Page 92 of No Need to Run

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I turn, following his gaze.

But I don’t see anything.

This whole time I’ve been terrified someone was lurking around, and it’s probably the damn psycho cat.

I look back at him, the tension leaving me. “You’re weird.”

He blinks slowly, like he knows something I don’t.

I shake my head. I’m not spending the night arguing with a cat.

I glance back at Mr. Pickles. He’s still calmly staring out the patio door.

I follow his gaze… and shriek.

There’s a hooded figure looking inside.

I stumble backward into the couch.

When I look again…

No one’s there.

Mr. Pickles looks at me.

“Maybe you’re not scared,” I whisper. “But I am.”

I take off running down the hallway and don’t stop until I’m in bed with the covers pulled over my head.

I lie there, shaking, questioning my own sanity.

Did I really see something?

Or rather, someone?

I yelp, then calm down when I realize Mr. Pickles jumped on my bed.

I stick my head out of the covers. “You saw it, too?”

He slowly turns his head toward the window.

With a shriek, I yank the covers back over my head.

Fuck this.

No more ghosts tonight.

20

DREW

I tossmy laptop onto the coffee table and pinch the bridge of my nose.

I can't concentrate.

I've tried working in my bedroom, the kitchen, even outside. Nothing helps.

My thoughts keep drifting to Violet…

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