Don't Say a Word - Barbara Freethy [86]
Alex increased his pace, narrowing the gap between himself and the man who had tried to attack Julia. His heart was beating double time, his breath coming quick and fast as he followed the man around the corner of Union Street, up a short hill and into a small park. It was darker here. No streetlights. Plenty of shadows.
Alex could barely make out the man now. Only the light blue streak of his Windbreaker glittered in the moonlight as he dashed among the trees. Alex couldn't lose him. He had to find out who he was and what he wanted. This was his chance.
But that chance was elusive and fast.
One minute the man was in his sights. The next he was gone. Alex stopped, looked around. The park was empty but edged with a thick line of trees. There was. no apparent way out of the park. The man would have to come back in his direction.
Was he hiding?
Alex tried to catch his breath, make his mind work. He had to think.
An eerie feeling of being watched crept down his spine. He turned slowly, sharpening his gaze on each flickering shadow. There were too many trees, too many bushes, all rustling in the whispering breeze. As he listened, the sounds of the night grew louder, the crickets, the faint honk of a distant horn, the rumble of traffic on a nearby road, the sound of laughter from one of the open apartment windows surrounding the park.
"Come out, dammit," he said aloud. "Talk to me. Tell me what you want."
Nothing but silence answered his call. Was the man waiting, watching? Or was he gone? Had he found a way out that wasn't obvious to Alex?
If he had…
Julia was alone in the car. And she was the one they wanted.
What the hell was he doing?
Turning, Alex ran back the way he'd come, desperately hoping Julia was all right.
Chapter 14
Julia flinched at the sound of footsteps coming down the street behind her. She was almost afraid to look. What if it wasn't Alex? What if it was the man who had tried to grab her bag? What if he'd hurt Alex and come back to get her?
She sank down into the seat, hoping he wouldn't see her.
The footsteps drew closer, then paused. Someone whistled. A shadow moved across the front seat, and the door handle on the passenger side was flipped. It was locked. It didn't open. The man stumbled as he tried the door again.
She couldn't breathe. She didn't know what to do. Should she start the car, try to pull out? What if Alex came back and she wasn't there?
Before she could come up with an answer, the man moved on.
It wasn't the same guy, she realized. This man was older, wearing a bulky coat and pants. His hair was long, and he wore a woolen cap on his head. He had a paper bag in his hand, and as she watched, he raised it to his lips and took a swig. He continued on, trying the door handle on every car parked along the street.
He was probably homeless and looking for somewhere to sleep, she realized. He wasn't after her. She forced herself to breathe again.
Until she heard the sound of someone running.
She'd never been as scared of the night as she was right now.
Please let it be Alex, she prayed. She closed her eyes, afraid to look. Someone tapped on the window. She tensed, then relaxed when she heard his voice.
"Julia, it's okay. Let me in."
She flipped the locks with a wave of relief, and Alex slid into the passenger seat. "Thank God, you're all right," she said, flinging herself into his arms. She hugged him tight, not wanting him to let her go. He didn't. He pressed her face into the curve of his neck, his hand cupping the back of her head. She could feel his pulse jumping beneath his skin, and she could smell the sweat of his desperate chase. But he was safe. So was she. And they were together.
Finally, Alex pushed away, his eyes glittering in the shadows. "I lost him. I was afraid he'd come back here, afraid-" He cut himself off. She could finish the sentence in her head. He'd been scared for her, and fear was a character flaw as far as Alex was concerned. But in her