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HE WAS close enough for un barrel and maybe redirect it But I couldn’tbut passive observation Debbie Heobs up out of the blue like this was ten ti

After a handful of anxious seconds, Steve lowered the arrow gun, then jah a belt behind his back He extended his hands, took my left arm above the elbow, and hauled me to my feet I rose obediently, a puppet in his hands

"Had you going for a minute, didn’t I?" he said - and s to kill ht hand and shook it aardly "Hello, Darren Good to see you again, old friend"

I stared at our clasped hands, then at his face Then I threw ed him for dear life "Steve!" I sobbed into his shoulder

"Stop that," he"You’ll haverinned

I dried my cheeks and beamed "It’s really you!"

"Of course You don’t think two people could be born this handsome, do you?"

"Modest as ever," I noted wryly

"Nothing to be hed "You able to walk?"

"I think a hobble’s the best I can e," I said

"Then lean on ht come back with his friends"

"Hooky? Oh, youhow ht

"The va soberly

"You know about them?"

"Obviously"

"Is the hook-handed guy the one who’s been killing people?"

"Yes But he isn’t alone We’ll discuss it later Let’s get you out of here and cleaned up first" Letting me lean on him, Steve led me back the way I’d co if I’d been knocked unconscious in the alley If not for the pain in- which was all too real - I’d have been seriously te but a wishful dream

Steve took me to the fifth floor of a run-down apart were boarded-over or broken down "Nice neighbourhood," I commented sarcastically

"It’s a conde," he said "A few aparto - but thehouses and hotels The space and quiet suit my purposes"

Steve stopped at a battered brown door kept shut by an extra thick padlock and chain Rooting through his pockets, he found a key, unlocked the padlock, removed the chain and pushed the door open The air inside was stale, but he took no notice as he bundled me inside and closed the door The darkness within held until he lit a candle "No electricity," he said "The lower apartments are still connected, but it went off up here last week"

He helpedroom and laid me down on a couch that had seen better days - it was threadbare, and wiry springs stuck out through several holes "Try not to ihed

"Is your interior decorator on strike?" I asked

"Don’t coood base to work from If we had to report back to so and e’re covered in filth As for accounting for these " He shrugged off the pair of arrow guns and laid the on, Steve?" I asked quietly "How you were in that alley and why you’re carrying those?"

"Later," he said, "after we’ve tended to your wounds And after you’ve-" he produced a mobile phone and tossed it to ?" I asked, staring at the phone suspiciously

"Hooky followed you from your friend’s house - the dark-skinned lady"

My face whitened "He knohere Debbie lives?" I gasped

"If that’s her nao after her, but if you don’t want to run the risk, my advice is to call and tell her to-"

I was hitting buttons before he finished Debbie’s phone rang four tiardless of , when she picked up and said, "Hello?"

"It’s me"

"Darren? What are-"

"Debbie - do you trust me?"

There was a startled pause "Is this a joke?"

"Do you trust rowled

"Of course," she answered, sensing ear into a bag and scram Find a hotel for the weekend Stay there"

"Darren, what’s going on? Have you lost your-"

"Do you want to die?" I interrupted

A silent beat Then, quietly, "No"

"Then get out" I hit the disconnect button and prayed she’d heed ?" I asked, thinking of Harkat

"I doubt it," Steve said "If he did, he’d have attacked you there Froht by chance He was casing a crowd, selecting his next victim, when he saw you and picked up your trail He followed you to your friend’s house, waited, trailed after you when you left, and"

I knew the rest