Page 24 of Gentle Persuasion

Cole nodded. My Debbie! He shuddered as he lowered her onto a sofa in the outer office of the security department. The mall manager hovered, concerned for the young woman’s welfare, panicked that they might be sued.

“What happened?” Cole asked. He was all business. And it was then that he noticed the woman and two children sitting at a table in another room, obviously giving some sort of statement. He caught the look in Rick’s eyes and nodded. As usual, they’d read each other’s mind.

Rick touched Cole’s arm. “I’ll see what that’s all about,” he said, and hurried into the other room.

Cole knelt at Debbie’s side. The manager quickly dumped everything he knew about the incident in the officer’s lap.

“All we know is that she was riding up an escalator and someone coming down on the opposite side tried to rob her. The woman in the other room saw everything.”

Cole’s mouth thinned and his eyes narrowed as he carefully felt for Debbie’s pulse. Everything about him seemed cool and methodical. He gave a good imitation of calm under fire. What he wanted to do was hit something…or someone.

“Have you called an ambulance? Did the woman say what Debbie was hit with?” His dark eyes raked the purpling bruise on her chin. “Was it some sort of a weapon or…?”

“Miss Randall wouldn’t let us call an ambulance. She just wanted us to call you. She said she was fine. Actually, she seemed to be until you walked in.” The manager shrugged, as if to say it was out of his hands. “As for the witness, she said the boy just doubled up his fist and swung. Couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then he tried to get her purse but was unsuccessful.”

“Hell!” Cole’s single expletive said it all.

“I’ve got a copy of her statement,” Rick said as he came back into the room. “She thinks she can identify the man. She’s volunteered to go down and look at some mug shots.” He looked down at the tiny woman lying so pale and still. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get her to a hospital. We’ll beat an ambulance if I drive.”

Cole looked up, read the concern on his partner’s face, and nodded. Debbie was starting to come around.

“Debbie?” Cole’s voice was soft and low as he brushed her hair away from her forehead and tried not to look at the bruise on her face and the cut on her lip. “Honey….can you hear me?”

She moaned. Her eyelids fluttered, and her fingers began to twitch as she tightened her grip onto the only anchor she could find…Cole.

“It was him.” Her speech was slurred, her eyesight blurry as her makeshift bed tried to go into orbit inside the tiny office.

“Him? Who, honey?” Cole asked.

Her heart thumped as she saw Cole and struggled to sit. He’s here! Thank God!

“The man from the beach…the one who stole Florence Goldblum’s purse…remember?” Her fingers dug into his wrist.

Cole’s expression froze. My God! “You mean…that day…you saw his face?”

“Yes. I thought you knew,” she whispered. “Didn’t you?”

“Not really. I was already running, remember?”

Debbie closed her eyes and swallowed. The words came out in a rush. “At the beach…when it happened…he saw me watching him. Today…when we met on the escalator…I don’t know who was more surprised, me or him.”

“You mean he knows who you are?” The growl was deep, and threatening. Debbie had to look up just to assure herself that Cole’s anger wasn’t directed at her.

“I guess. At least, he knows my face.” And then she moaned as the sofa took another turn around the room.

Cole took a deep breath. He nodded to Rick, again the need for conversation unnecessary. The man had to be found. After what he’d done today, it was obvious that he didn’t like witnesses.

“Be still, honey,” he cautioned. “We’re going to take you to the hospital. I’m going to carry you. I don’t want you to move unnecessarily. Just let me do all the work, okay?”

She started to nod and then grabbed her head and moaned. Rick had seen that look before. He reached for the nearest trash can and shoved it beneath her chin just as the nausea caught her unawares.

“Possible concussion,” Cole muttered. “Maybe we’d better call an ambulance.”

“You get her. I’ll get another can. It won’t be the first time someone threw up in the car. Remember that time I got a bad burger? I was sick for a week.”

Cole tried to smile. But he was too worried to manage more than a grimace. “I owe you.”

“I won’t let you forget.”

---