I can’t help but smile. “But seriously. It hasn’t stopped bothering me since he got arrested, and I feel like I need to do something about it. What that is…” I trail off, shrugging.
“Well, I’m a therapist, not a psychic, so I can’t really tell you what the proper steps are to take. Have you talked to the detective on your case?”
I scoff and roll my eyes. “No. I don’t think he’d be interested in opening up the investigation again. We all kind of think he wasn’t really trying to find my stalker in the first place.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t say I disagree.” Maria frowns, her nose scrunched. Detective Whitfield is a lot less popular than he would like people to think.
“So, what should I do?”
“Just stay vigilant. If things begin to happen again while he’s in custody, that tells you something. Then you willhaveto talk to the detective. I know you don’t want to go back to looking over your shoulder, but better safe than sorry. And I’m here if it becomes too much.”
I groan and lay my head back on the couch seat. “Great. Just what I wanted to do.”
The alarm on Maria’s phone goes off, signaling the end of our session. “Alright, we're done for today. I’ll see you next time, but you can still call me if you need to. My line is always open.”
“Thanks, Maria.” I give her a wave as I exit her office, pulling out my phone to text Cull. His appointment is in an hour, and I know he’s anxious.
ME: I love you. You’ll be okay this afternoon. Sit on the floor, it helps.
CULL: Why the floor?
ME: Trust me?
CULL: I think we established my trust in you the first time you put a finger in my ass.
I let out a loud laugh right there on the sidewalk, the sound bouncing off the buildings. An old woman walking a mangy little dog shoots me a disapproving look, so I blow her a kiss and give her a wink. She clutches her chest like I’ve personally offendedher entire bloodline and hurries off, which only makes me laugh harder.
ME: That’s a good memory. We should do that again. Trip to the mountains soon?
CULL: Hell yes. Can we go to your grandparents place, just the two of us?
My phone is knocked from my hand when a hard body slams into me.
“My bad.” The voice is gruff and slightly slurred.
I stoop down to grab my phone. When I look up, my eyes widen, and I stumble back a step.
“Mason?”
“Hey, Hudson. It’s been a long time. Sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you like that.”
He’s frail and pale. His hands are shoved into his dirty jeans pockets, and they tremble through the denim. There is a grocery bag hanging from his wrist, but I can’t tell what’s inside.
“You’re supposed to be in jail,” I state, my voice stronger than I feel.
“Uh, yeah… I made bail.”
My jaw drops. “I didn’t know murder suspects got bail.”
“They don’t.”
What the actual fuck is going on right now? Even if I don’t think Mason is my stalker, he’s still the prime suspect in Ella’s murder.
There is no reason why he should be walking free right now.
“You killed Ella.” I spit the words, my chest aching.
“No, no. I swear I didn’t.” He throws his hands up, his face flashing with panic. “My fingerprints didn’t match the ones theyfound. Yes, I was there earlier buying pills from her, but I never went into the house. She was very much alive when I left.”
