Page 52 of Four Times Forever

The red and blue lights started flashing onto the buildings close by, when I heard, "Please. You're hurting me." Followed by a harsh yell of pain. A yell so sharp, it split me in two and had me lurching forward without thought for the risks. I had to stop myself and return to the shadows as I saw the nose of the cop car approach the stoplight.

If I moved now and they saw me, I was toast. Another yell whipped my neck around toward the park. My breath was labored now and stuck. If I stayed low to the ground, I could make it across the street without the police seeing me. They were still a good distance away, so I couldn't tell if the cops were looking straight ahead or down the street where I was hiding. But I couldn't stay there and do nothing. What if someone was being murdered? I couldn't call the cops for obvious reasons, but I could intervene in some way. Scare them off.

With a prayer and a deep breath, I dashed across the street on bent knees, looking this way and that. At that very moment, I spotted the cop car's indicator light come on. Swearing, I took off running faster, disappearing behind the park's gates. Needing to hide and to find the source of the grunts, I skittered like I was doing a football drill, heart in my throat, head dashing from left to right, hoping to decide on a course of action with only a few seconds to spare.

"You're a sorry excuse for a man. Look at you." A lighter voice scolded before the heavier voice started sobbing.

I hurried in that direction to find a slight, slender woman standing over a thick, bloody faced man.

"What's going on here?" I whisper-growled.

They both jumped. Shame rounded the man's shoulders. The woman glared at me. "None of your business." She turned around and grabbed the man by the collar. "Get up and fix your face," she growled low in her throat.

"Did he do something to you?" I asked, looking behind me before approaching them.

The sirens stopped and I had a few seconds of thinking that I was off the hook, before the cops stepped through the gate. Their flashlights were on, even though the park was bright. But I was hidden in the dark with these two people who obviously chose this spot for its concealment.

"Are you deaf? Or don't you know the meaning of 'mind your business?'" she said with her back to me as she shoved the heavy man forward. He hollered in pain and barreled over.

Heat struck through me and I had a feeling I knew what was happening here, still it was hard to believe.

"You okay, man?" I stepped forward, just as the police light flashed in our direction.

The woman's eyes lit up when she saw me duck back into the shadows.

She glared at the heavy man. "Straighten yourself up and stop being a big baby."

"I think you broke a bone or something. It hurts to move my leg," he said.

"Wah wah wah. So? Hop on it. Let's go." She shoved him and when he howled again, she kicked him on the same bad leg.

This, for sure, brought the police over, and I marveled at the fact that she didn't appear shaken in the slightest. I backed up and considered running, but I was stopped by what I was sure were lies.

"Is everything okay, ma'am?" one cop asked.

She didn't answer right away. The man she was with gritted his teeth against the pain and forced a smile as he stood up straight.

Both cops looked at each other with a smirk. If he'd used his flashlight on the man's face, he'd have seen that his lips were bruised, but they were too focused on the assumption that this couple was hiding in the dark, having a little too much fun. It had my blood rushing when I thought back to how unhelpful the cops were at first when we were trying to explain Lily's disappearance. There are some smart cops; I just haven't encountered them.

"We saw a strange man acting suspiciously, running into the park. Have you seen him?" the next cop asked.

She didn't waste any time flicking a glance in my direction. The flashlights came blazing into my eyes, and my heart stopped. They were sure to recognize me now and slap the cuffs on.

"Care to explain what you were doing scurrying across the street like you were up to no good?" I got one of those police looks, you know the one, where they glare at you with authority and intimidation.

My lips couldn't form words, and I stumbled over my tongue.

"If that's all," the woman said, grabbing the man's arm and nodding at him to keep walking.

"No...uh. Wait," I managed. "I heard a yell."

The cops drew their brows together, though the intimidating stance didn't change. The woman narrowed her eyes at me, a 'how dare you' curling her lip. The man's eyes were frozen in fear.

I continued. "I heard a yell and I rushed across the street to see what was happening. That's when I saw her, yelling at him. He sounded like he needed help."

I looked down, irritation filling my head with doubts over whether the good deed was worth it. The good news was the cops didn't seem to recognize me, so that panic attack was unnecessary. I did need to stop drinking. It had my thoughts running away with me. Then again, they ran away with me whether or not I was inebriated.

The cops passed each other a curious glance. The woman's eyes bulged. The man gulped.

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