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Outside, there’s no sign of Esrunt out, then turn to Malcolht here?”

“Yeah, she was trying to hail a cab” He points toward the street “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it”

I step out into the road and see a cab disappearing around the corner It’s busy, and there are hundreds of cabs around here, but so tells me it’s her As crazy as it sounds, it’s like I can feel her heartbeat from here—like we’re connected on some other level

“Go over to her place, wait forlet her leave”

I give Malcol back into his car It's closer thanlot I’m only a split second behind as I tear out of there inthe blare of horns as I join the traffic and speed down the road, cutting across the sidewalk as I take the corner

The traffic isn’t light, but I can see the cab a few hundred yards down the road I weave around so way too slow and then cut off another, hearing the screa horn as I put hts and lean on the horn, then push forward, getting up close I can see someone in the back of the cab, and when they turn around to see who’s behind, it’s like a weight is lifted

It’s her It’s Esme

She tries to waveanywhere Es rid of ht to voicemail—either she has it turned off, or more likely she rejected my call

A second later, she holds up a sign to the back“Leave me ALONE I know!” It’s written in her trade pad she picked out yesterday Even now, the thought of that red lipstick smeared down the shaft of h my mind

I’ monster

I shake my head, then hold my hand up toher again, and this time she answers, but there’s fury in her voice