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Once she was through the door, Raina stopped on the steps of the restaurant, the hair on the back of her neck lifting while goose bumps pebbled her skin. From Vince’s declaration or something more?
“Raina?”
She blinked and shuddered. “Sorry, I guess I’m spooked.” But she couldn’t help probing the darkness beyond the edge of the poorly lit parking lot. She rubbed her arms and noted Vincent’s narrowed eyes. He stepped closer to her, and she was tempted to let him. Instead, she slipped around him and lifted her head. “It’s nothing, I’m sure.” She hated the slight shake in her voice.
His hand landed on her arm while he continued to study the area she’d been watching. “Don’t discount your instincts. They’re there for a reason.”
Old feelings, fears, and insecurities washed over Raina, and she stood there, still focused on the area in the distance. Beyond the parking lot was the four-lane street. Nowhere for someone to hide really. She started walking.
“Where are you going?” Vince caught up with her.
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to be afraid.”
“That’s well and good, but don’t be...” He stopped.
“Don’t be what?” She kept walking. “Stupid?” Raina picked up her pace and so did Vince.
“I wasn’t going to use that word. I’d never use that wordwith you. But ... is there a good synonym that doesn’t sound so ... mean?”
“No. But don’t worry, I don’t plan on doing anything synonymous with stupid.”
“Thank you.” A sigh reached her. “If you truly think someone’s watching you, you can’t go after them unprepared.”
“I’m prepared,” Raina said, her voice soft, her eyes searching the faces of the people on the sidewalk and those in the cars on the street. Then she saw someone pause, look right at her, then dip into the alley across the street. “There.”
“Where?”
“Follow me. And for the record, I’ve been in preparation mode for more than a decade.” She didn’t have a timetable, she didn’t have a target. But she’d known this moment, this season, would arrive at some point. And she’d been determined to be ready.
“I see.”
Did he? She wasn’t so sure. She reached the crosswalk and waited for the cars to pass, then hurried across, aiming herself at the alley.
Vince fell silent but stayed on her heels.
She darted into the alley shared by two restaurants and hurried down the length of the buildings, only to come to a stop. They could go left or right, but a chain-link fence kept them from going straight ahead. A gust of wind sent the odor from the large trash bin wafting their way, and Raina held her breath while she spotted Vince’s right hand hovering near his weapon.
He held up his left hand. “Listen.”
She stood still.
Faint footsteps on the other side of the fence reached her, and her gaze met Vince’s. “You think he was watching us?”
“I don’t know, but the fact that he stopped to look right at you, then hopped a fence to get away kind of makes me wonder.”
“Same here.”
“Was it him? Kevin?”
She hesitated, then shrugged. “I don’t know.” Another pause. “Which is weird because his face is engraved in my memory. Right down to the last detail, such as the very faint scar on the left side of his nose.”
“Well, it’s dark, and the guy we followed was dressed in baggy clothes, wearing a hat ...” He lifted a shoulder. “Even I couldn’t describe him to a sketch artist if I had to. And it might not have been him.”
“It might not have.” But if it was, he probably expected an easy target.
She never wanted to see his face again but waspreparedto deal with him if it should happen.
“Come on,” Vince said, “let’s get you home.”
