Dark Obsession (Charli Cross Mystery Series Book 6) by Mary Stone

Author:Mary Stone [Stone, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-18T16:00:00+00:00

16

Charli was still irritated with Matthew as they neared Fountain Park. She tried to reason with herself why she felt as strongly as she did. After all, Matthew was just trying to look out for her. Why did that upset her so much? Odds were, he would have done that for any partner and that it had nothing to do with her gender, age, or physical stature.

In the back of her mind, a niggling sensation demanded that there was something missing underneath the surface. She could sense it. Was she afraid that if she let Matthew be protective, he would somehow lose respect or treat her differently?

Maybe. Charli didn’t have the luxury of trying to solve the mystery of her own complicated emotions right now, though. Not when there were more pressing mysteries to solve with more tangible, real-world consequences.

Once they arrived at the park, Matthew headed straight for the crime scene, which was still taped off. Charli got out of the truck much slower and wandered around, studying each detail with fresh eyes. Maybe something new would stand out.

Something had drawn Mason and Nicole to this particular park. What was it? Was it just youthful hormones and the need for some privacy? That would make sense. Was there anything special about this place to them? To their killer?

“Repent! Repent, all you sinners and whores of Babylon!”

The sudden shouting startled Charli, and she whipped around. The speaker was an older man with frizzy, white hair and an overgrown white beard. He was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, not that far from where Mason and Nicole would have likely entered the park.

Charli walked forward, pulled by invisible strings. Something about the man drew her in. As she got closer, she could read the sign he was carrying—if she could call the piece of cardboard taped to a metal pole a sign. On the cardboard, a message had been scrawled in black marker. The End of the World Is Night!

She blinked and reread the words, approaching the man with caution. “Excuse me, sir?”

Giving her a stern glare, the elderly man turned one bright green eye on her, the other one covered with a cloudy gray film.

“Yes, ma’am?” His tone was more polite than she’d expected.

“I was curious about your sign.” Charli flashed him a disarming smile. “It says the end of the world is night?”

“Night?” He barked the word, jabbing his finger at the sign. “No, nigh! As in imminent, present, coming to pass.”

Charli bit her lip. “It says night.”

The man frowned and lowered the sign. “Can you hold this a minute?”

He thrust the sign at her.

Surprised, Charli grabbed it before it could fall. The metal was surprisingly heavy and cold.

How the hell did he carry this thing for hours?

With gnarled fingers, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses, sliding them on his face. As he leaned in close, bright crimson splotches bloomed on his neck and cheeks.

“Damn idiot pup! Should have never trusted him to write it down for me.

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