“And here we are.” She caught a long breath. The moon was just beginning to roll, a ball of red, along the black horizon.
“Here we are,” Erik agreed, then settled back comfortably in his corner.
* * * * * * * *
It was at about this same moment that Jeanne found herself speeding away in a taxi with a man she had never seen before.
“He saved me,” she told herself. “Saved me from a horrible night. He knew I was there. How? He willed to get me out of that place. Why?” To these questions she could find no answers. There was, she believed, but one thing to do; to sit back and allow the future to unfold itself.
They were entering the Loop. There was comfort in that. In the Loop were many people. And in numbers there is always a degree of safety.
“You’ll be in need of a cup of coffee after that,” her companion suggested. “Supposing we stop in here.” The cab had stopped before a well lighted coffee house.
Without a word Jeanne followed him inside and back to a small table in the rear. “Who is he? What does he want?” She was determined now to see the thing through.
“I’m Tom Tobin of the News,” the strange rescuer announced when coffee had been ordered.
“Oh!” Jeanne caught her breath. “You were after news! And—and I—I will be in the paper! That explains—”