The Crypt Read Free

guessed it was at least five to ten blocks away.
     
    English whispered something to his friend.
     
    “What was that?” Sarah asked.
     
    He looked back at her. “I told him in Hungarian to help me hold you down if you try to run. The police are coming. You are in a lot of trouble.”
     
    Sarah stared at him. There was something she didn’t know. Not that they were withholding information on her. It was more of a feeling, intuition. A change in the air. Like they had the upper hand and they knew it.
     
    She scanned the immediate area. Was anyone coming out of the shadows? Was it the man with the fedora leaning against the light post?
     
    Or maybe they were friends with the police? Could the officers responding to the scene tonight be their pals and they were going to conspire to really fuck her over?
     
    Whatever they thought they had on her she was sure Vivian would’ve sent a warning. Silence for a month didn’t supersede Sarah’s safety.
     
    Vivian would’ve said something. Sarah would stake her life on it.
     
    “I’m not going to run. You needn’t worry.”
     
    “You will be arrested,” English stated in a matter-of-fact voice. “You attacked our friend without provocation.”
     
    Without provocation? Fuck you. I was being followed.
     
    Sarah nodded. “Maybe you’re right. Let’s just wait and see.”
     
    The sirens were at least a block away now.
     
    The rotating lights on the top of the little police cars could be seen bouncing off the walls of the building up ahead as they approached.
     
    Now was the time.
     
    Sarah raised her right hand, fingers splayed out and struck herself across the face hard enough to leave a serious red welt.
     
    “Hey, what the hell was that?”
     
    Sarah smiled his way. “I’ve been doing this too long.”
     
    The police car rounded the corner and began to slow as soon as the driver saw them all in the middle of the road. The car stopped behind Sarah and the driver stepped out.
     
    He addressed everyone in Hungarian. A ramble of monotone gibberish went back and forth for half a minute. Sarah waited until they were finished.
     
    The guy on the ground started moaning louder again, rolling around a little, holding his face with both hands.
     
    The officer turned to her and said in English, “What is your story?”
     
    “I can’t sleep. I was out for a late night walk when I noticed these three guys were following me.” She heard one of the gypsies grunt as if she was lying. “I tried to get to this busier street.” She turned and gestured behind her. “But they got really close. I don’t have anything to defend myself with, officer, so I removed my shoes. They said, dressed the way I am, that I was asking for trouble. This guy,” she pointed at the gypsy on the ground. “He stepped up and slapped me hard across the face—”
     
    “That’s not true!” English shouted.
     
    The officer turned toward him and spewed something in Hungarian lightning quick. English dropped his head a little.
     
    “Continue,” the cop said to her.
     
    “After he slapped me, in my defense, I tossed my elbow in his face. I think I accidentally broke his nose. I’m sorry, officer. I just wanted to go back to my hotel. I was scared.”
     
    English spoke first. “This is all lies. We were following her, but that’s because it’s our job—”
     
    “Hey!” the cop yelled. “Enough out of you.”
     
    Job? What the hell was he talking about? Could he have misused the English word and he meant something else? If not, then who hired them? Who wanted Sarah followed?
     
    That must be what she felt earlier. It was like they knew something and she didn’t. These three had purpose. They’d seen her before. They’d watched her before. These three posed a danger to her now. Something was going on that was deeper than Sarah knew and Vivian wasn’t informing her.
     
    What the fuck could it be?
     
    “Look miss, you’re going to have to come with me. I will take