Page 2 of Fearless Encounter

*****

With dinner forgotten, she considered what to do. She’d had quite a scare, and her heart was still pounding. She should find a police officer in the area, but a horrible thought struck her. At the last minute, the man had looked her way. Brooke had vanished so fast that she had no idea if he saw her well enough to recognize her later. Since she hadn’t worn a carnival mask, he got a look at her face in the semidarkness. Panic gripped her and she turned to leave. She had to get away to a safer place so she could think.

Weaving through the crowds, Brooke headed back the way she’d come. She had no destination in mind, as long as it was away from the crime scene.

Before she figured out how to get the authorities to come to her aid, she ran smack into someone. Firm hands gripped her arms, then she looked up at Gabriel. Relief washed over her at seeing a friendly face, but she held back. She couldn’t tell him what just happened—not until she thought things through and decided what to do. Flustered, she looked into Gabriel’s eyes.

“Whoa,” he said, lightly squeezing her arms. “What’s wrong?”

Brooke shook her head and took a step back but couldn’t find the words.

Gabriel frowned. “Let’s get out of this crowd. You look shaken.” He put his arm around her shoulders to guide her.

With no attempt to resist, Brooke let him lead her down the street. Conflict tore at her insides. She had to do something but couldn’t get a clear idea of what. In all the years she’d lived in New Orleans, even knowing about the high crime rate, the encounter only minutes before was the worst that she’d personally experienced. She took a breath to regain her composure.

It was several blocks before the crowds began to thin. Gabriel kept his arm around her in a reassuring gesture. More than thoughts of kindness filled Brooke’s mind. Despite the bad timing, her body reacted to his touch. Beyond the bustle of the parade was a coffee shop. Without asking, Gabriel escorted her inside. The quiet place was a welcome relief.

The waitress seated them at a booth near the back. The seatbacks were high, giving Brooke a sense of security. Anyone looking inside wouldn’t see her, a thought that quieted her mind—if only a little.

The busboy poured water and Brooke took a gulp, while Gabriel watched her. She had the feeling that not much escaped his notice. The fact was, she barely knew him. Just because he was handsome with an accent to swoon for didn’t mean he could be trusted. At that moment, she was the only one who knew what she’d seen—a frightening thought.

Wisely, Gabriel didn’t press for information. He waited for the coffee to arrive, giving her a chance to explain what was going on.

Brooke should have told him, but she remained unsure. It wasn’t fair to pull him into the trauma. He had been nice to her, and she should leave it at that.

But Gabriel didn’t seem inclined to ignore her upset. He stirred cream in his coffee then folded his hands and waited.

Brooke lifted her mug to take a sip.

“I guess your dinner with friends didn’t go well?” Gabriel said.

In all the excitement, she hadn’t thought to text that she couldn’t make it. Her absence would be cause for concern. But she hadn’t received a call yet, so they’d surely started without her.

Gabriel raised his brows, still waiting for her to explain.

“I didn’t make it to dinner.”

“I figured as much, since it hasn’t been long since I saw you watching the parade,” Gabriel said, looking at her expectantly. “If you made it to the restaurant, you didn’t stay long.”

“There was a…problem.”

“Care to tell me?”

“I should really go to the police.” Brooke cringed. She’d blurted that out without intending to.

“You can tell me about it,” Gabriel said. “Maybe I can help.”

Brooke sighed. “I need to speak to the police.”

“I’m retired New Orleans PD.”

“Oh,” Brooke said.

“Whatever happened, you can tell me,” Gabriel said. “I’m a private investigator and I have friends in the NOPD.”

Brooke took a deep breath before launching into the frightening details. Once she got going, the story poured out of her. “I should have gone to the police right away, but I’m not sure they’d believe me.”

“Because it’s just your word that something happened?”

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