Obsessed

Chapter 14

Mark pulled up in front of Ronnie’s house just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long orange shadows across the quiet street. The porch light flicked on, illuminating the dark siding and stone base of the cozy two-story home. Before he could even knock, the front door flung open.

Theo burst out like a tiny dinosaur tornado, dressed head to toe in a green and orange T-Rex costume, tail dragging behind him as he roared.

“RAWR!” Theo lifted his claws. “You’re late!”

Mark laughed, holding up a dragon mask. “Had to fight off some other monsters to get here. I brought backup.”

Theo's eyes lit up. “A dragon? That’s awesome! But where’s your real costume?”

Mark raised a brow, straightening the collar of his dark hoodie and combat boots. “This is it. I’m a terrifying dragon in disguise. All the other costumes weren't big enough.”

Theo giggled, his rubber tail swinging behind him. “You’re a very large man. That’s why Ronnie likes you—she likes muscular guys.”

Mark blinked.

Then the sound of fast steps thundered from inside the house.

“Theo!” Ronnie's voice rang out just as she appeared behind him. “What did I say about opening the door without me?”

Her breath hitched slightly when she saw Mark standing on the porch, the corners of his mouth still twitching from Theo’s commentary.

She was dressed like a fairy—iridescent wings on her back, glitter dusting her cheeks and her hair in neat French braids tied with tiny ribbons.

“I—uh—he got too excited,” she said quickly, brushing her braid over her shoulder. “Also, he insisted I be a fairy. So.”

Mark chuckled, his gaze lingering on the shimmer of her makeup. “You pull it off.”

Ronnie gave a small shrug, cheeks pinkening under the glitter. “Thanks.”

Theo waved his plastic candy bucket impatiently. “Can we go now?”

Ronnie glanced back at him. “Did you use the bathroom?”

“Yes!”

“Did you check your bag for holes?”

“Yes!”

She looked at Mark. “He’s very serious about candy.”

“I respect that,” Mark replied with a small grin.

Theo marched down the steps and reached for Mark’s hand, then Ronnie’s, swinging their arms as they walked toward the sidewalk.

They started in their neighborhood, houses modest and welcoming. Jack-o’-lanterns flickered from porches, and the scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke filled the cool air. Kids in costume darted across lawns, screaming with laughter.

Ronnie let out a soft laugh as Theo ran up to a door and yelled, “TRICK OR TREAT!” with enough volume to startle the family dog. She tucked her hands into the sleeves of her cardigan and turned to Mark.

“Thanks for coming,” she said quietly.

Mark glanced down at her. “You didn’t think I’d flake, did you?”

“No. Just... a lot happened yesterday. I didn’t expect you to want to spend your night off following a six-year-old T-Rex around.”

He gave a small smile. “I’ve had worse nights.”

Theo came racing back, his candy bucket already half-full. “Let’s go to the rich neighborhood next!” he said. “Uncle Gale says they give out full-size candy bars.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “Full-size?”

Ronnie laughed. “You’ll see. We’re heading to my uncles’ street next. It’s like trick-or-treating heaven.”

As they walked, Theo skipped ahead, occasionally roaring at other kids or explaining the proper T-Rex etiquette to anyone who would listen. Ronnie watched him with a small smile.

“He looks happy,” Mark said.

“He is,” Ronnie replied, her voice softer now. “He loves Halloween. The structure of it, the rules—dress up, go to doors, say the phrase, receive candy. It makes sense to him. Predictable.”

Mark looked at her. “And you?”

She shrugged lightly. “It’s always been a little sensory-heavy for me. Crowds, noise, sticky candy wrappers and I've never been one for candy. But now that he’s older and can handle more, I’m learning to enjoy it through him.”

Mark nodded, watching as Theo helped a younger kid stand after tripping over their costume.

“He’s a good kid,” Mark said.

“He is,” Ronnie agreed, pride blooming in her voice. “Takes after me.”

They reached the next neighborhood just as twilight deepened and the moon started to rise over the rooftops. Here, the houses were bigger—three-stories tall, Victorian and craftsman-style homes, each lit up like something out of a Halloween movie. Giant inflatable pumpkins bobbed on manicured lawns. Animatronic witches cackled from porches. One house even had a fog machine that spilled eerie mist across the walkway.

