She frowns and pushes hair out of her face. “What’s wrong?”
She doesn’t know. He didn’t make a move on her.
“I saw him,” I say without delay.
Sabine stills.
Then, “What?”
“This morning. Here. Outside your work. Long coat. Hat. Standing like he belonged, but he didn’t move for ten minutes.” I take a breath. “Then he vanished. I crossed the street, and he was just… gone.”
Her face drains of color.
“Are you… are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She blinks at me. Once. Twice. And I can already see her retreating, pulling back from the part of herself that believed it was over.
“I—Cass, that could’ve been anyone,” she says, her voice thin.
“No,” I say. “It wasn’t.”
She shifts her weight, glancing back at the building like someone might walk out and save her from this conversation. No one does.
“How do you know?” she asks, softer now. “Maybe it was just some random guy standing there. Maybe he got spooked when he saw you.”
“No, Sabine,” I say, grabbing her arm and pulling her with me. I don’t want to be rough, but she flinches anyway. “It was him. I mean it.”
“Well… wait,” she stammers, stumbling as I pull her. “Cass, can you just stop for a second—”
“We can’t stop,” I say, too sharply. Her eyes flash with alarm. I lower my voice. “We need to go home. Now. You’re going to stay there, lock the doors and windows, and I’ll go meet Grayson as soon as I can.”
“What? Why?” she says. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to hunt him down.”
Sabine stares at me.
“How?” she asks. “Do you have a plan?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
We reach the crosswalk, and I turn instead of heading straight like she expects.
“Where are we going?” she says.
“I didn’t bring a car,” I tell her. “Didn’t want to be tracked. But we’re not walking.”
“So what, you’re going to carry me on your back?”
I don’t smile.
“There’s a supply garage behind the lot,” I tell her, already pulling her toward the alley. “Locked fence, but I’ve been watching it. The guy always leaves his moped parked outside during his shift. Still keeps the key tucked above the back tire.”
Sabine pulls back. “Cass, you’re not seriously stealing someone’s—”
“Borrowing,” I cut in. “I’ll return it. Full tank and fifty bucks on the dash.”
