Page 69 of Never Submit

Something about her draws me forward, and I leave Carrigan behind with Flora, somehow knowing neither of them is going to move.

Okay, this is strange. Really strange.

How is Anna here, and why is she asking about me?

She worked at a hospital and had kids. Those were the only two things I remembered, besides the cerealeverywhere. This isn’t the kind of place someone like her should be, especially not alone.

I approach on heavy legs and stop by the side of her table, pausing until she looks up from her meal and recognizes me. Her smile is still pleasant and her eyes light.

“There you are! It’s good to see you again,” she says.

What had I told her? I search my memory, scrambling through the bits and pieces I can recall through the terror of that moment. I’d said I lived in Rochester, close to downtown.

My chill is back and cutting deep.

“It’s good to see you, too.” The words fall out of my numb lips.

Because it’s not good to see her. Not really. Not even when she’s smiling at me like the first glimpse of sun over the horizon on a spring morning.

“I hope you don’t mind. I was so worried about you after I dropped you off, I did a little digging and found out you worked here. For my good friend Rudy,” Anna continues, merrily grabbing a greasy french fry and lifting it to her lips.

She’d cut her cheeseburger into four pieces. Who does that? A maniac, that’s who.

A pinching sensation gathers between my eyebrows. “Wait a minute. You know Rudy?”

Flora is there just behind me, close enough for me to sense her but giving me the semblance of privacy I need—if any place in this dump can be considered private.

“Oh yes, Rudy and I go way back. We actually grew up on the same block.” Anna chuckles. “Do you have a moment to sit and catch up? If not, I totally get it.”

It’s the out I need. “Actually, I’m only here to chat with Carrigan. And then I have to go.”

“No need to run off yet! Sit down, show me what you’ve been up to, darlin’.”

I jerk straighter, the ice along my spine freezing in place.

She might look innocent, but something about her strikes me as wrong, wrong, wrong. Especially since the last person to call medarlin’was Andras.

Andras.

Surely he’ll be after me because he’s not the type to be okay with someone escaping his grasp. He’d take it personally. I shouldn't be here, and I definitely shouldn’t talk to Anna.

The pieces in my mind are sluggish to click together, but I take a step back.

“Thanks again for helping me the other night. I really appreciate your giving me a ride.” Somehow, my voice holds steady.

Anna reaches out to touch me, the tips of her fingers brushing my knuckles. “Are you sure you’re okay, Ren?”

The bottom drops out from under me and a new sensation in my chest lifts with a life of its own, standing to attention.

I never gave her my name. I’m sure of it.

I back up another step and her touch falls away. “I’m fine.”

She looks genuinely concerned about me. But if she’s connected to Andras in any way, then she’d be a great actress. I’m sure of it. The kids and the minivan are probably all a story to lull me into feeling like she’s safe. When she’s definitelynot.

“It’s good to see you,” I manage, moving away.

“Hold on.” The steel in her tone stops me.

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