Gemotions

He found the empty space first, then the note. "Illegally parked." The words swam before Ben's eyes. He crumpled the paper, the flimsy feel of it failing to contain the pressure building in his chest. His heart hammered against his ribs.

His teeth ground together. He'd been gone for all of thirty minutes, popping into the corner store for a pack of smokes. He’d parked there a hundred times. The homeowner clearly had nothing better to do.

He kicked a small pebble across the driveway, the action providing minimal satisfaction. Muttering under his breath, he pulled out his phone, the familiar motions of the number-dialing sequence oddly difficult. He envisioned the smug tow truck driver and gritted his teeth.