Obsession

by Patricia Bradley

  The door to the efficiency apartment at the end of the hallway opened, and her neighbor stepped out. “Gordon?” Taylor said, a look of puzzlement on her face. “I heard voices, but I thought you’d left.”

  Realization dawned. So the doc and her neighbor were an “item.” Emma had heard Gordon had gotten married right out of college, and hadn’t realized he’d divorced until he returned to Natchez last year, single and looking. While he didn’t interest her, Gordon Cole was a hunk, in a California sort of way, tanned, blond haired, and blue eyed.

  While Emma didn’t know Taylor that well, the girl was barely out of college and at least a decade younger than the doc. None of my business. If she made Gordy happy, what did age matter?

  The doctor’s face had turned crimson now. “I stopped to listen to a voicemail and answer a text,” he said, answering Taylor.

  Who would be texting him this time of the morning?

  Almost as if he read her mind, he said, “We’ve been to the casino, and I forgot to turn on my phone until just a minute ago. One of my patients has been admitted to the ER. That’s where I’m headed.” He nodded at Emma, then turned to Taylor. “See you tonight.”

  Taylor’s answer was a smile that lit up her face. Emma waved and shut the door after she used her foot to nudge the card into her living room. If it was a threat, she didn’t want to get her prints on the envelope and grabbed her tongs from the kitchen and a rubber glove for her left hand.

  After she pulled on the glove, she picked up the envelope with the tongs. The seal was barely stuck, and she used her fingernail to flip it open. Gingerly she lifted the folded paper out, again by the corner, and a drawing fell out.

  A dead rat caught in a trap. The illustration took her breath. Across the bottom in bold black lettering were the words “Beware the rat.” She carefully laid the card on her coffee table. Then she took out her phone and dialed Sam.

  “It’s early,” he said by way of answering. “I can’t be late yet.”

  “Didn’t I tell you Brooke was picking me up?”

  “No. What’s wrong? You sound funny.”

  “There’s . . .” She gulped a breath. “It’s a drawing of a dead rat. I just got it. Somebody stuck it under my door.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  He hung up and Emma stared at her phone. She should call Nate. Her fingers shook as she punched the sheriff’s cell phone number. “Rawlings,” he said.

  “I received another threat this morning.”

  “I’ll be there ASAP,” Nate said.

  Emma had barely changed into her gray-and-green uniform when her doorbell rang, and she hurried to answer it. She really needed a peephole. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s me,” Sam said.

  Emma let him in. He hadn’t shaved, so the clean fragrance that sent her heart soaring had to be his soap. It made her want to feel his arms wrapped around her.

  “Where’s the card?” he asked.

  “On the table. There’s a pair of kitchen gloves beside it.”

  Before he looked at the card, Sam hugged her. “I’m sorry this is happening. I’ll install a security camera outside your door tomorrow. I should have already put it up.”

  The tears that sprang to her eyes surprised her. Emma thought she had a grip on this. “Why would anyone send me a drawing of a dead rat with that caption?”

  “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” Sam studied the drawing. “How is this person getting into your building?”

  “Do you think he might have a key?” she asked.

  “Could be. How many people have keys to the entrance doors?”

  “There’s no way to know. I gave Dad one, but most people I buzz in if they visit after six.”

  “This puts a different slant on the matter. Whoever—”

  “Wait,” she said as her doorbell rang. “Hold that thought. That may be Nate.”

  She opened the door and told the sheriff to come in and then followed him back into the living room. “Would you two like coffee?”

  “I haven’t had my two cups yet, so yes. Black, please,” Nate said, and Sam shook his head.

  While she put on a fresh pot of coffee, the sheriff set a briefcase on the table and examined the card. “What do you suppose this means?”

  Sam folded his arms across his chest. “We have someone obsessed with Emma. He probably knows we went to Jackson together last night. It confirms, to me at least, that the shots fired Friday night were meant for me. Evidently, I’m the rat. It’s his way of warning her not to trust me.”

