have anything repossessed or like that?"
"No. Gosh no. We have a little credit card debt." The chair she sat in was uncomfortable. She wanted to squirm under his scrutiny. "I don't want to talk about it."
"How much debt?"
"Ace," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down. "I said I don't want to talk about it. I can handle this."
"Alright. You come to me if you get in a tight spot, Gabby."
"Sure. Sure." Maybe she could change the subject. She started asking him about the bagel business and he left the bill collector issue alone. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would let it lie forever, though.
Gabby suggested a walk after dinner, and Ace was amenable to the idea, though he questioned her about Central Park when she recommended that as their destination.
"Isn't it a dangerous place after dark?"
"Not so much anymore," she told him. "Crime in the city is much less than it was."
"You're sure?"
She nodded. "And there are lighted paths. It should be fine."
Ace considered that for a moment, but agreed.
A few minutes later, they were walking in the park. The summer night was warm, but Ace appeared comfortable in his well-tailored suit. Gabby was glad she'd opted for a summer-weight dress, but her feet were going to kill her the next day. She pushed that consideration away and reminded herself to concentrate on the present. Tomorrow be damned.
A solitary loon called out as they walked by the Central Park Zoo, but they soon left it behind. The paths were well lit, but no one was about, despite the mild night.
As they neared East Drive, not far from the pond, they heard a scuffle in the bushes. Maybe it was a dog trapping a rabbit. Ace went on high-alert, making sure she was on his left side, leaving his stronger right side open.
"I'm sure it's nothing."
He listened intently. "I don't like it. It sounds like people."
She giggled. "Maybe a couple ducked into the bushes to—"
There was a groan and more thrashing about. A man's voice said, "Please, no!" The plea was followed by a grunt and a moan.
A sick wave of fear washed over her.
"Ace..."
"I know, li'l girl." He led her under the light stand nearby. "I'm gonna check into it."
More scuffling noises and groans, and a reedy cry. "Ace, I'm scared. Let's go."
"I can't leave if someone's gettin' hurt. Stay here under this light."
"I have pepper spray, do you want it?"
"No. You keep your hand on it though." He reached into his boot and withdrew a black-bladed knife.
"Don't go, Ace. Don't."
"I have to. Somebody could be gettin' killed in there."
Dread wrapped a gray hand around her heart as she watched Ace slowly move into the bushes. She sent a silent prayer skyward.
"Hey! That’s enough of that! Back off!"
It was Ace's voice, raised in warning. Someone cursed and there was more scuffling. It sounded like fists thudding into flesh for a moment, with attendant grunts.
Maybe Ace was in trouble. Maybe the knife wasn't enough. Maybe he needed her pepper spray. She might be able to help him. Gabby climbed into the shrubbery, following the sounds and silently cursing her flimsy sandals.
Not far in, she came to a small clear patch, where tall trees kept out most of the moonlight. There was a person on the ground, and Ace was bending over him. Footsteps ran away through bushes across the clearing, and a man with a watchcap was scrambling to his feet. He soon ran away, limping slightly.
That left Ace, Gabby and the fallen man alone.
"Ace?"
His voice was harsh when he answered her. "What the Sam Hill are you doin' here, Gabby? I told you to stay under the light!"
She came a little closer. "I thought maybe you needed help."
He growled. "You have got to learn to mind me, woman."
"I'm sorry." She was near where Ace was kneeling. "What happened?"
Ace prodded the fallen man, and elicited a groan. "Some young thugs—three of them—were muggin' this homeless guy. He's hurt, but I think he's comin' 'round."
"We should go. They might come back."
He gave her
"No. Gosh no. We have a little credit card debt." The chair she sat in was uncomfortable. She wanted to squirm under his scrutiny. "I don't want to talk about it."
"How much debt?"
"Ace," she hissed, trying to keep her voice down. "I said I don't want to talk about it. I can handle this."
"Alright. You come to me if you get in a tight spot, Gabby."
"Sure. Sure." Maybe she could change the subject. She started asking him about the bagel business and he left the bill collector issue alone. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would let it lie forever, though.
Gabby suggested a walk after dinner, and Ace was amenable to the idea, though he questioned her about Central Park when she recommended that as their destination.
"Isn't it a dangerous place after dark?"
"Not so much anymore," she told him. "Crime in the city is much less than it was."
"You're sure?"
She nodded. "And there are lighted paths. It should be fine."
Ace considered that for a moment, but agreed.
A few minutes later, they were walking in the park. The summer night was warm, but Ace appeared comfortable in his well-tailored suit. Gabby was glad she'd opted for a summer-weight dress, but her feet were going to kill her the next day. She pushed that consideration away and reminded herself to concentrate on the present. Tomorrow be damned.
A solitary loon called out as they walked by the Central Park Zoo, but they soon left it behind. The paths were well lit, but no one was about, despite the mild night.
As they neared East Drive, not far from the pond, they heard a scuffle in the bushes. Maybe it was a dog trapping a rabbit. Ace went on high-alert, making sure she was on his left side, leaving his stronger right side open.
"I'm sure it's nothing."
He listened intently. "I don't like it. It sounds like people."
She giggled. "Maybe a couple ducked into the bushes to—"
There was a groan and more thrashing about. A man's voice said, "Please, no!" The plea was followed by a grunt and a moan.
A sick wave of fear washed over her.
"Ace..."
"I know, li'l girl." He led her under the light stand nearby. "I'm gonna check into it."
More scuffling noises and groans, and a reedy cry. "Ace, I'm scared. Let's go."
"I can't leave if someone's gettin' hurt. Stay here under this light."
"I have pepper spray, do you want it?"
"No. You keep your hand on it though." He reached into his boot and withdrew a black-bladed knife.
"Don't go, Ace. Don't."
"I have to. Somebody could be gettin' killed in there."
Dread wrapped a gray hand around her heart as she watched Ace slowly move into the bushes. She sent a silent prayer skyward.
"Hey! That’s enough of that! Back off!"
It was Ace's voice, raised in warning. Someone cursed and there was more scuffling. It sounded like fists thudding into flesh for a moment, with attendant grunts.
Maybe Ace was in trouble. Maybe the knife wasn't enough. Maybe he needed her pepper spray. She might be able to help him. Gabby climbed into the shrubbery, following the sounds and silently cursing her flimsy sandals.
Not far in, she came to a small clear patch, where tall trees kept out most of the moonlight. There was a person on the ground, and Ace was bending over him. Footsteps ran away through bushes across the clearing, and a man with a watchcap was scrambling to his feet. He soon ran away, limping slightly.
That left Ace, Gabby and the fallen man alone.
"Ace?"
His voice was harsh when he answered her. "What the Sam Hill are you doin' here, Gabby? I told you to stay under the light!"
She came a little closer. "I thought maybe you needed help."
He growled. "You have got to learn to mind me, woman."
"I'm sorry." She was near where Ace was kneeling. "What happened?"
Ace prodded the fallen man, and elicited a groan. "Some young thugs—three of them—were muggin' this homeless guy. He's hurt, but I think he's comin' 'round."
"We should go. They might come back."
He gave her
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