He was panting, staggering. He was not used to running this way. He quickly became aware of a young mother pushing a stroller watching him. He could imagine how he looked. The mother shook her head in great distaste and hurried on by. Bitch, Dobyns thought. Smug fucking bitch. Another block down, he found a taxi. Guy was in there behind the wheel reading a paperback in the dim light of the overhead. Wonder the guy wasn't blind by now. Dobyns got in the back seat. Slammed the door. The guy put the paperback away with great reluctance, as if he were doing Dobyns here quite a favour. "Okay," the guy said, addressing his body to the wheel. Dobyns gave him the address. For the first time, the cabbie took a look at Dobyns. A good one, anyway. In the rear-view, the cabbie's eyes narrowed. Lots of cabbies got murdered these days. A sweaty, dishevelled, panting man with crazed eyes would seem to fit the profile of Those To Be Avoided.