Theo’s eyes lit up like he’d just stumbled into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

“Let’s go!” he yelled, bolting up the stone path to the first house.

Ronnie laughed. “This is his dreamland.”

“Full-size bars?” Mark asked.

“You’ll see,” she said, watching Theo get a king-size KitKat from a man dressed as Frankenstein’s monster.

Mark let out a low whistle. “Damn.”

“Welcome to the candy elite.”

They followed Theo house to house, pausing occasionally to chat with friendly neighbors or help kids struggling with costume pieces. Several people greeted Ronnie by name. Some asked about her uncles. Others complimented Theo’s dinosaur outfit, and one older woman winked and asked if Mark was her husband.

Ronnie turned five shades of red. “No! He’s—uh—just a friend.”

Mark didn’t correct her. He just kept walking, though a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

By the time they hit the tenth house, Theo’s bucket was so full he had to carry it with both hands. He plopped down on a patch of lawn and started sorting his haul.

Mark and Ronnie sat on the edge of a stone planter nearby, watching him work.

“You know,” Mark said, “you’re really good with him.”

Ronnie glanced over. “You think?”

“Yeah. You’re patient. You explain things. You let him be himself without trying to control it.”

She smiled faintly. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

“You raise him alone?”

Ronnie nodded. “I’ve been his guardian since I was nineteen.”

Mark’s brow furrowed. “That’s young.”

“I didn’t really have a choice,” she said, brushing a speck of glitter off her knee. “My mom went to prison while she was pregnant with Theo. Had him while she was locked up.”

Mark’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t say anything. He just listened, and somehow that made it easier to keep going.

“My uncle Marvin—he helped a lot. He and Gale did what they could, their both lawyers. But they both work full-time, and I was already starting my first year of college. There wasn’t anyone else I trusted. I couldn’t let Theo go into the system.”

“You raised him,” Mark said.

“I had to.”

“You didn’t have to,” he corrected gently. “You chose to.”

Ronnie didn’t reply, just gave a small nod, feeling her throat tighten.

“You protected him.”

“I tried,” she said quietly. “Still trying.”

Mark looked at her for a long moment. “You’re stronger than you think, Ronnie.”

She laughed under her breath. “People don’t usually say that. They say I’m quirky. Or intense. Or awkward.”

“Well, you are awkward.”

She rolled her eyes.

“But you’re also one of the toughest people I’ve met.”

She didn’t answer right away, just stared out at Theo as he traded a peanut butter cup with another kid.

Mark shifted, voice lowering. “You said the killer might be selecting victims based on neurological traits. Girls with autism. Developmental disorders. Specific profiles.”

She nodded.

“Do you think it’s about control?” he asked. “Targeting people he sees as vulnerable?”

“Maybe,” Ronnie said. “But I don’t think it’s just that. There’s a pattern of familiarity. Almost like… he’s choosing girls who remind him of someone.”

Ronnie exhaled slowly. “It’s not just randomness. There’s something deeper here—obsession, maybe. Recognition.”

Mark nodded. “We’ll figure it out.”

Just then, Theo ran back, grinning as he hoisted his bucket high. “I got seven full-size bars!”

“Candy legend,” Mark said.

“I told you rich people give the good stuff.”

Ronnie laughed and stood, brushing off her skirt. “Alright, dino. Let’s start heading back before you crash.”

“I’m not tired!”

He yawned mid-protest.

Mark chuckled and stood too. “Want me to carry that?” he asked, pointing to the overflowing bucket.

Theo considered it. “You are very strong.”

“I’ve been known to lift heavy things.”

Theo handed over the candy. “You can hold it, but don’t eat any.”

“No promises,” Mark said with a wink.

They continued walking in comfortable silence, Theo skipping ahead of them down the sidewalk. The sounds of Halloween—kids laughing, parents calling after little ones, the occasional animatronic scream—filled the night air around them.

Eventually, they reached Ronnie’s street. The familiar shape of her dark-sided house came into view, porch light glowing softly, autumn decorations still swaying in the breeze.

Ronnie stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and turned to Mark.

“You want to come in for a little bit?” she asked, brushing one of her French braids behind her ear. “You’ve earned a break from… everything.”

Mark looked at her, eyes catching the glint of glitter still on her cheeks under the porch light.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’d like that.”