time. And my patience.”
“He says he’ll see me soon.” Her face paled, and the note slipped from her grasp.
Chapter Nine
After filling the police in on the latest development and handing in the note for evidence, Dennis hurried her along to pack and they were on the road in a jiff once his car was fitted with new tires.
Most of the journey was spent in silence as she thought about Al and how twisted he was to have stalked her after she’d broken up with him. Freak.
She shuddered.
They passed the River Teign and turned onto the A3022. Torquay wasn’t far away. The dread she experienced was a harsh contrast to the joy she’d enjoyed hours before. She straightened in the passenger seat and glanced out the window.
Familiar sights and scents of the seaside town engulfed her, took her right back to her teen years. The rolling green hills, the cute roadside cottages with climbing roses she’d dreamed of living in as a child.
She snuggled against Dennis’s shoulder as he focused on the road ahead.
“You doing okay there?” he asked.
“Sure.” She let out a long exhale, not bothering to hide behind a smile. He’d see right through it.
“What’s up?”
“I just feel so bad about your tires and the cost for new ones. Now we’re running late and—”
“And nothing. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. But that’s not what’s really bothering you, is it?”
“Dennis Bay, I swear you know what I’m thinking before I even do.”
He stole a quick glance and caught her chewing her nails. “Don’t make me pull over and tickle it out of you.”
“Oh, that could be fun.”
He frowned.
“Fine.” She thumbed the radio dial and flicked through the stations. “I’m not exactly over the moon about the prospect of spending the afternoon with Mum. I’d much rather just hang with you at the beach. This whole Al thing has my brain out of whack. I don’t know if I’m coming or going.”
“Your visit won’t be long.” He rubbed her leg. “Then we’ll have the day all to ourselves. And you’ll be coming, by God I’ll make sure of that.”
“Is that a promise?”
He nodded. “Maybe we can visit a few of our old haunts? The Cream ‘n Coffee perhaps? Their chocolate ice cream is—”
“The bestest ever. With raspberry syrup and nut sprinkles on top. Yes. Can we go there first?”
He crossed his brows. “For breakfast?”
“Torquay ice cream is perfect for any meal of the day.”
“Best to see your mum first. Otherwise, you’ll be distracted all day and thinking of how the visit will go.”
Dennis was right, of course.
He swerved around the bend and pulled up outside the little house she’d grown up in. He unbuckled his seatbelt and removed the keys from the ignition.
“No,” she snapped. “I want to do this alone.” Sucking in a long breath, she gathered her courage.
“You sure?”
“No, but that’s what I’m going to do.” She turned to exit the car. “I need to stand on my own two feet for this one.”
“You don’t have to.” Leaning toward her, he entwined his fingers in hers and kissed her cheek. “I’m here for you.”
“I know, but I should go in there alone.” Really, I should . She stepped onto the street she’d played hopscotch on as a child and slammed the car door behind her. Her breath caught in her throat. No going back. She gulped then curled her hand around the wrought iron clasp of the gate to her childhood home. The chipped, powdered surface scraped her thumb and stung a little. Much like her heart.Tension pulled her muscles taut. She wiggled and hoisted the old thing open, the familiar squeaking of the rusted metal brackets making her flinch. Last time she’d endured that noise, it’d been close to midnight some twelve years earlier. The very same creaking had split through the still night, and the light in her mother’s bedroom had come on. Seconds later, Mum had peered between the curtains, curlers dangling and sporting an
“He says he’ll see me soon.” Her face paled, and the note slipped from her grasp.
Chapter Nine
After filling the police in on the latest development and handing in the note for evidence, Dennis hurried her along to pack and they were on the road in a jiff once his car was fitted with new tires.
Most of the journey was spent in silence as she thought about Al and how twisted he was to have stalked her after she’d broken up with him. Freak.
She shuddered.
They passed the River Teign and turned onto the A3022. Torquay wasn’t far away. The dread she experienced was a harsh contrast to the joy she’d enjoyed hours before. She straightened in the passenger seat and glanced out the window.
Familiar sights and scents of the seaside town engulfed her, took her right back to her teen years. The rolling green hills, the cute roadside cottages with climbing roses she’d dreamed of living in as a child.
She snuggled against Dennis’s shoulder as he focused on the road ahead.
“You doing okay there?” he asked.
“Sure.” She let out a long exhale, not bothering to hide behind a smile. He’d see right through it.
“What’s up?”
“I just feel so bad about your tires and the cost for new ones. Now we’re running late and—”
“And nothing. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. But that’s not what’s really bothering you, is it?”
“Dennis Bay, I swear you know what I’m thinking before I even do.”
He stole a quick glance and caught her chewing her nails. “Don’t make me pull over and tickle it out of you.”
“Oh, that could be fun.”
He frowned.
“Fine.” She thumbed the radio dial and flicked through the stations. “I’m not exactly over the moon about the prospect of spending the afternoon with Mum. I’d much rather just hang with you at the beach. This whole Al thing has my brain out of whack. I don’t know if I’m coming or going.”
“Your visit won’t be long.” He rubbed her leg. “Then we’ll have the day all to ourselves. And you’ll be coming, by God I’ll make sure of that.”
“Is that a promise?”
He nodded. “Maybe we can visit a few of our old haunts? The Cream ‘n Coffee perhaps? Their chocolate ice cream is—”
“The bestest ever. With raspberry syrup and nut sprinkles on top. Yes. Can we go there first?”
He crossed his brows. “For breakfast?”
“Torquay ice cream is perfect for any meal of the day.”
“Best to see your mum first. Otherwise, you’ll be distracted all day and thinking of how the visit will go.”
Dennis was right, of course.
He swerved around the bend and pulled up outside the little house she’d grown up in. He unbuckled his seatbelt and removed the keys from the ignition.
“No,” she snapped. “I want to do this alone.” Sucking in a long breath, she gathered her courage.
“You sure?”
“No, but that’s what I’m going to do.” She turned to exit the car. “I need to stand on my own two feet for this one.”
“You don’t have to.” Leaning toward her, he entwined his fingers in hers and kissed her cheek. “I’m here for you.”
“I know, but I should go in there alone.” Really, I should . She stepped onto the street she’d played hopscotch on as a child and slammed the car door behind her. Her breath caught in her throat. No going back. She gulped then curled her hand around the wrought iron clasp of the gate to her childhood home. The chipped, powdered surface scraped her thumb and stung a little. Much like her heart.Tension pulled her muscles taut. She wiggled and hoisted the old thing open, the familiar squeaking of the rusted metal brackets making her flinch. Last time she’d endured that noise, it’d been close to midnight some twelve years earlier. The very same creaking had split through the still night, and the light in her mother’s bedroom had come on. Seconds later, Mum had peered between the curtains, curlers dangling and sporting an
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