Page 26 of Dublin Debacle

When she couldn’t wait a moment longer, she eased up to the open door and peered inside.

Jack crossed the living room in front of a set of sliding glass doors that led onto a minuscule balcony and entered what appeared to be a bedroom.

Emily entered the flat and glanced around. The flat had come with furniture, though most of it was old, faded and needed a good cleaning.

“The place is empty,” Jack called out. “Are you sure this was your brother’s flat?” he asked as he came out of the bedroom into the living area.

“I helped him move several boxes of his things in here.” She looked around the room and shook her head. None of his things remained. “Where did he go?”

“I thought I heard movement when we opened the door.”

Emily nodded. “I did, too.”

“I looked everywhere in the apartment, including in closets, under the bed and in the shower. I found a small box on the bed containing shoes, a baseball cap and some other items. It’s like someone had tossed the last few items in the box and then forgot to take them. But there’s no sign of who might have packed them.”

“Is the front door the only door leading out of the flat?” Emily asked.

“It’s the only safe exit. The balcony is three stories up. Anyone considering jumping would suffer serious injuries or death.” Jack tilted his head toward the sliding glass doors, his eyes narrowing. He walked to the glass door and shoved it open. The door slid quietly in its track.

Jack stepped out onto a balcony too small to hide anyone.

Emily followed him and stood in the doorway.

He shrugged and turned to go back into the flat.

That’s when Emily heard a gasp.

Jack leaned over the railing and stared down at something. “Holy shit,” he exclaimed.

“What?” Emily hurried to stand beside him and peered over the balcony rail into the wide, frightened eyes of a young woman.

The girl held onto the railing with both hands, though her grip appeared to be slipping. “Help me.”

Jack reached over the rail and grabbed her wrist as her fingers slipped free of the rail.

Realizing her weight could pull Jack over the rail, Emily wrapped her arms around his waist and held on.

“Please,” the young woman said, “don’t let go.”

“I won’t,” Jack said.

Emily hoped he could keep his word. If the woman dropped the three stories, she could be badly injured, even killed.

Emily’s arms tightened around him. “What can I do?”

“You’re doing it,” he said, his voice tight as he held onto the dangling dead weight of the girl with his one arm. If he didn’t do something soon, the strain could become unbearable. “Let me get my balance.”

He shifted his weight and grabbed the woman’s wrist with his other hand, now holding her with both, hopefully relieving some of the pressure on his one arm. “Can you reach up with your other hand?” he asked the girl.

She flailed unsuccessfully. “No.”

“Emily, I’ve got her now,” Jack said. “Grab the sheets off the bed and tie them together.”

Emily hesitated. “Are you sure you have her?”

“Yes,” he gritted out, the strain evident in his tone. “Hurry.”

Emily slowly released her hold.

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