Betrayal

BETRAYAL Part 4

CHAPTER THREE

Luke's heart twisted as he met her candid gaze. Instinct told him to distance himself, to leave and never see this woman again. She was far too unaware and vulnerable, just like the overseas children who'd befriended him. He'd not been able to save them. What made him think he could save her?

Yet, how could he not try when he seemed to be her only option? "I'd be glad to come by your place in the morning and walk you to work, if that would make you feel better. Apparently, we go the same direction."

"I'd feel safer, but I don't want to put you to any more trouble."

"I don't mind."

"If you're sure, then, yes, I would like that. Let me, at least, buy you lunch today," Bethany said.

A slow smile curved his lips. What could it hurt to have one lunch with her? If he didn't let down his guard, he could protect his heart. "That would be nice. You pick the place."

"Do you like Thai food?" Bethany asked.

"I like almost everything."

"Then, I know where we're going."

She led the way to a Thai restaurant two blocks from the police station. The lunch crowd had thinned and they were offered a table by the window. Bethany turned it down. "I'd like to sit in the back, please."

The young woman nodded and directed them to a rear table near the kitchen. Luke understood what Bethany was feeling. "You feel vulnerable sitting where someone can see you. Yet, if he's watching you that closely, he'll know you've gone to the police and don't have the gloves."

Bethany chewed her bottom lip. "I should feel safer, yet I don't. The thought of a killer watching me is awful."

She shivered, and rubbed at her goose bumps. Luke's protective instincts kicked in. Bethany didn't deserve what was happening to her. Still, he admired her steely determination. Not everyone would be resolved to deliver evidence in the wake of an attack.

He resisted the urge to put his hand on top of hers. He wanted to offer assurance. He knew the nightmare of living under constant threat. Yet, he remained restrained. He had no idea how she would react to an attempt to comfort her. He wasn't sure how he wanted her to react.

She ate her chicken in coconut soup while he dug into his red curry. The spicy food was excellent. Yet, he couldn't concentrate on his meal. There were too many unanswered questions about Bethany's roommate and the dead boyfriend. Nothing was missing from the apartment. He had no known enemies. Yet, someone broke in to kill him. What had he been into?

They finished their hot tea and Bethany paid the bill. The hostess wished them a good day and they exited into the sunlight. The familiar sounds of the city lent a sense of normalcy to their strained circumstances. The rumble of a bus, a screech of brakes, and a pneumatic drill were normal background sounds. The comforting scent of hot dogs and fresh pretzels from the food carts, mixed with more noxious fumes from the traffic filled their nostrils. Nothing seemed out of place. Then suddenly, a shot shattered the plate glass window to the right of Bethany's head.

Luke reacted automatically, pulling her down with him behind a parked car. "You okay?"

She nodded, though she was white as a ghost. Everyone near them had scattered, seeking shelter in the restaurant, or behind parked vehicles. He pulled a Glock from a holster on the small of his back and peered around the left tire. Heart hammering, he watched the traffic move past. If the assailant had fired from a car, it was gone.