  “How about Thursday night?” Nate asked and slipped the card and envelope into an evidence bag.

  “Yeah,” Emma said from the kitchen.

  “I think you caught someone digging and he was trying to scare you off.”

  “Do you think it’s the same person?”

  “Could be,” Sam said. “But more than likely the shooting at Mount Locust is tied to Ryan’s death.”

  “You think we’re dealing with two different people.” Nate rubbed his jaw. “Makes sense, because the shooting Thursday night was definitely aimed at Emma. Anyone in love with her wouldn’t be taking potshots at her.”

  “I said obsessed because I don’t think this person knows what love is,” Sam said. “Of course, he probably thinks he’s in love, and quite possibly believes she returns his feelings.”

  The final gurgle from the coffeepot let her know it was finished, and she escaped to the kitchen. After pouring Nate a cup, she took it to him and then refilled her own cup, hoping more caffeine would clear the fog in her brain. She simply couldn’t comprehend that someone was obsessed with her and was willing to kill because of it. “You really think the person was firing at you Friday night?”

  “If I hadn’t stooped to catch your keys, the bullet would have nailed me, not you. If I’m right, your stalker believes I pose a threat to his relationship with you.”

  Cold chills shivered down her back. She’d only halfway embraced the idea someone was stalking her, but now, there was no question. But who could it be? Wouldn’t it have to be someone she knew or at least came in contact with? That would encompass a lot of suspects. Emma gulped a sip of coffee and winced as the hot liquid burned her mouth and throat.

  When she could speak again, she asked, “If someone were obsessed with me, wouldn’t he make himself known?” When neither man answered, she said, “It wasn’t a rhetorical question.”

  Sam rubbed his jaw. “It depends. He may not be ready to let you know how he feels. Or he thinks you already know, and you return his feelings.”

  “He could be like John Hinckley Jr., the guy who shot a president because he was in love with Jodie Foster,” Nate said. “He was obsessed with her, and she didn’t have a clue he existed for years.”

  “Then he would have to be crazy, right? And I don’t know anyone who is that mentally off balance. I think we need to come up with a different scenario, because I don’t buy your theory that it’s two different shooters. That would be some coincidence.”

  “But not impossible,” Nate said. “Either way, you weren’t supposed to be at Mount Locust. Like Sam, I think you surprised the intruder, and he fired at you as a ploy to distract you so he could get away.”

  Emma pondered that. She hadn’t driven into the visitor center parking lot that night, so there would not have been any headlights announcing her arrival. He must have heard her when she climbed the steps to the inn. And the bullet that plowed into the post was way over her head. She set her empty cup down. “This is just so hard to take in.”

  “You can’t think of anyone who might think they’re in love with you?” Sam asked, pacing her living room. “Like Trey? Or someone else you’ve dated?”

  “I’ve stayed friends with most of my exes,” Emma said wryly. “Even went to some of their weddings.” When Sam shot a curious glance at her, she lifted her hands. “What can I say? I’m usually good at breaking up and staying friends. As for Trey, I just
have a hard time believing he’d shoot at me . . . or you.”

  “I don’t think it’s my deputy either,” Nate said. “Except, if he is still asking you out and you’re saying no, he is the type to become obsessed about winning you over.”

  She frowned, remembering his apology yesterday. “I just don’t buy it being him. Besides, he told me he’d turned over a new leaf.”

  32

  After the sheriff entered Emma’s apartment building, he jogged down the street, then crossed over to her side and came back toward the apartment. Keeping his head ducked, he stopped beside the rear tire of Ryker’s SUV and pretended to tie his shoes but instead planted a GPS tracker in the wheel well.

  Then he jogged to the corner and back to his car. The ranger had been in her apartment for over an hour now, but at least they weren’t alone. But what could she be talking to him and the sheriff about for this long? He hadn’t expected her to call anyone when he shoved the card under her door. He only wanted her to be aware Ryker wasn’t to be trusted.

