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Instinct kicked in. He scrabbled, keeling sideways.
A scream rang out and the crowd shifted.
The screeching of the brakes entered his consciousness as he hit the concrete platform. Grasping the edge of the concrete slab, he levered himself back before he could fall to the tracks below. The train ground to a halt, but not before he felt it, a mere breath away from his knuckles.
Bounding up, he stared through t
he crowd toward the stairs and he saw a figure racing away. Male, tall, wearing a hoodie. He was about to go in pursuit, but the crowd thickened again and he was surrounded by people quizzing him as to what had happened. Had he fallen? Did he intend to jump?
“I was pushed,” he stated, anger fueling him.
“Sir, I need to make a report!” a uniformed supervisor shouted across as Rex headed off, but Rex shook his head.
Taking the steps two at a time he raced to ground level, and vaulted over the turnstiles, craning his neck to catch sight of a navy blue hoodie as he went. Out on the street he looked both ways, but the late-afternoon commuters were thick on the sidewalk and his assailant had vanished.
Hands on hips, Rex caught his breath, taking a moment to absorb what had just happened. He’d acted on instinct, and he’d got lucky because he was already aware of the hand at his back and was twisting around to check the guy out. As a result, he’d gone down sideways instead of head-on.
What was the likelihood of it being random? Could be. He was unlucky and took a hit courtesy of a run-of-the-mill nutjob.
Then again, maybe not.
And the disconcerting event made him want to be with Carmen even more than he already did.
He hailed a taxi.
* * *
WHEN REX ARRIVED at Burlington Manor he discovered a strange car parked on the forecourt outside the main entrance. He caught sight of the silver Audi and immediately wondered who was here, with Carmen.
It could be her taxi. She was due in much earlier than this, though, so that cab would be gone now. This didn’t look like a local cab. A delivery, perhaps? If so, it was after hours.
Parking next to it, he leaped out of his car and skirted the other vehicle to check it out. The only clue to the identity of the driver was a parking permit from the local hospital. With his sense of caution on high alert, he memorized the number plate before he went inside.
Mrs. Amery hurried down the stairs as he entered the hallway.
“What’s going on?”
Mrs. Amery nodded her head up the stairs. “Dr. Ross is here from the village.”
“Why?” Rex strode up the stairs.
“I called him. It’s Miss Carmen, she had an accident.”
An accident? Concern sent him into overdrive. “What happened?”
“She fell on the back stairs, the service staircase. Something must have worked loose and...”
Her voice faded away as Rex shot past her, his mood frantic.
By the time he reached the doorway to her room, his chest felt constricted, concern for her almost blotting out the sound of voices chatting beyond. Grasping the door frame, he paused when he saw her, happily smiling at her companion. Only then did the noise register. It was her laughter.
Relief flooded him.
Carmen was sitting in her winged armchair, one foot raised and propped up on a large cushion on a stool. The doctor was fishing around in his briefcase, but paused, glancing up when Rex arrived. “Well, well, Rex Carruthers. I haven’t seen you in years. You look well, young man.”
The doctor reached out his hand.
“Not so young now, Doc.” He shook hands with the family doctor. It was comforting to find a familiar face with Carmen when he’d been so concerned. He stepped away from the doctor and knelt down at Carmen’s side, looking at her searchingly. “I’ll take care of you. I won’t leave your side.”
