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though they were pedaling backwards.

 
     
    Chapter Five
     

     
    The next evening Will and Emma pulled down a narrow road lined with older homes.
    “That one, the brown one on the left.” Emma pointed to a bungalow several houses down. The yard needed mowing and landscape was overgrown. Paint flaked off the weathered siding. An old Buick was parked in the driveway.
    A woman with bleached-blonde hair emerged from the front door. She wore a pair of too-tight jeans and an equally tight red knit shirt. Hitching her purse on her shoulder, she slid into the front seat of the Buick.
    “Speak of the devil.” Emma muttered under her breath. Just the sight of her brought all the feelings of insecurity and inferiority rushing back.
    “That’s her?”
    Emma bit her lip. “Yeah, that’s her.”
    The car backed out of the driveway and headed the opposite direction they were parked. They followed the Buick a couple of miles before it turned into crowded parking lot. Will drove past, around the block and pulled into a space in the back.
    Will turned to Emma. “You hang back and let me talk to her first.”
    “I know. We’ve been over it already.”
    “And no flirting with dirty old men like the last time we were in a bar,” he said, bringing up the night they met.
    Emma snorted. “Yeah, I think you’re safe as long as you don’t go flirting with waitresses with their cleavage hanging out.”
    “Deal.” He leaned over and kissed her. “You okay?”
    “I’m fine, let’s get this over with.”
    They walked to the entrance side by side. Will stopped on the sidewalk outside the door.
    “If you aren’t inside within two minutes I’m coming out to get you.”
    “Got it.”
    He paused outside the entrance, hesitating. She knew he hated leaving her out here, but they couldn’t risk Emma’s mother seeing her yet. He leaned down and kissed her, his mouth hard and insistent. She paused before she kissed him back, matching his ardor. When he reluctantly pulled back, she searched his face, breathless.
    “What was that?”
    “I just wanted you to remember who you were leaving with tonight.” He let go of her and winked before walking through the entrance.
    She took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart.
    “Hey baby, you waitin’ for someone?”
    A thin greasy-haired man sauntered toward her from the parking lot. He looked like a frequent patron, thin and pasty from too much alcohol and cigarettes and not enough food and sunlight.
    Emma raised her eyebrows. “Not you,” she answered, her voice hard.
    “Then what are you doing out here all alone?” He moved next to her and leaned close, smelling her hair.
    She narrowed her eyes in disgust and took a step away from him. “I don’t think you heard me. Not interested. ” She turned her back to him and started for the door.
    His hand grabbed her shoulder in a firm grip. Emma stiffened.
    “I think the lady said she wasn’t interested,” a deep male voice growled behind her.
    Emma turned to see a dark haired man shove the drunk against the wall. The new man wasn’t nearly as large as Will, but to Emma’s surprise, he shoved the drunk with little effort.
    “I think you owe the lady an apology,” he snarled.
    “That’s okay, I don’t need one…” Emma said, backing up slowly to the door.
    The slimy guy watched her, his bulging eyes pleading for help.
    “Well, I think you do,” the dark-haired man said in a calm voice dripping with indifference. His lack of emotion scared her. He slammed the man again. The drunk’s head bounced off the brick wall with a dull thud.
    “I’m..m..m sorry,” he stammered.
    The dark-haired man released him, literally tossing him to the side. “Get the hell out of here.”
    He slunk off into the parking lot, limping past the parked cars and disappearing into an alley.
    “Are you all right?” The dark-haired man’s voice was low and his eyes softened as he looked her over.
    Emma’s heart pounded, not sure what had