  Were they talking about the card he left? Surely not. He needed a way to know what was going on in her apartment. Maybe a bug. Yes! That’s what he would do. He should have ordered one when he bought the tracker, but the local discount store had them. A quick check of his watch indicated there was time to pick one up before he had to be somewhere. Maybe he’d get two.

  Still he hesitated to leave, wanting to see if Emma left with Ryker.

  Maybe he’d stay just a few minutes longer.

  33

  Emma rolled her shoulders. Her body felt as though she’d pulled an all-nighter, and she needed more caffeine if she was going to work today. It’d been hard enough to think one person was trying to kill her. Now the thought of being in the crosshairs of two different people was almost more than she could take.

  Nate checked his watch. “The morning briefing is in twenty minutes, so let’s discuss this later at Mount Locust.” He opened the briefcase he’d brought in. “I have the two DNA kits. Thought as long as I was here, we could get this taken care of.”

  Her heart stuttered. She hadn’t expected him to bring the tests to her. When Nate handed her the paper-encased cotton swabs, Emma hesitated, then took them and peeled back the paper on one. “How do I do this?”

  “Just swab the inside of your cheek,” Nate said.

  She did as he instructed and handed the stick to him. Then she repeated the process with the other stick.

  “I’ll send a deputy with one sample to Jackson today, and get the other one off tomorrow, and ask both labs to put a rush on it. If we’re lucky, we should get the results from Jackson back by the middle of the week.”

  Once Nate left, Emma rubbed her forehead with her left fingers. She was surprised when Sam pulled her to him, and she laid her head on his chest as his arms wrapped around her.

  “You look like you could use a hug,” he said softly.

  Oh, brother, did she need one.

  “I’m sorry you’re having to go through this.”

  “Thanks.” His steady heartbeat calmed her, and his arms around her made her feel safe, but she had things to do. Yet she didn’t pull away.

  He tilted her face up until she was looking into brown eyes that were warm with compassion. She’d been such a fool years ago.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “It’s good to know you have my back.” His touch sent shivers through her. Surely he felt the electricity between them when they were together. She held her breath, feeling his every heartbeat as he searched her face, his gaze going from questioning to awareness.

  His touch sent shock waves through her as he cupped her chin and traced his thumb along her jaw. Emma’s head told her to run, but her heart held her in his embrace. Barely able to breathe, she slipped her arms around his waist. He kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose, and she leaned into him. Sam bent his head and lowered his lips to hers, kissing her softly.

  Emma melted into his embrace, returning his kiss with a passion that came from the depth of her heart. Never before had she felt the way she did at this moment, not even when he’d professed his love and gave her a ring all those years ago.

  Slowly he released her. “Wow,” he said softly.

  “Yeah, wow.” She laid her head against his chest.

  “I didn’t know that was going to happen,” he murmured against the top of her head.

  “Are you sorry?”

  “Oh no. How about you?”

  Emma raised her head. “No, but does it complicate things?”

  He chuckled. “For my part, it was already complicated.”

  “So you were fighting it, whatever it is, too.”

  “You might say that.”

  She looked into eyes that made her feel safe and loved. She wanted him to kiss her again, but if he did, they might not leave. Evidently, he felt the same way, as he sighed and released her.

  “I better leave now.”

  “Yeah.” She moved toward the door with him. “And Brooke will be here soon.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  She stared blankly at him. My backpack. Heat burned her face. “I’m a little distracted.”

  “That makes two of us,” he said softly, then asked, “Did you get the file from Bell?”

  “No,” Emma replied. “He won’t send it until after church.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to Mount Locust instead of Brooke? I’m going there anyway. In fact, we could leave now.”

