CHAPTER TWENTY TWO – THE RISE OF A STALKER

Her phone buzzed in her hand, Ethan's name flashing on the screen. Relief flooded her momentarily, replaced by a pang of guilt as she answered. "Hey," she forced a lightness into her voice, "I'm just leaving the agency…" "Wait, where are you?" Ethan's voice, laced with concern, cut through the phone. Hesitantly, she glanced around the deserted parking lot. "At the agency parking lot," she mumbled. "Why? Everything alright?" Ethan's questions tumbled over each other. "Yeah, everything's fine," she lied, hating the tremor in her voice. "Just some paperwork stuff." "Okay, well, hurry home. I'm making your favorite – pasta with pesto." The warmth in his voice almost brought tears to her eyes, a stark contrast to the chilling message on her car. Taking a deep breath, she decided to rip the bandaid off. "Ethan, I need you to come down here. Now." The silence on the other end stretched for a heartbeat too long before Ethan's voice, tight with worry, filled the phone. "What's wrong, Mad