I'll Be Watching You by Charles de Lint

Author:Charles de Lint
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Published: 1994-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

Harry watched the two women on Rachel’s balcony through his telescope. The woman with the slightly Oriental cast to her features would be Rachel’s friend Lily. He had seen her at the apartment on a number of occasions but hadn’t known her name until yesterday afternoon when Rachel and Rob had been speaking of her.

Lily Kataboki.

She was very attractive, but not Beauty. She was somewhat too exotic. Her eyes an unnaturally bright blue. Her skin so very pale.

He focused back on Rachel, taking his gaze from the telescope when she pushed up the sleeves of her sweatshirt to show Lily the inflammation on her forearms.

He’d have to wait until she was healed now. And he’d have to watch over her more carefully than ever before, because it was patently obvious that anything could happen. If she was hurt too badly, if she was scarred . . .

That oaf he’d eliminated, the man from the Bike Pit. What if in the midst of their altercation, Hughes had hit Rachel and broken her nose? Or if the burns she’d sustained last night had been worse? Anything could happen if he didn’t keep careful watch. But he’d been right there, across the table from her, and he hadn’t been able to do a thing to stop her from being hurt.

Last night had been an error. Instead of thinking of himself, instead of enjoying her company as he had, he should have tested her while she was still unblemished, while he could control the situation. Now he had to wait until the inflammations died down. How long would that take? A few days? A week?

When he began to consider what could happen to her while he waited—the sheer diversity of stupid, pointless accidents that could befall her if she was in the wrong place at the wrong time—it gave him a chill. Goosebumps marched up his arms.

He considered simply snatching her and taking her someplace secluded and safe until she healed, but immediately dismissed the idea. He’d have to bind her, and that would just create more bruising and chaffing of her perfect skin. But waiting like this was going to be so hard.

Harry took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then took another. His nerves were all on edge. He had the sense that things were unraveling—not just in terms of his quest, but within himself as well. The pressure had been building up through all the long years of his searching. He’d been aware of it, but he’d kept it in check. He’d remained in control. So why was the pressure so strong now? Why did it have to come to a head at this time, when he was so very close finally to realizing the fruits of his labor?

Because this time he had found her, he realized. Really and truly found her.

He looked through the telescope again.

It was just a few days more, that was all. Her skin would heal and he’d make the final test and then all the pressure would be gone because he’d be vindicated.

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