Page 32 of A Man After Midnight

He gestured to her to follow him down the almost vertical stairway from the upper mezzanine section, otherwise known as the nosebleed seats.

“Oh,” she said, frowning. “Are you sure? I’m pretty positive this is my seat.”

“Right this way,” the usher repeated with a patient smile and another wave of his hand.

Caroline smiled benignly to the people watching, gathered her purse and stood. He led her down and through the back, using a side hallway that led to a curtained room. When he held the curtain open, Caroline took a step back.

“Isn’t this an orchestra box? I didn’t purchase this seat!”

“No, I did,” came Wren’s deep voice from the private room. “We wouldn’t have been able to see anything from outer space.”

Caroline smiled weakly at the usher and then hurried inside. The curtain closed behind her. “How did you know I was here?”

He held up Aldy’s unused ticket. “I upgraded.”

Caroline took a peek over the balcony. They practically sat on the stage. She bit her lip and took her seat. Through the show she marveled at being able to see the actor’s faces, silently admitting that the extra cost of the ticket had been well worth the price. It made the experience of a Broadway play all the more exciting and memorable.

They were silent as they walked the block back to the hotel, although they were far from alone. People bustled up and down the sidewalk.

“What time is your flight?” Wren asked.

Caroline looked at her watch. “Four. I probably should hurry ba––”

Suddenly, something very sharp poked into her ribs and a split second later, an arm curled around her neck. She was confused until she saw Wren tense up and a harsh voice snapped in her ear.

“You cost me my job, bitch.”

Immediately, she recognized Gil’s voice. The sharp jab in her side got worse, and pain radiated through her body.

“Get your hands off her, Gil,” Wren said in a low, warning tone.

“Not until you give me back my job.”

“If you hurt her, I will fucking destroy you.”

That’s when it dawned on Caroline that Gil had a weapon trained on her, and from the sharp, needlelike agony determined it was a knife. Icy fear erupted and her gaze clashed with Wren’s. Several emotions flittered through their stormy grey depths, but all she could register was her own panic.

“Give me back my job!” he demanded.

Dozens of people passed by, but they were oblivious to the drama being played out in front of them. No one paying attention she could signal to for help. Caroline wondered if she’d die right there on the sidewalk, one more casualty on the streets of New York City. Tears welled up in her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

“Listen to me,” Wren said. His hands curled into fists as he faced Gil. “You have less than a minute to let her go and drop that knife, or I’m going to break both of your hands. Do you hear me?”

“I did nothing wrong!” Gil shouted.

That had a few people turning to look at them.

“You were going to rape her.”

“She was asking for it.” Caroline could feel him shaking his head. “All women ask for it. No reason for you to fire me over this bitch!”

Caroline saw a few people were pulling out cell phones. She hoped to God they were calling the police and not simply shooting a video to upload later to social media.

The knife dug a little deeper and she couldn’t hold back a whimper of pain. Wren’s face darkened.

“Let. Her. Go. Now!”

At that moment, everything erupted. Chaos ensued as red and blue lights flashed, a siren rang out, and a cop car pulled up next to them just as Wren grabbed hold of Gil’s arm, the one that held the knife in her side, and wrenched it down. Gil let out an ungodly scream as two patrol officers swarmed over all three of them. Caroline felt herself falling as she was freed from Gil’s hold. She landed on her knees and then began crawling away.

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