Page 101 of Until Joy

I wanted to argue, wanted to protect her from whatever sick message her stalker had sent this time. But the determination in her expression told me she wouldn't back down.

“Okay.” I tore open the envelope carefully, prepared for anything except what I actually found.

Photographs. Professional quality, taken with a telephoto lens. The first showed Joy kneeling in Miss Laverne's front garden, pruning roses with the afternoon sun catching the gold in her hair. She looked peaceful, unaware of the eyes watching her.

The second photo made my blood run cold. Joy in the clinic's back kennel area in the late afternoon sun, playing with one of the dalmatians. The angle suggested it had been taken from the woods behind the building, someone hidden in the tree line with a clear view.

Both photos had writing across them in thick black marker: “You are such a Joy.”

“He's been watching me.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “At Miss Laverne's house. Here at work. How long has he been watching?”

Rage flooded my system, hot and immediate. This bastard had been stalking Joy, taking pictures of her like she was some kind of trophy. The violation of it made me want to put my fist through July's office wall.

“Is the dalmatian still here?”

“He went back to his owner two days ago. That picture had to have been taken last week.”

“We're leaving.” I stood abruptly, the photos crumpling in my grip. “Right now.”

“Graham—”

“No discussion. You can't stay here with all these strangers wandering around. It's not safe.”

July immediately nodded. “Of course. I completely understand.”

“Joy, get your things. We're going home.”

The walk back to my truck felt like it took forever, every face in the crowd a potential threat. I kept Joy close, my arm around her shoulders as we navigated through the maze of parked cars.

My truck came into view, and I stopped dead.

“She's mine” was spray-painted across the driver's side in dripping red letters. All four tires had been slashed, the rubber hanging in shreds.

“Son of a bitch.”

Joy made a sound like she'd been punched in the gut.

I pulled out my phone and speed-dialed Wes.

“I need a ride for me and Joy immediately. We'll be locked in my truck outside the clinic. We’re behind the clinic. Just look for the spot furthest out from all the parked cars.”

“What happened?”

“Stalker escalated. Vandalized my truck. Just get here.”

“On my way.”

I helped Joy into the passenger seat, then slid behind the wheel despite the fact that we weren't going anywhere. The truck felt like a fortress, metal and glass between us and whoever was watching.

I reached into the center console, my fingers finding the combination lock on the steel box I kept there. I pulled out my Sig Sauer. It felt familiar and reassuring in my hand as I set it on the dashboard where we could both see it.

“Graham.” Joy's voice cracked on my name.

I pushed my seat back and pulled her across the console into my arms, settling her on my lap like she belonged there. Which she did.

“It's going to be all right.” I pressed my face into her hair, breathing in the honeysuckle scent of her shampoo. “I've got you, baby. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.”

She trembled against me, her fingers clutching at my shirt like she was afraid I might disappear.