“Have you called an ambulance? Did the woman say what Debbie was hit with?” His dark eyes raked the purpling bruise on her chin. “Was it some sort of a weapon or…?”

“Miss Randall wouldn’t let us call an ambulance. She just wanted us to call you. She said she was fine. Actually, she seemed to be until you walked in.” The manager shrugged, as if to say it was out of his hands. “As for the witness, she said the boy just doubled up his fist and swung. Couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then he tried to get her purse but was unsuccessful.”

“Hell!” Cole’s single expletive said it all.

“I’ve got a copy of her statement,” Rick said as he came back into the room. “She thinks she can identify the man. She’s volunteered to go down and look at some mug shots.” He looked down at the tiny woman lying so pale and still. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get her to a hospital. We’ll beat an ambulance if I drive.”

Cole looked up, read the concern on his partner’s face, and nodded. Debbie was starting to come around.

“Debbie?” Cole’s voice was soft and low as he brushed her hair away from her forehead and tried not to look at the bruise on her face and the cut on her lip. “Honey….can you hear me?”

She moaned. Her eyelids fluttered, and her fingers began to twitch as she tightened her grip onto the only anchor she could find…Cole.

“It was him.” Her speech was slurred, her eyesight blurry as her makeshift bed tried to go into orbit inside the tiny office.

“Him? Who, honey?” Cole asked.

Her heart thumped as she saw Cole and struggled to sit. He’s here! Thank God!

“The man from the beach…the one who stole Florence Goldblum’s purse…remember?” Her fingers dug into his wrist.

Cole’s expression froze. My God! “You mean…that day…you saw his face?”

“Yes. I thought you knew,” she whispered. “Didn’t you?”

“Not really. I was already running, remember?”

Debbie closed her eyes and swallowed. The words came out in a rush. “At the beach…when it happened…he saw me watching him. Today…when we met on the escalator…I don’t know who was more surprised, me or him.”

“You mean he knows who you are?” The growl was deep, and threatening. Debbie had to look up just to assure herself that Cole’s anger wasn’t directed at her.

“I guess. At least, he knows my face.” And then she moaned as the sofa took another turn around the room.

Cole took a deep breath. He nodded to Rick, again the need for conversation unnecessary. The man had to be found. After what he’d done today, it was obvious that he didn’t like witnesses.