Page 22 of Double Obsession

Jenna hadn’t finished reading the message when the next appeared.

By city, do you mean Manhattan?

Yes. I’m taking the train in and staying at The Lancaster. My ex has our kids for the weekend.

Cool. I’m in Brooklyn. Want to meet me for a drink in your hotel lobby?

Jenna stared at the ceiling for a very long time before peeking at her phone.

Beautiful?

She closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep. Instead, she tossed and turned.

Thirty minutes later, she sent a one-word response.

YES!

Chapter Ten

It was a beautiful, sunny day when Arkansas drove Grandmommy’s old car to the store. Since the candy section was her favorite, she usually headed straight for it. However, today she hurried past aisles full of chocolate and rainbow-colored treats, to the gift wrap section. She stood beside a frail older lady and together they perused the cards, paper, and bows.

“Dear, could you hand me the blue-flowered one?” The woman pointed to a thin square package.

Arkansas retrieved it from the highest shelf and handed it to her.

“Thank you. I’m wrapping a birthday gift for my granddaughter. She will be thirty-two years old,” the woman shared.

“I think it’s terrible that they put things up so high that not everyone can get to them. I had arthritis until a couple of days ago, so even though I am tall, I couldn’t have reached it either,” Arkansas said.

The woman squinted and studied her. “You look too young to have arthritis.”

“I’m twenty-six.”

“Well, I’m glad it went away, and thank goodness for kind people like you.”

“My doctor had me on a medication that caused it.” Arkansas had disclosed too much. She balked and clamped her mouth closed.

Gray pin curls bobbed as the woman shook her head andtsked.“I know that feeling, honey. They had me on the wrong blood pressure medicine, which upset my stomach.”

“I hate doctors!” Arkansas stuck out her tongue.“I’m picking out wrapping paper for my special friend.”

“A special friend, ay? Would this special friend be a man?” The woman grinned from ear to ear.

Arkansas wasn’t sure she trusted this stranger; however, she wanted someone besides Jesus and the cats to share her secret with. “Yes. I crocheted blankets for his dogs. He loves his animals a lot and I am excellent at crocheting.”

“Before my arthritis kicked in, I liked to knit.” The woman held up fingers twisted with age and sighed. “Not anymore.”

Arkansas shivered. “Kik slamt like an old witch. Scistrington!”

The stranger didn’t even say goodbye. She turned her back to Arkansas, leaned into her cart, and moved much too quickly for a woman of advanced age.

It probably wasn’t the silly words that caused her brusque retreat since the elderly were always up to something sketchy.

Arkansas picked a wrap adorned with tiny pink bows. It was perfect for Lizzie.

She dug in her grandmother’s purse for a pair of scissors and a rubber band. Carefully, she slid a sharp point through the plastic and removed the outer wrapping. She had excelled in geometry in high school, so once she spread the paper on the floor, she knew exactly how to measure three-quarters of a yard. She cut it, rolled it into a tube so it wouldn’t wrinkle, placed a rubber band around the center, and searched for boy paper.

She settled on a blue gingham pattern and knelt to roll it out. She had just started to cut when a masculine voice startled her.