A man who’s likely a decade older than us stands there, a cigarette smoldering between his lips. The cut of his suit is fashionable enough, though the sleeves are too long for tailor-made.
“No, sir, but thank you.” Emma’s voice rings appreciative, like she truly thinks this stranger is being kind to have checked on us.
“Where you girls headed tonight?” He pulls the cigarette from his mouth and holds it between his fingers. “My buddies and me, we want to hit the joint with the prettiest ladies.”
Emma flushes.
“We’re just taking our dog for a walk.” Sidekick stands between me and the man, and I pat his head. “If we don’t walk him often enough, he’s prone to biting. And it’s been a couple days.”
The man’s eyebrows arch. “Doesn’t look like you’re doing too much walking.”
“We had only stopped to admire the flowers, and now we’ll be on our way, sir. Thank you.” I loop my arm through Emma’s and carry on. “Infuriating man. Let’s walk up to the corner. Hopefully, Robbie will come out soon.”
“Yes, I hope so.” Emma’s words are breathy. “I don’t care for strange men talking to us on the sidewalk.”
“We’re fine. We have Sidekick. And I have a knife.”
Emma’s feet stop moving. She turns to me with wide eyes, a dropped jaw. “You have a knife?”
“Keep your voice down. And, yes, just in case.”
“How do you know how to do this?” Emma’s gaze is admiring, and it creates an itchy discomfort in my chest.
I urge her farther down the street, to the other side of a street lamp. “What do you mean?”
“How do you know to watch someone across the street from your peripherals? To bring a knife? You didn’t learn this at Presley’s.”
“No, I didn’t.” I glance at the door—still no Robbie. “I don’t know, really.”
“Did Mariano teach you?”
Just the sound of his name makes me flinch. “No.”
“That Mariano is one good-looking fellow.” Emma makes a show of fanning herself. “I told Jeremiah that, and I thought he might pummel me. As much as I like the idea of you and my brother—”
“The door’s opening.” And not a second too soon.
Robbie emerges, briefcase still in hand. Hmm.
“What does it mean that he’s leaving? Does it mean he doesn’t work there?” Emma’s voice lifts with hope.
“He’s crossing this way.” I tighten my hold on Sidekick’s leash. “We gotta move.”
We hustle down the sidewalk, and I resist the urge to check over my shoulder.
“Should we duck into a store?” Emma huffs between breaths.
“That’s tough with Sidekick.” An idea sparks in my mind. “But I’ve got an idea. You go in to this store, and I’ll stay here.”
“But, Piper, he’ll see you!”
“We’re running out of time, and I can’t explain. Go into the drugstore, wait until we’ve gone, and then go back to the Ford. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.”
“Until you’ve gone? But—”
“Just trust me.”
Emma blinks at me several times, looks down the sidewalk where Robbie will soon come into view, and then dashes into the drugstore in her impractical shoes.
I suck in a breath, breathe a prayer, and limp my way back the direction I came. Do I have enough time to conjure real tears? I should practice fake crying. That would be a handy skill in a pinch.
“Miss Sail? Are you all right?”
I look around, as if I can’t fathom who would be talking to me. “Oh, Mr. Thomas. Thank heavens.” I fall heavily against him and feel him brace.
He wears a gun. Fear lights up every nerve in my body.
“What happened to you?” Robbie looks around. “Are you out here alone?”
The alarm on his face makes me question the wisdom of leaving Emma on this end of town on her own. With no dog or knife.
I can’t think about it now. I have a cover story to concoct. “I was with a couple of girlfriends, but they met these guys and . . . Oh, I just didn’t like the look of them at all, but my friends wouldn’t listen to me.” I sniffle and choke out a sob. “I’ve been trying to find the closest L station, but then I twisted my ankle, and I don’t know my way around here at all.” I put on the face I would use to ask Father or Tim a favor. “Can you please help me, Mr. Thomas?”
“Of course.” Robbie tucks his arm around my waist to support my weight. “Emma wasn’t with you, was she?”
“Emma would never do anything like that. In fact, she told me I shouldn’t go out with those girls. I should have listened to her.”
“My apartment is just a block or so away. Can you walk that far?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine, thank you.”
“Instead of taking the train, someone should come pick you up. Who could you call?”
Time to get the attention off me. “Oh, you have your briefcase! I’m dreadfully sorry. I’m causing so much trouble for you.”
His eyes are surprisingly kind. “It’s no trouble at all, Miss Sail.”
“But you were on your way to work, weren’t you?”
After a pause, “Yes.”