hand gripped my arm, I jerked around, ready to drive the key into whoever it was.

“David. What the fuck?” I tried to jerk my arm away, but he wasn’t allowing that to happen.

He held me even more tightly, digging his fingers into my skin. “You bitch.”

“I suggest you get your hand off me or I’ll call the police.”

“Oh, you think you’re going to do that too? After all you’ve done? This isn’t over. I am going to ruin you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? And let go of me.”

He moved closer, crowding me against the car door. “Don’t try and fake it. I was let go this morning. I walked into the office and that bitch I thought was on my side just fired me. Because of you.”

“You mean the woman you were fucking, David? Boo hoo.” I had no idea what the hell he was talking about, but I did appreciate karma’s help.

As soon as I managed to jerk my arm away, he snapped his fingers around my neck. My air was cut off, fear sweeping through me. There was no way I could scream.

“You ruined me. Now, I’m going to ruin you. Maybe I should just kill you instead.”

Wheezing, I managed to drive my fingers into his neck with one hand, pummeling my other fist into his chest.

He let go, backing away by several inches as if he regretted his actions.

“You fucking…” I couldn’t stop coughing. “I had nothing… to do…”

“Save it, you slut. You’re going down.”

Before I could react, he walked off. I slumped against the car, stars floating in front of my eyes.

What the fuck had just happened?

CHAPTER24

Stalker

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