Miss No One, Mark Ayre [romantic love story reading .TXT] 📗

little stunned, the attacker met Abbie's eyes. He was misreading her babble as fear, and assumed he was getting to her. His stare was designed to further unnerve Abbie, make her think twice about her decisions.

He waited for his point to sink in, for Abbie to back down. Clearly, he saw what he wanted to see because he turned away before Abbie showed any sign of acquiescence.

"You're about to make a serious mistake," she said.

"You think?"

"I've warned you not to attack him. You go against my wishes, and I'll respond in the strongest terms. I don't like bullies. Victim's dress sense and propensity to slouch notwithstanding."

Lanky stared at her, wounded emotionally as well as hurting physically. Abbie shrugged.

Ignoring these latest comments, the attacker decided Abbie wasn’t dangerous. That she didn't have the courage of her convictions.

Big mistake.

Reaching Lanky, Dirty Knees nudged the still grounded victim with a toe, then lifted his leg to stand over the guy or possibly to stomp on him.

Abbie moved. Her ankle was killing but she crossed the grass between her and the attacker as though she were a short distance sprinter in top condition.

As expected, her speed shocked Dirty Knees. She saw his mouth widen with his eyes, then her fist was in his stomach.

Lanky's attacker crumpled, went back to those dirtied trousers coughing and spluttering. As he slid down, Abbie brought her knee to the guy's temple, which sent him sprawling to his back.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Struggling for breath, the guy didn't respond. He was out of action for at least the next half-minute. After that, Abbie might have to teach the guy another lesson. Keen not to waste the interlude, Abbie turned to help the lanky guy to his feet.

Which was when she spotted two uniformed police officers jogging across the field. They must have been on patrol. While on the road which ran alongside the park, they had spied the altercation and deemed it necessary to intervene. Abbie could see their vehicle, parked in haste on the pavement beside the fence and gate through which they must have entered the council land.

Abbie considered running, but only for a second. What was the point? Rather than flee, she offered her hand to Lanky. He gratefully accepted, allowing Abbie to pull him to his feet. Staggering, he felt his stomach and face, where lumps and bruises were already emerging. He was covered in blood, mostly from his nose.

"My hoody," he said, clutching it. "It's ruined."

He looked as though he were about to cry.

"Yeah," said Abbie, looking at the grubby, worn item of clothing. "And now it's bloodstained, too."

Lanky glared, then the officers arrived. By this point, Lanky's attacker was back on his knees, and here he seemed content to stay. After all, all the damage the grass and dirt were going to do to that section of his trousers had already been done. Clutching his stomach as had Lanky, he gave Abbie a victorious smile, which seemed misplaced.

"Glad you're here, officers," Abbie said, smiling at the man-woman duo. "I was about to perform a citizen’s arrest. Now I don't have to. Can stand back and watch the real thing. Don't know what you saw, but the man on his knees was beating the holy hell out of my lanky friend here. No explanation, but I'm sure you can worm the reasoning out of them down at the station. Before you go, though, could you tell me the name of a decent local hotel? Money's no object, but it must still be open. I'm not precious, as a rule, but I don't fancy sleeping on the doorstep. Follow up question, why are you looking at me like that?"

In truth, Abbie was used to people giving her strange looks after she went on one of her rambles. People didn't like them, for the most part. But that was okay because Abbie did.

These looks were different. The cops looked unfazed but determined. The guy withdrew his cuffs while the gal smirked at Abbie.

Behind Abbie, Dirty Knees rose.

"You need to arrest her," he said, pointing at Abbie but looking at the officers.

Abbie laughed. "You must be joking? The nice officers had been running for at least thirty seconds when I turned from you to pick up Lanky. They must have parked thirty seconds before that. Given the tree line, I’ve no idea how they spotted us while driving by, but what they must have seen is you standing over Lanky, looking ever so threatening. They know what you did."

Abbie was focused on Dirty Knees, but he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were fixed on the uniformed officers.

"You're under arrest," said the guy cop, and Abbie was frustrated to see it was she his eyes found when he spoke. “For assaulting a police officer.”

“You know,” said Abbie, “you’re not supposed to arrest me for something you’ve yet to annoy me into doing.”

“It’s not them they’re saying you assaulted.”

It wasn't the male or female cop who said this. Slowly, Abbie turned to see Dirty Knees retrieve an ID badge from his suit jacket.

Abbie sighed. Phase two was about to end with some serious disappointment on her end.

"Detective Idrissa Ndidi," said Dirty Knees, "and you're in a whole heap of trouble."

Eight

The uniformed police officers, Evans and Franks, cuffed Abbie and drove her to the station. Here they took fingerprint impressions, her belongings, and a photograph of her holding a board.

This was not the first time Abbie's prints and photos had entered the police database. But when Evans and Franks looked Abbie up, they would find no matches. Furthermore, in less than two days, Abbie would be gone, and so would all record of her stay in this chilly building. Once again, she'd be wiped from the system as though she didn't exist.

Working with Ben, and for whatever organisation he represented, had more than a few perks.

And speaking of Ben...

"I need to make a call."

Ben didn't answer, so Abbie left a message. No panic. He was often around,