John Steel Collection - Books 1-3

Chapter 12

The midday sun was hot and stifling, the glare causing the bustling traffic to crawl across the city. At the same time, ice cream vendors worked hard to supply the demanding crowds gathered in the streets.

. ,Within the coolness of Grand Central Station, thousands of commuters hurried to find their platforms. As she headed for the exit, Susan Black nudged her way through the endless wash of animated people. Pushing the brass door rails of the wood-and-glass doors, Susan was immediately taken aback by the sudden change in temperature as the startling heat slapped her in the face.

Stepping into the street, she headed for the coffee shop under the Park Avenue Viaduct. She smiled to herself as she noticed a few heads turn, enjoying the appreciative glances. She was a sexy forty-year-old woman. Her long blonde hair flowed attractively in the breeze.

Her grey business suit was tailor-made to show her slender body and accentuate the alluring curves. Men’s mouths dropped open, even some women stared in admiration, and she lapped up the attention. Oh yes, she liked being appreciated. As she went into the coffee shop, one man, in particular, paid her attention. The raven-haired man re-adjusted his sunglasses to get a better view, then picked up his mobile phone, pressed the speed dial button and waited.

‘Yes,’ the voice on the other end of the line was soft, but the tone was like nails on a chalkboard. The dark-haired man shivered at the sound of the voice in his ear. ‘I have just seen something I think you will like,’ he said. There was a pause.

‘Can you bring it?’

The dark man smiled, ‘Sure, I’ll pick it up.’ He disconnected the call, slid the phone into his jacket pocket and waited.

Susan only lived a couple of blocks away, so she decided to ‘walk off’ her long journey and the hours of sitting. It was good to be back in New York after a two-week business trip to Canada. As she waltzed down the busy streets, the sound of her wheeled suitcase rattled on the sidewalk, warning people she was coming. Susan was not far from her apartment building when a mewling sound distracted her, so she stopped at an alleyway and listened. It emanated from the depths of the dirty alley. Moving slowly closer, she strained to make out the noise.

What was that? An injured animal? She moved nearer to the noise until she realised it was the sound of a crying child.

‘Hello, are you hurt?’ Susan asked.

Releasing the grip on her case, Susan edged in further until she found a little girl sitting in an old cardboard box. Susan knelt just in front of the child and smiled at her.

‘Hi, are you lost? do you need help?’

The girl didn’t reply. She just stared at Susan with large blue searching eyes.

‘Where’s your mommy?’ Susan asked.

Suddenly Susan felt her body seize up as the taser bit into her back. She fell to the ground and convulsed at the forty thousand volts shot through her body. Then after the third blast, Susan passed out.