Page 53 of Sinner's Salvation

The other guy hung up.

“Where is this service entrance?” Evan asked.

“Somewhere unexpected,” Baz said, looking pleased with himself.

For the next twenty minutes, no one spoke. Brian fell asleep with his head back and his mouth wide open. As they approached Times Square, traffic slowed. It looked like there was a police officer, either in a car or on horseback on almost every block, to Evan.

As they passed another one, Evan asked. “Is this kind of police presence normal?”

“It’s not usually this heavy,” Baz said, the joking tone gone from his voice.

“The FBI is likely monitoring traffic cameras,” Brian said, sounding like he hadn’t quite woken up all the way. “Homeland might be doing the same.”

“We’re not going to be on the street for long,” Baz said.

“If they’re ready for you, they won’t need long,” Brian pointed out. “They just need to be close.”

They turned a couple of corners and approached Grand Central Station.

“Everyone, get ready to jump out of the cab,” Baz ordered. “And stay on my ass once we’re out.”

Seatbelts were released as they pulled up to the curb in the drop off area.

Baz shut off the engine, and they all bailed out of the car. He took Nika’s hand and set off at a fast walk.

Brian followed them, and Evan took Anna’s hand and brought up the rear. They entered the cavernous building and entered the flow of people heading down to the subway platform.

Out of the corner of his eye, Evan saw a police officer study them, then lifted his radio mic to his mouth. But he didn’t follow.

“Those high maintenance people are demanding attention again,” Evan said, loud enough for his voice to carry forward to Baz and his cop.

Baz raised one hand and flipped him off.

Evan couldn’t keep a grin off his face. “I missed you too, buddy.”

They kept going down until they reached the platform, then moved across it toward the far side.

There wasn’t much over there.

A sudden shift in the mood of the crowd, shying away from the edge of the platform and opening a wide area between their group and everyone else, put Evan’s shit meter in its danger zone.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw a half dozen uniformed NYPD officers moving toward them, their hands on their service weapons.

His stomach clenched hard, and he squeezed Anna’s hand tight.

“Police are gathering behind us,” Anna whispered loud enough for the others to hear.

Baz shrugged, but kept walking.

Nika glanced back. Her eyes were wide and her mouth pinched together.

Brian also glanced back. “Fuck.”

Evan took in a deep breath. He was in uniform and armed. He’d be the obvious choice for who wasmost dangerousamong them. If he could keep the police focused on him, Anna and the rest could disappear into the crowd.

He disentangled his hand from Anna’s and prepared to create a disturbance.

Anna grabbed his hand back and resisted letting him go.

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