  Emma considered his question. She definitely wanted to spend more time with him after that kiss and wished she hadn’t asked Brooke to swing by and pick her up. “Okay, but let me text Brooke and tell her you’re taking me.” Once that was done, she asked, “Have you said anything to her about the ring and that maybe the grave belonged to Ryan?”

  He shook his head. “I haven’t seen her, and that’s something I don’t want to talk about over the phone.”

  “If I see her first, is it okay for us to discuss it?”

  “I don’t see why not. She’ll be helping with the investigation anyway.”

  Brooke texted back a thumbs-up and that she would stop by Mount Locust sometime during the day. Emma poured coffee into her insulated cup and grabbed a breakfast bar.

  “Have you eaten?” she asked, and when he said no, she tossed him a breakfast bar as well. “That should hold you until lunch. Coffee?”

  “Yes, ma’am, if you have a Styrofoam cup with a lid,” he said.

  “I have another insulated tumbler.”

  “That’ll work.”

  She poured what was left of the coffee into another tumbler. “I’m ready.”

  Emma handed him the coffee, and his fingers brushed hers, bringing back the memory of their embrace. What if he regretted it?

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah. How about you?” Hesitantly, Emma lifted her head and sought his eyes. She had to know how he felt. Her heart soared when his smile made it all the way to his brown eyes. “I mean, do you regret kissing me?”

  “I was a little surprised, but I would never regret it.”

  “What do we do now?”

  Sam laughed out loud. “We go to Mount Locust and finish the work there, and we come back to your house and have dinner with your dad.”

  Just like a man to put it all into perspective.

  “We need to take whatever this is slowly,” he added and took her arm as they walked down the stairs.

  Part of her disagreed and wanted to go full steam ahead. But he was right. She definitely didn’t want to rush things and have a repeat of ten years ago.

  He stopped at the front door of the house. “Let me check out the street.”

  Sam did make her feel protected. When he returned, he said, “It’s all clear and one of Nate’s deputies just made a pass by so we ought to be good to go.”

  He’d pulled into the drive and hurried her to the waiting SUV
. She almost stopped as she felt someone watching her. It had to be her imagination. Sam had scoped the area out and would surely have seen if someone were hiding. Emma scanned the street. Two vehicles were waiting to turn left on her street, a dark sedan and a light-colored pickup.

  The driver in the dark sedan blew his horn and the pickup lurched forward, the sun glinting off the windshield. The sedan driver gunned his motor as he made the turn and blew past the pickup. She shook her head. People were so impatient.

  34

  He glanced up at Emma’s window, hoping to see her, but the blinds were pulled. His mind drifted to the cabin he had for her. He couldn’t wait to take her there. It was the perfect place where they could be happy, and no one would bother them. Soon. He would take her there very soon.

  His attention jerked back to the apartment as Ryker stepped out on the front porch. The ranger was leaving. He watched him as he scoped out the neighborhood.

  Suddenly a patrol car in his rearview mirror caught his attention, and he froze. He’d hung around too long. With his heart in his throat he ducked down in the seat, and as soon as the sound of the car’s motor faded, he raised up. Time for him to leave in case the patrol car made another loop. Except he wanted a glimpse of Emma. No. He needed to leave and quickly started his truck and pulled out of the parking space.

  At the stop sign, he was about to turn when Emma emerged from the two-story house with Ryker on her heels. Fire exploded in his chest as the ranger placed his arm around her waist. Ryker shouldn’t be touching her that way. He gripped the steering wheel, and his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. He was almost as angry as he’d been last night.

  A horn blew behind him, and he jumped. Both Emma and Ryker glanced toward the street, and he hastily made a left turn, away from town. It took a mile for his heart to calm down again. That had been close. At least they didn’t appear to recognize him, but what if Ryker made note of his pickup? Stupid driver behind him. He’d almost flipped him off when the idiot sped around him, but with drivers being the way they were nowadays, it might have caused an altercation. And that would have drawn Ryker’s attention.