Page 7 of Speak No Evil

“Just until I check the area out front.”

“Wait. I’m coming, too. Tell me now which way we’re going when we get outside. Please?”

“We’ll turn left and go to the corner. Come on. Stay right behind me.” Will left their hiding place and strode to the heavy brass and glass doors. A streetlight illuminated the empty plaza-like area in front of the skyscraper. “I don’t see him out there.”

“I doubt he’s giving up,” she whispered. “But it’s all clear now. Should we go?”

“Right.” There would be plenty of time for explanations later. He hoped.

They dashed out of the exit. At the end of the block, he glanced down the street that the skyscraper faced. Gwen’s stalker waited there. Before they could duck back out of sight, he saw them.

They’d lost their advantage. No point trying to hide now. They’d just have to outrun him and hope they could board the subway before he saw which car they chose. He pointed to the metal banister around the subway entry stairs on the next corner. “Hurry.”

Gwen kept up with him, panting hard as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

He pulled his metro card from his wallet and swiped her through the turnstile and then himself, nearly bumping into her as she looked up at the directional signs and shook her head. “This is the wrong direction.”

“Keep going. There’s a hallway up ahead.”

They raced past the grimy, graffiti-filled walls to another platform with two tracks. The rumble of trains filled the tunnel. Will raised his voice. “This will take us north.”

“Yeah, but this line doesn’t go to Grand Central.” She glanced around for options.

“There’s a connection from Penn Station.”

Hurrying footsteps thundered behind them. Will caught sight of the stalker, tugged Gwen into the shadows under the stairs, and held a finger to his lips. Gwen peered around him and sagged.

An incoming train on the opposite track swooshed to a stop. More rumbling intensified, and suddenly, the train on their track arrived.

Riders flooded the platforms on either side. The good thing was that the stalker had walked toward the opposite end from where they hid. Will didn’t think he’d seen them, but he’d get Gwen’s opinion. “Do you want to let him board and take the next train?”

“I don’t know.” The doors of the nearest car slammed open. “I doubt I have time.”

The dude following Gwen blended in with the others crowded onto the platform. He still hadn’t approached her, and Will couldn’t figure his motive. He would protect her, though, if things came to that, and reached for her hand. “Let’s go.”

He pulled her into the closest car seconds before the doors clamped shut and they lurched forward. With plenty of standing room, they moved away from the exit and clasped a pole. The train lurched over the tracks, the clattering wheels creating a din which intensified as they entered a tunnel.

Gwen studied the route map on the wall next to the doors and then looked at him. Her frown had taken up permanent residence, and he wished he could smooth it out. They were okay, doing good, in fact.

She grimaced. “We have to go to Penn Station to change.”

“The connection is quick.” He leaned close so she could hear him over the clattering of the train, catching a whiff of her fragrance. Spring flowers? “There was another line about five more blocks away, but I figured you wanted to get off the street as quickly as possible.”

Her lips quirked up at the corners. “You were right.”

One of the passengers seated on the bench next to them, a college-aged girl with curly blond hair, closed the book she’d been reading, stood, and moved past them to the exit.

“Go ahead and sit down.” Will nudged Gwen.

The student got off at the next stop. A passenger jumped up from beside Gwen, and Will slid into the seat beside her. She tugged her tote bag to her chest, tucked the straps under her chin, and swiped at a trickle of sweat running down her cheek.

The doors closed. Will braced himself for motion and leaned toward Gwen. “I can help if you want to take off the jacket now.”

“Let’s wait until we get off.” She let out a deep breath. “Thanks for coming along.”

“No problem.” Their gazes caught. He sank into her mesmerizing blue eyes, faceted like diamonds. The train lurched to the left and he shook himself mentally, focusing on the squiggly lines of the subway map. He knew this route by heart, but he needed to keep alert. “We just have two more stops, but I think we’ve lost you know who.”

“I hope so.” Gwen tucked her tennis-shoe-clad feet close. He hadn’t noticed them before, but he liked that she preferred practicality over image. He wasn’t sure what that meant to him, except that everything he was learning about her made him want to get to know her better. Would she let him?

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