Free Dark Angel 03: Broken Dream by Eden Maguire

cheekbones, pale-grey eyes.
    ‘He had a knife,’ Macy repeated. ‘If it hadn’t been for me stepping out of the elevator and messing with his plan, he’d totally have used it.’
    A click of the mouse told us the good-looking cop had finished her task and logged off. ‘Anything stolen?’ she enquired.
    ‘Yesterday he snatched her phone and her bag – the same guy.’
    ‘And today?’
    ‘Zilch,’ Macy admitted. ‘But you heard what I said about the knife?’
    The cop ignored Macy and focused on me. ‘You have his name?’
    I shook my head.
    ‘Any means of identification?’
    Another shake of my head made her sigh so I did my best to fill in some details. ‘He was about nineteen or twenty, I guess. Around five eight or nine, mixed-race, a bodybuilder type.’
    ‘Is that all?’
    This time I nodded.
    ‘So you want me to arrest the half-million kids in Manhattan who fit this description?’
    ‘No, but she needs some protection,’ Macy cut in. ‘When I showed up, the stalker took off. He’s still out there somewhere.’
    Seeing how pale and shaky I was, the cop decided to go easy on me. ‘You’re from out of town, right? What’s your name and how old are you?’
    ‘I’m Tania Ionescu. I’m eighteen and I’m from Bitterroot.’ I was trying hard to stay calm but my voice croaked and my hands shook.
    ‘That’s Colorado, right? Actually, I have an uncle in Bitterroot. It’s a pretty place. And you’re here in town with your buddy … ?’
    ‘My name’s Macy,’ she volunteered. ‘No, I just met Tania on a film course. She’s here with her boyfriend, Orlando.’
    ‘Orlando … ?’
    ‘Nolan,’ I told her.
    ‘And Orlando is … where exactly?’
    Realizing I didn’t know the answer to this, Macy jumped in again. ‘Right now he’s probably on set at the Jack Kane movie they’re shooting in Central Park.’
    The cop clicked her tongue but said nothing.
    ‘It’s true. He and Tania got special passes to go on set. They met Jack Kane, they spent one-on-one time with Natalia Linton. Tell her, Tania – it’s the absolute truth!’
    This was it – the moment our cop decided there was probably no case here and she was dealing with a couple of celeb-crazed fantasists. ‘So what I suggest you do now,’ she said, directing her attention back to me and making it clear that the police would take no action, ‘is take the subway to Central Park, find your boyfriend and make sure you two stick together for the rest of your trip. Don’t walk the streets alone, OK?’
    I nodded.
    ‘You’re not going to even look for this stalker guy?’ Macy demanded.
    ‘I’m going to file the theft of the phone and the bag. I’m going to give you a reference to take to your insurers.’
    ‘Cool. Thanks.’ I jumped in before Macy could protest. ‘Sorry we wasted your time,’ I told the cop.
    ‘You didn’t,’ she replied, in a tone that clearly meant ‘you did’. Then she created a file and typed the bare details, gave me a printout containing a crime number. ‘Say hi to Jack Kane from me,’ she kidded as Macy and I left the building.

    We didn’t follow the cop’s advice to take the subway back to the park. Instead we walked, me constantly checking my phone to pick up a call from Orlando, Macy quizzing me about my subway phobia.
    ‘You get claustrophobic, right?’
    ‘Kind of. I hate the whole idea of being underground.’
    ‘The same way a lot of people freak out over heights. With my mom it was spiders, moths and driving her car. Stupid, huh? It got so she wouldn’t exceed twenty miles an hour. She broke out in a sweat every time she had to overtake another vehicle, even a bicycle. It drove me nuts.’
    ‘I’m sorry about your mom,’ I said quietly.
    ‘Losing her was tough,’ she admitted. ‘Breast cancer. But promise me you don’t think this is weird – we’re still in contact.’
    ‘Don’t Walk.’ The red hand held us up as we tried to cross East 72nd Street. Steam rose from