Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Amanda hugged little Leah one last time. "I'll see you next Friday. Don't eat them all or you'll give yourself a stomachache." She lowered her voice. "And Levi will be very sad."

The seven-year-old giggled, then cupped her hands around Amanda's ear. "Levi's in love with you."

She leaned back and kissed the little girl's cheek, not sure how to respond, not that she hadn't guessed about the thirteen-year-old's crush. "I love all of you." Seemed a safe enough answer.

Friday mornings were the most rewarding and difficult hours of her week. She loved spending time with the children, but today had been especially hard, considering she'd barely closed her eyes the night before thanks to the nightmares that jerked her awake every time she did. She wasn't sorry when Mrs. Domani urged her family toward the SUV parked at the curb.

She waited, arms crossed against the breeze. Even in her navy wool coat, it was cold. She waited until the kids were in the car, then turned toward her apartment.

And slammed into a man's chest.

"Amanda?"

She stepped back and looked up.

"Thank God, I found you."

It was the man from the night before. He wore a black denim jacket and blue jeans and was much bigger than she'd realized, tall and broad and terrifying.

The sight of him brought back all her terror. She would've screamed if she could get her breath.

She turned to run, stumbling into someone's path.

"Watch it." The woman sent her a scathing look, continuing on her way.

"Please don't." The man was right behind her. He sounded exasperated, his tone familiar.

She didn't slow down.

"It's not like you can outrun me." He kept pace with her.

She picked up speed.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He touched her upper arm. "I just need to talk to you."

She spun to face him. "Why are you following me?"

Students dodged them on the busy sidewalk, muttering irritated comments under their breath.

He blinked. "I'm not… I didn't follow you."

"Althea called me this morning. My boss, too. What do you want?"

The man stepped back, lifting his hands in surrender. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You mean after you followed me last night?"

"I had a bad feeling about that guy, so when he left the bar right after you, I followed him."

"Right." She looked around, searching for a friend, for someone she could call out to. "Why should I believe you?"

"Do you remember what I said?"

She thought back. Somebody had told her to run. It had been this man, she thought. Maybe.

"You remember," the man guessed. "And then what happened?"

"He tackled you?"

"Right. And you ran. And made it home safely, obviously."

She crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"To show you something." He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a silver object. He stepped out of the way of foot traffic. "Here."

Curious, she followed him to the edge of the sidewalk and took it. It was metal, a few inches long and about an inch wide. It had weird little holes all over it. She turned it over, but it looked the same on the other side. "What is it?"

He took the item back, unhooked one end, and flipped it open.

A knife.

Gasping, she stepped back.

He closed it, latched it, and placed it in her palm. "It's called a butterfly knife. The other guy had it in his sweatshirt pocket when I fought with him last night."

She stared at the knife, trying to process her thoughts. "You're saying…did he attack you with it?"

"He didn't open the knife to attack me. He opened it before he knew I was there, when he followed you."

She looked up at this stranger. Lips pressed closed, eyes narrowed, like he was waiting for her to get it.

She didn't want to get it.

She started walking again. He kept pace silently.

They'd covered almost a block when she said, "Are you saying…? What are you saying?"

"You need to stay alert. You'll probably never see him again?—"

"He goes to school here."

"What?" He stopped again. She did, too, and looked into his eyes. They were a beautiful shade of light brown with a darker brown ringing the outside. He looked furious. "Is he a friend of yours, or?—?"

"We've never met. I've just seen him around."

"Has he ever asked you out?"

"Never. He barely talks."

"But he watches you."

Her stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"He was watching you last night. For a long time. And then when you left, he left some cash on the table and followed you out." The stranger looked over her head, scanning the sidewalk and street around them, his Adam's apple dipping as he swallowed. "He was after you."

She sucked in a breath, forced it out. "You're sure?"

Intensity and certainty filled his brown eyes. "I have no doubt."