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The words make her heart skip. She quickly scans the area again but finds nothing suspicious. It seems unlikely now that the first note was written by an irate driver. Someone is keeping tabs on her whereabouts and trying to put her in her place.
But why? Andwho?Who would do something like this?
Kyle’s face pops into her mind immediately. Based on his recent behavior, it’s not a stretch to picture him drumming up ways to rattle her, but sneaking around parking lots doesn’t fit with his direct, confrontational style.
No, someone else has left them and it’s unsettling. So much for a relaxing cup of tea.
She’s about to take off when Tom calls.
“You done shopping, sweetheart?”
“All done and about to head home,” she says. “How about you?”
“The course is pretty crowded today, but I’m expecting we’ll finish up on schedule and I’ll be back a little after noon. Should we take a picnic lunch to the beach today?”
“Yeah, I like that idea.”
“Is everything okay?”
Tom might be preoccupied lately, but it hasn’t dampened his intuitive skills. Though she’s barely spoken to him yet, he can sense the distress in her tone.
“Uh, not quite. Something kind of odd just happened.”
Emma explains about the note, and the earlier one as well, which she hadn’t even bothered to mention to him.
“Jeez, how creepy. Do you want me to drive over there?”
“No, no, it’s not necessary.”
“But why don’t you go home now, okay?”
“Yes, I’m about to. Oh, by the way, I ran into Justine at the farmers’ market, and she cornered me, telling me she was worried about how much work you have and wished you’d delegate to her more. And how she couldn’t believe you went back to the office after dinner the other night.”
“Why in the world would she say all this to you?”
“I know, it seemed odd, like she was fishing for intel or wanted me to reassure her that she was in good standing.”
“That was totally inappropriate of her. Sorry to put you in the middle.”
“It was weird, but it wasn’t a big deal.... Did you really go by the office?”
“What? Oh, after dinner? Yeah, to pick up something related to the contract I had to review,” he says, sounding distracted again. “See you in a couple of hours, okay?”
After signing off, Emma tucks the note into her purse. She’d tossed the other one but thinks it might be smart to hold on to this one, as much as she hates having it on her person. If not Kyle, who could possibly have left them? Most of the people she knows in Westport are casual friends she’s met through work or Tom, and she’s not aware of having pissed any of them off.
When Emma enters the house a short time later, she discovers that the alarm is still on, meaning Brittany has yet to return. She’s unpacking the produce when her phone rings. To her surprise, it’s Taylor Hunt.
“Hey, Emma,” the chief of staff says. “Is Tom standing right there?”
“No, he’s playing golf. Have you been trying to reach him?”
“Actually, you’re the one who I wanted to talk to. I hope I’m not bothering you on a Saturday.”
“Not at all. Is everything all right?” Justine’s commentsecho in her mind. Is Taylor also going tell her that Tom has too much on his plate?
“Everything’s fine, and sorry to alarm you. I just wanted to ask—did you like the bracelet?”
The question takes Emma aback for a moment, before she realizes Tom might have consulted Taylor about the gift.
