The Letter(25)

“Don’t mess with me, man. Just give me the purse.”

“Gil, give it to him.”

Just then the man lunged at Gil and he quickly sidestepped, taking her with him. But then she felt herself lose her balance as her heel caught on something. She could feel Gil trying to catch her as she fell, while still blocking her from the man with the knife.

The man used the moment of chaos to his advantage and suddenly she felt his cold hand on her wrist, jerking her to her feet. Then she felt the steely edge of the knife pressed against her.

“Back up.” The man’s voice commanded Gil.

Gil stepped back just slightly, his eyes locked on her. “Take the purse. Just take it and leave.” Gil nodded toward the purse that had fallen to her side when she tripped.

“Back further.”

Gil inched backwards. The man pulled her forward and reached down to snag her purse. “Now, the little lady and I are going to walk down this street. You are going to stay where you are, or she gets cut. Got it?”

Madeline could barely breathe with the arm of the man now locked firmly around her. She fought off the feeling of imminent fainting. She reeled from the stench of him, the fear coursing through her, the thought of being dragged away from Gil and what might happen to her. She blinked her eyes and tried to suck in a deep breath. Think. Do something. But nothing came to her. She’d never been good in an emergency.

“Okay. Calm down. Take the purse and leave her with me.” Gil’s voice was low and reassuring, whether to calm the robber down or to calm her down, she wasn’t sure.

“So you can chase after me and call the cops? I don’t think so. Come on, lady.” The man started to drag her backwards away from Gil. She squinted in an effort to chase back tears. He tightened his grip on her and she thought she felt the knife nick her neck. She quickly told herself she’d imagined it. She was just fine. She was going to be fine. She sent Gil a pleading look.

Gil nodded towards the trash can beside him, then at the ground and in an instant she hoped he was communicating with her. Gil sent the trash can crashing to the street. The man started and she deliberately misstepped. He lost his grip on her while she tumbled to the ground. Gil leapt forward and shoved the man back just as he tried to reach for Madeline and reclaim his victim. The knife sliced through Gil’s jacket followed by his quick gasp of breath. The man stumbled, righted himself, then turned and raced down the street clutching her purse to his side.

Gil’s strong arms circled around her, pulling her up against him. She melted into the warmth and safety of his embrace.

Then she lost it.

Totally.

She sobbed uncontrollably while Gil held her close against him, running his hand down her back. Patting her. Soothing her. Or at least trying to, because to be honest, she wasn’t sure anything would calm her down. She’d been held at knife point. The majority of the people in the world could go their whole life without experiencing that, and she didn’t like being in the minority that had experienced it.

Gil pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it against her neck. When he pulled it away she saw blood. That wasn’t helping a bit with the whole calm down thing. Gil swore under his breath and put the handkerchief back up against her throat.

“Shh, it’s just a nick, it’s okay. It will all be okay.” His words poured over her in what she knew must be his best effort to pull her out of her hysterics. But they weren’t really working as she gulped another breath of air and tried to stop sobbing.

Gil pulled his cell phone out, dialed the operator, and got put through to the police. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was aware of him giving directions to where they were, but it didn’t help. Nothing would help. She was just going to cry uncontrollably for the rest of her life.

~ * ~

Gil considered telling the doctor to just forgo the pain killer shots and stitch up his arm without it. It would serve him right. What the heck had he been thinking? Cutting through that side street in the Quarter. He knew better than that. He’d been so wrapped up in his own hurt and anger after seeing Crystal that he’d put Madeline’s life in danger.

The emergency room seemed to be in slow motion tonight. They’d waited over an hour to be seen. Madeline had sat quietly at his side. Her tears had finally stopped, but she looked way too pale. While they waited, he’d called the credit card companies for her from his cell phone and cancelled them, putting her on the phone to verify her information. He’d cancelled her cell service. He didn’t know what else he could do to help.

When they were finally seen, Madeline had been taken care of first. The staff had tried to put them in separate exam rooms, but Maddy had clung to him. Thank goodness the doctor said it was just a superficial wound to Maddy’s throat. The nurse had cleaned it and put a bandage on it. When they finished with Maddy, she’d slumped into a chair in the corner of the room. Her tear-streaked face had become a mask of no emotion.