Page 36 of Pride

“I’m sure you’re not, Miss B...”

“Emma.”

He gave a slight smile, but there was pity in his eyes. I didn’t want his pity.

“I’m sure you’re not making it up,” he went on. “But without the email evidence or any other details, all I can do is log it, file a report, and keep your details on our system. And in the meantime, if anything else happens, come straight to us.”

“I can do better than that,” I stated. “If you want evidence, I’ll go and get the fucking evidence. Maybe then you’ll take me seriously.”

“We take all reports seriously, ma’am,” he replied.

“Emma,” I snapped. “My name is Emma.” And I turned and stormed out, determined to go to my house and find that box, bring it back to the station, and drop it on his desk so I could see his face when he realised how wrong he’d been about me.

I wasn’t the crazy one here.

The street was darker now,and the dimly lit streetlamps shone on the ground like golden flickering shadows subtly lighting my way. Every house I walked past had the curtains closed, and it made me feel a little unnerved knowing I was alone out here. That no one could see me. I peered over my shoulder, feeling exposed, but there was no one behind me.

I carried on, heading towards my house, and more importantly, the bin that was sitting right under one of the streetlamps. I stopped in front of it and braced myself with a fortifying breath, then I opened the lid.

There was nothing there.

No plastic bag.

No box.

Nothing.

Just the regular rubbish that’d been in there earlier this morning.

I frowned.

Maybe I’d put it in another bin?

So, I checked Ethel’s bin.

Nothing.

I slammed the lid down and went to Meg and Charlie’s bin. Then Bill or Bob’s or whatever he was called.

Nothing.

I glanced around, wondering where the hell it had gone. And I went back to my bin again and checked one last time. Not that I expected it to magically appear. But I was feeling erratic and acting it too.

“What the fuck?” I hissed. “Did he come back and take it?”

Chills crept down my spine, as if I was being watched. I didn’t want to stay for a moment longer, I didn’t feel safe. I knew I had to get out of here. I had no idea where that heart had gone, but I knew one thing, someone was fucking with my head. I know what I saw in that box, and I know what it meant.

He was coming for me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EMMA

“I’m trying not to spiral here, but I am freaking the fuck out. I can’t help it.”

Gracie had poured us both a glass of wine, but I couldn’t face drinking mine. My nerves were shredded, and I wanted to keep a clear head. I still had to work tomorrow.

“None of it makes sense,” she replied, taking a sip from her own glass. “He took offense to the shitty review that youdidn’twrite, and he’s been stalking you ever since. But what I don’t get is why he pushed that first domino by sending you those emails, sat back and watched them fall, and them randomly decided to throw a fucking bomb into the mix and send you a fucking animal’s heart. Who does that? He went from zero to a hundred. But why? And don’t even get me started on the police. I’m so mad for you. So what if you deleted the emails? You’re not lying. Who would lie about having to put up with any of this?” Gracie blew out a breath. “But the police might be right about one thing. Maybe it isn’t him.” She shrugged. “It could be a crazy fan-turned-stalker. I mean, why just target you? Why not Gold, too?”