Page 77 of The Midnight Lock (Lincoln Rhyme 14)

“You want to call the police?”

“No. It’s probably nothing.”

Silence arose between them. Ben was looking up the street. She could feel his mind working. And she wasn’t surprised when he said, “Look, I don’t know your situation, but …” Funny how even the handsome ones grew positively bashful when about to ask the question. “You like Broadway?”

“Who doesn’t?”

“Meghan’s got a part inAnnie.” He nodded to the school. “The end of school play. Interested in going?”

She laughed at the Broadway reference. “I’d love to.”

When he looked up the street, she scanned his body fast. Athletic.

And she loved graying hair.

She thought back to the last time she’d been with a man. Fortunate I have a good memory, she reflected.

Then she looked again at the deli.

Imagination, or not?

There were so many crazy people in the world, and particularly in such a densely packed city like this. She’d read in theTimesabout the number of people who were true sociopaths. Quite a few. The story said that most were harmless but some could snap for virtually no reason whatsoever.

“Nine one one?” he asked.

A faint laugh. “You’re reading my mind. But no. I don’t even see him anymore.”

“You said you lived near here?”

“Four blocks.” She nodded south.

“I’ll walk you.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to. You’ve got to pick up Meghan.”

“She’s staying at the ex’s tonight. I just came by to drop off abackpack. Maybe if this guy sees me he might think I’m a boyfriend and leave you alone.”

One terrible thought flashed through her head. What if the sunglasses man was dangerous, and, in a psychotic rage, jealous of Ben, attacked him?

“I’m insisting. If you don’t agree, thenI’llhave to start following you.”

She smiled.

They chatted for another few minutes until Roonie stepped out of the school. The slim girl, hair pulled back in a ponytail, had a large backpack over her shoulder.

“This is Mr. Nelson. His daughter’s in the sixth grade.”

“Meghan. You know her?”

“I think, yeah.”

Soames was not, of course, going to mention the stalker to her daughter so she said only that their apartment was on Mr. Nelson’s way home and he was going to walk with them.

He glanced in Soames’s direction with a wink at the white lie.

“Cool,” the girl said, and they started on their way.

“Hey, let me carry that.” Ben nodded at the backpack.

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