She rolled her eyes and mock saluted. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
I tapped the end of her nose. “You’re so cute when you’re snarky.”
Her lips parted in shock. Before she could snap out a comeback, I made my exit. I waited outside until I heard the lock engage, and then glanced around. Based on what I knew of Bergen, I suspected he’d have eyes on Fiona. I walked away, hoping it looked as though I was leaving for the day, then slipped through the fire escape into a shaded alcove and waited.
Minutes passed, and I stayed as still as if I’d been carved from stone. Just when I was beginning to think I might have been mistaken, I saw movement in the alley below. A man appeared, his features hidden by a ski mask. I remained in place, waiting as he climbed the stairs, a backpack slung over one shoulder and something cylindrical clutched in hishand. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. Somehow, I knew this was our guy.
He looked up as he reached the floor beneath me and stiffened. He’d seen me.
He took off, taking the stairs two at a time. I raced after him, grabbing the handrail to make sure I didn’t slip and fall. Metal clanged as the object in his hand knocked into the railing, and he glanced over his shoulder. My eyes locked on his, brown against brown, and then he tore his gaze away and leaped over the side of the railing, falling the last several feet and landing safely on the concrete. I dove after him, making it to the ground just in time to grab onto the backpack hanging off his shoulder.
He spun around and raised the object in his hand. Something flew out and stung my eyes. I squeezed them shut, but the stinging didn’t ease. The backpack was yanked out of my grasp. I tried to open my eyes as I reached for him again, but they were sticky and all I could see was fog as the man in the ski mask made his escape.
