Page 49 of Out on a Limb
But it didn’t look like calm was going to be an option at this point.
Her inhales were short and sharp as she pressed one hand to her head. “He almost caught me in there going through his stuff.” Her eyes snapped my way. “He would have if you hadn’t—”
Collette’s eyes rolled toward the side of the building just as the footsteps registered.
I grabbed her again, pulling her close and into the shadows, one hand coming to keep her head tucked to my chest while the other pinned the rest of her to me.
Her hands fisted in the fabric of my shirt, holding tight as the door to the office once again opened and the lights inside flashed on.
But this time the shadowy figure cut through the window in Mr. Johnson’s office.
The shadow grew and sharpened, as if the person making it was right against the window, looking outside.
Collette pressed closer to me, her body going completely still as we both stared at the form cut across the foliage beside us.
Her grip on my shirt tightened as the seconds ticked by. Finally the figure moved, backing away from the window.
Then the lights again shut off.
I blinked, trying to acclimate to the sudden darkness.
Before I could fully regain my vision, the door opened and Alan’s voice carried out into the night air. “She’s gone through my desk.”
He stood just around the corner. Close enough that a few steps in the wrong direction and we would be found.
Caught in the act he was accurately describing to whoever was on the other end of his cell phone.
“It has to be her.” His steps came our way. “Who else would it be?”
He stopped, stalling my heart.
Then he paced back the other direction.
“I looked. There’s nothing there but all the bullshit she sells in the gift shop.”
There was no denying who he was talking about.
“They’re probably at her place.” Another pace in our direction, then a few long seconds of silence.
“Agreed.” He sucked in a breath. “Do it.”
Another heavy inhale, ending a second before the smell of cigarette smoke hit me.
The butt of his cigarette launched past us, red end still glowing as it hit the grass.
I’d been around him long enough to know Alan wasn’t the kind of guy who worried about anyone but himself, but Collette’s whole body went stiff and her eyes widened as she stared at the corner.
Like she expected him to come snuff out the still-smoldering filter.
Once his steps started back toward the front she relaxed, but only a little.
Because she knew as well as I did that there was a chance Alan might come back again.
I tipped my head along the edge of the building, peeking out just enough to see the line of the sidewalk he’d taken.
There was no one in sight, which gave us at least ten seconds to move to another spot. One that would offer more coverage and the ability to slip out without risking running into him.
“Come on.” I took one more look, grabbing her hand as I started to move, darting across the open space toward the hedge line the gardeners used to navigate the property without being seen. We were behind the thick band of greenery in eight seconds flat, tucked safely into a place I was positive Alan didn’t even know existed. Hell, Collette’s grandfather might not even know it existed.
