I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed that. “Thank you,” I said shyly, taking the proffered sweatshirt from him. I must not have tied it on well enough. I wrapped the sleeves around my waist and tied the knot twice before I was satisfied.
“Hey.” He flicked his chin at me, all friendly and good-natured. He reminded me of a guy on a commercial trying to sell me lemonade. All sunny and wholesome, the ideal family man. “Do you know where the entrance to the Sky Gliders is?”
That used to be my favorite ride when I was younger. It’s kind of lame, but I liked to use it to get from one side of the park to the other. “Over there.” I pointed and turned. Started to walk away. I needed to get back to Sarah. “Thanks for finding my sweatshirt,” I called over my shoulder.
He followed me. I didn’t like that. Increasing my pace, I ignored the erratic throb of my heart and headed toward where Sarah waited for me in line.
“Where you going?” the man yelled after me.
I glanced back over my shoulder and realized he was directly behind me. “The roller coaster. My friends are waiting.”
He seemed disappointed by that. Was he hoping to get me alone? My heart started to beat even faster. “That line is always too long.”
“Isn’t that the truth,” I muttered, earning a laugh out of him. He walked beside me and I stepped to the side, putting some distance between us.
“Ah, a feisty one.” The smile shifted, became almost . . . predatory. “You tell it like it is, don’t you.”
Alarm rung through me at the tone of his voice, the way he looked at me. I slowed my pace and started to back away from him. “Nice talking to you,” I offered feebly right before I planned on turning and making my escape.
He stepped forward like he could read my body language, grabbing hold of my arm and making me pause. “Wait a minute. You’re not going anywhere.”
I tried my best to jerk out of his hold but he was too strong. “Stop,” I told him as I wiggled against his grip, but his fingers clamped around my arm extra tight.
“Stop what?” Again with the good-natured smile. Like he wouldn’t harm a fly. People passed by us, oblivious to my struggle. They probably thought we were a father and daughter having a little squabble. “You’re overreacting. Just show me where the Sky Glider is. I can never find the entrance.”
He let go of me before I said anything and for whatever reason, I didn’t run. Instead, I pointed toward the Sky Glider entrance again, though at least this time we were closer. “There are two,” I explained to him. “One on this side, and one on the other side of the park.”
“Near the arcade?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah.” Run, Katie. Get away from this guy.
“Show me the entrance over here.” When I started to protest he made a face, one that reminded me of a sad puppy dog. “Please? My wife and kids are waiting for me over there and I’m late. They probably already left me. I don’t want the wife mad at me, you know?”
He had a family. How bad could he be? “But my friends . . .”
“That line is forever long. You’ll be fine,” he said, brushing away my words. “It’ll take all of two minutes. Please?”
I wanted to help him, but I couldn’t put the way he’d grabbed me out of my mind. That had been weird. But now he was so friendly . . . I was conflicted. I knew I shouldn’t talk to strangers, but I should help people, right? And this guy, with his wife and kids waiting for him, needed my help. “Come on,” I told him with a wave of my hand.
He fell into step beside me once more, the smile on his face . . .
Triumphant.
The memories were so strong the minute I walked inside, so incredibly powerful, that I could feel them rise within me, one after another. The cry of the seagulls, the ever-present scent of fried food lingering in the air, and the screams. The constant screams of the people on the roller coaster, and on that Ferris wheel–looking thing that had individual cages that spun round and round. I never rode it. Was always afraid I’d barf everywhere.
Coming here was a mistake. I’m frozen in place, right at the entrance of the park, remembering vividly the way Aaron Monroe approached me, all friendly with my sweatshirt in his hand, the smile on his face, the pleading way he asked for my help.
I’d fallen right into his trap like the idiot twelve-year-old girl I was. Na?ve and stupid and wanting to please someone I didn’t even know. I’d shown him the entrance to the Sky Gliders and he’d taken hold of my arm again, steering me right out of the park, right into the giant parking lot nearby. He’d pressed a knife to my side, close to my ribs, the tip of it sharp, piercing through my thin T-shirt, and my legs had almost given out on me right then. Like my bones were made of jelly.