See Me(85)

The waitress backing away, beginning to cry…

Bystanders beginning to surround them…

Evan pushing forward and grabbing Colin’s arm…

Lily moving toward Maria…

Maria felt someone place both hands on her shoulders and begin helping her from her seat. She didn’t have the energy to resist, and all at once, she realized that Lily had been the one to whisk her to her feet. She could hear Colin shouting, even as Evan continued to tug hard at Colin’s arm, the waitress crying out in terror, strangers circling, with bouncers close behind.

Stranger in blue shirt: “What the hell’s going on?”

Colin, to the waitress: “What did he look like?”

Stranger with spiked hair: “Chill out! Leave her alone!”

Waitress, through her tears: “I told you that I don’t know! He was wearing a hat! I don’t know!”

Stranger with tattoos: “What the hell’s wrong with you?”

Evan: “We gotta go!”

Colin: “Was he young or old?”

Waitress: “I don’t know! Twenties or thirties? I don’t know!”

Evan: “Now, Colin! Come on!”

By then, Lily was leading Maria quickly from the table, and out of the corner of her eye, Maria saw Evan jerk Colin off balance. Colin reacted instinctively, twisting free immediately and quickly regaining his equilibrium, his hands ducking into fighting position. His face was red and tense, the muscles in his neck taut; for an instant, he seemed not to recognize Evan.

“Colin! No!” Lily screamed. Evan took a step backward, and as quickly as it had erupted, Colin’s rage began to dissipate.

By then, the bouncers had reached them, and as Maria watched, Colin slipped his hands behind his back, clasping his left wrist with his right hand. A bouncer grabbed both his arms, looking as angry and adrenaline-filled as Colin had been a moment earlier.

“I’ll go with you,” Colin said. “I’ll go.” Then, to the waitress, who was still crying, he said, “I apologize. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

But neither the waitress nor the bouncers cared; Colin was dragged outside and it was only a few minutes later that a squad car arrived, blue lights flashing. Shortly thereafter, a dark sedan pulled up.





“Who’s that?” Maria asked, standing with Evan out front, arms crossed. Lily had gone back into the club a few minutes earlier. In the parking lot, Colin stood with two officers, one of the bouncers, and a man in a well-used sport coat who was chewing on a toothpick.

Evan’s tone betrayed his concern. “Detective Margolis. He’s been waiting for Colin to screw up again.”

“Why?”

“Because he thinks Colin should be in prison.”

“Is that going to happen?”

“I don’t know,” Evan said.

“But he didn’t do anything,” Maria protested. “He didn’t even touch her.”

“Thank God, or he’d be cuffed by now. And he still might be, unless Lily can work her magic.”

“What’s she doing?”

“Solving the problem,” Evan answered. “That’s what Lily does.”

In time, Lily emerged through the front doors, stopping to shake hands with one of the bouncers who had dragged Colin out. She smiled ingenuously as she approached the officers.

Maria watched as Margolis caught sight of her and held up his hand to stop her. Lily ignored him, pressing on until she was close enough to be heard, and for an interminable few minutes, both Evan and Maria watched, wondering what Lily could possibly be saying to him. Eventually, one of the officers followed the bouncer back inside the club while Margolis and the other officer remained with Colin. Margolis was obviously furious, but still no move was made to cuff Colin. The events of the last half hour caused Maria’s thoughts to ping-pong, wreaking havoc on her emotions. She’d been followed to the bar, which meant she’d been followed from the restaurant, which meant she’d been followed from home.

He knew where she lived and he’d followed her here.

Her breath caught, and she distantly registered Evan’s voice.

“Are you okay?”

She squeezed her upper arms. She wanted Colin to hold her, yet she was angry that he’d lost control. Or was she afraid for him? She wasn’t sure.

He knew where she lived and he’d followed her here.

“No,” she admitted, realizing that she was shaking. “I’m not.”

She felt Evan slip an arm around her.

“It’s pretty messed up, that’s for sure. If I were you, I’d be a wreck.”

“What’s going to happen to Colin?”

“He’ll be all right.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Lily looks calm and Margolis looks pissed.”

Maria studied the two of them, realizing that Evan was right. But everything had gone wrong tonight.

A minute later, the officer who’d gone into the club returned to Margolis’s side. They spoke for a couple of minutes before both officers reluctantly headed back to their squad car. By then, Lily was hurrying toward Evan and Maria. Evan let go of Maria to encircle Lily in his arms.

“No charges,” she said. “They’re letting him go.”