Page 48 of Forbidden Whispers

Her small, dark eyes shifted from face to face and lingered on the way Johnny still held tightly to Maggie’s arm.

“It don’t look all that friendly to me,” she remarked. “Why are you holding onto her arm like that?

Gretchen and her friend, Margot, were now side by side. While Gretchen exuded a tougher vibe, Margot looked more like a classic grandmother. She wore a flowy, floral-print dress over her plump frame and carried an oversized handbag. Her silver hair was twisted into a soft bun at the nape of her neck. Nervous fingers played at the delicate lace collar of her dress as she surveyed the group with wide, pale blue eyes.

“She looks scared, Gretchen,” Margot whispered, but it echoed clearly in the small alleyway.

“She does.” Gretchen took a step closer to Nick and Noah, this time focusing her attention on Noah. “Aren’t you one of them Riley boys?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Noah said. “But we’re fine here, really. I think that you and your friend should—”

“Whatcha got under that newspaper?” This time Gretchen addressed Nick, ignoring Noah’s attempt to get rid of her.

Nick’s nostrils flared, and a wave of fear washed over Maggie. As scared as she was, she didn’t want anything to happen to these innocent ladies.

“He just told you we’re fine here,” Nick said. “Now, beat it!”

Gretchen advanced another step closer. She was right beside Nick now.

“What is that? A knife?” Gretchen asked, and Maggie could see the point of the blade was slightly exposed, glinting from beneath the edge of the newspaper.

Nick rolled his eyes and dropped the paper. “Yeah, you old bag, it’s a knife. I was just showing my friend Noah here how sharp it is.”

Gretchen’s beady eyes narrowed, then she and Margot exchanged a look.

Gretchen turned to squarely face Nick. “Why don’t you show me how sharp it is?”

Maggie was appalled. What was this crazy lady doing?

Nick gave a loud snort of frustration through his nose and turned toward Gretchen. Stepping forward, he grabbed a handful of fabric at the neckline of her shirt, and with his other hand, he thrust the blade at her throat. “Sure, old lady, take a good look.”

As Maggie watched, everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

In a lightning fast move that belied the woman’s advanced age, she watched Gretchen angle her body away from the blade. She grabbed hold of Nick’s knife arm with her left hand and delivered a powerful strike to his throat with her right. She followed it up with a forceful knee to his groin, causing him to double over in pain. With precision, Gretchen twisted his knife arm, lifting it up and forcing his wrist forward until he released his grip on the knife. She quickly snatched it from his hand before delivering a swift kick to his face.

Nick howled in pain and blood streamed from his nose as he rose back to a standing position. But by now Gretchen had leapt back, the blade securely in her hand.

Suddenly Margot was in the game, whacking Johnny with her oversized purse like it was a baseball bat. “You. Let. Her. Go. Right. Now!” she panted between blows as Johnny staggered back with each impact.

In the pandemonium, Maggie was vaguely aware that she could hear Boon barking.

Then she heard a voice call out, “Hey, what’s going on here?”

“Call 911!” she heard another voice cry out. “Someone’s trying to mug those old ladies!”

Suddenly Boon stood at the alley entrance, barking loudly.

The gathered crowd rushed toward them as one with Boon leading the way, his leash trailing behind him. Without another word, Nick and Johnny bolted in the opposite direction, racing down the alley away from them.

“Get those men!” another voice shouted as the crowd and dog rushed past, chasing after the fleeing men.

Within seconds, Maggie, Noah, and the two women were left alone in the alley.

“What just happened?” Noah said.

“I’m pretty sure these ladies just saved our lives,” Maggie said. She turned to face them. “Thank you so much!”

“Sure thing,” Gretchen said. Then she waggled the large knife at her friend. “I told you them Krav Maga lessons I took at the senior center would come in handy one day.”

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