One Night Only (118 page)

“
Oi!
”
calle
d
th
e
policeman
.
“Com
e
back
!
Oi!
”

T
es
s
ra
n
an
d
ran
,
th
e
pai
n
i
n
he
r
righ
t
bab
y
to
e
making he
r
fee
l
lik
e
sh
e
wa
s
bein
g
stabbe
d
wit
h
ever
y
ste
p
she
too
k
bu
t
sh
e
couldn
’
t
stop
,
no
t
i
f
he
r
to
e
fel
l
of
f
wa
s
she
stopping
!
N
o
way
!

“
T
ess!
”
calle
d
Poll
y
.
“
T
ess
,
don
’
t
b
e
s
o
blood
y
stupid! Com
e
bac
k
her
e
now!
”

Bu
t
T
es
s
couldn
’
t
hea
r
he
r
.
Sh
e
wa
s
stayin
g
focused.
Sh
e
wa
s
bac
k
i
n
th
e
Cros
s
Countr
y
Championshi
p
final wher
e
th
e
on
e
thin
g
tha
t
drov
e
he
r
o
n
wa
s
th
e
shee
r
blind determinatio
n
tha
t
n
o
on
e
woul
d
eve
r
ge
t
th
e
bette
r
o
f
he
r
.
Sh
e
woul
d
neve
r
b
e
beaten
.
No
t
the
n
an
d
no
t
no
w
.

“
Arrrgh
!
Fuck!
”

Th
e
pain
!
Th
e
pai
n
wa
s
jus
t
to
o
much
.
Sh
e
slowed dow
n
t
o
a
hobblin
g
jog
,
tellin
g
hersel
f
t
o
kee
p
going
,
to
ris
e
abov
e
th
e
pain
.
Sh
e
coul
d
d
o
this
.
Sh
e
could
.
She
could
.

“
Ow!
”
No
,
no
,
sh
e
couldn
’
t
.
Sh
e
stubbe
d
he
r
sor
e
toe
a
cros
s
th
e
pavemen
t
an
d
th
e
pai
n
–
th
e
reall
y
excruciating,
searin
g
pai
n
tha
t
wen
t
righ
t
t
o
he
r
hear
t
an
d
caugh
t
her breat
h
mean
t
sh
e
jus
t
ha
d
t
o
stop
.
Sh
e
ha
d
to
.
S
h
e
c
ou
l
dn
’
t
breathe
.
Sh
e
coul
d
barel
y
see
.

Sh
e
stoo
d
o
n
th
e
pavement
,
tear
s
streamin
g
dow
n
her
fac
e
no
w
,
a
n
d
fearin
g
sh
e
migh
t
chok
e
wit
h
th
e
agon
y
she
wa
s
in
.

“Com
e
on!
”
sai
d
th
e
policema
n
wh
o
ha
d
obviously bee
n
onl
y
inche
s
fro
m
he
r
th
e
whol
e
time
.
“Let
’
s
ge
t
you
som
e
medica
l
attentio
n
fo
r
tha
t
an
d
the
n
we’l
l
d
o
wha
t
we
h
ave
t
o
do
.
Y
o
u
don
’
t
lik
e
t
o
mak
e
thing
s
eas
y
o
n
yourself,
d
o
you?
”

T
es
s
looke
d
a
t
hi
m
throug
h
he
r
water
y
eyes
.
H
e
ha
d
a
kin
d
fac
e
an
d
hi
s
dimple
s
wer
e
actuall
y
kin
d
o
f
cute
.
I
f
she
wasn
’
t
marrie
d
an
d
wasn
’
t
i
n
suc
h
agon
y
an
d
i
f
h
e
wasn
’
t
arrestin
g
he
r
,
sh
e
jus
t
migh
t
fanc
y
him
.
Sh
e
alway
s
loved
a
ma
n
i
n
uniform
.

“
I
a
m
beggin
g
you,
”
sh
e
sobbed
,
afrai
d
t
o
loo
k
a
t
her toe
.
“
I
a
m
beggin
g
yo
u
so
,
s
o
much
.
Pleas
e
d
o
no
t
arrest me
.
Pleas
e
don
’
t
.
I
wil
l
los
e
m
y
job
.
I
teac
h
youn
g
people.
The
y
don
’
t
le
t
criminal
s
teac
h
youn
g
people
.
Please.
”

Th
e
policema
n
too
k
a
ste
p
bac
k
an
d
hi
s
fac
e
crumpled whe
n
h
e
sa
w
th
e
bloo
d
oozin
g
fro
m
T
ess
’
s
toe
.

“Ouch
,
tha
t
look
s
sore
!
Y
ou’r
e
a
fas
t
runne
r
,
I’l
l
give
yo
u
that
!
Broke
n
to
e
o
r
n
o
broke
n
toe!
”