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T hat hot flame in her chest roared into an inferno and the following moment seemed to happen at a sluggish speed. She shouted something—though what, she couldn’t remember—and lunged at the thief.

To her utmost glee, this seemed to surprise the man, and he floundered back.

At the same time, Ollie appeared from out of nowhere and tackled the thief to the ground. Shouting enveloped the trio as the two men scuffled. Evelyn watched with bated breath.

Amidst the scuffle, Ollie knocked the man’s tricorn hat off, exposing the dark hair beneath, and then reached for the mask.

Evelyn stilled, eager to finally see who the cruel thief was.

But the thief was too slippery. Somehow, he managed to evade Ollie’s reach, rolled away, and jumped up to his feet.

“What did you do to her?” Ollie shouted through his heaving breaths. He, too, climbed back up to stand. “If you pulled a single hair on her head—”

“Ollie, I’m fine.” Evelyn could see how worried he was, and it pulled at her. “Honest. He didn’t hurt me.”

Ollie turned to look at her, and it was as if he were just now noticing her. For a prolonged moment, he stared. Then he looked down to where her arms wrapped behind her. “Did he tie your hands?”

“Oh. Well, aside from that, he didn’t do anything to me. He just talked, incessantly. A rather irritating fellow, I may add.” Though she couldn’t see the thief’s expression, she gave him a pointed look, anyway.

“Quite an interesting conversation we had, though, wasn’t it?” the thief gloated.

Ollie began untying the rope around her. “What was so interesting about it?”

Evelyn hesitated. She absolutely could not tell him what the thief had just revealed. Incorrectly. She was absolutely not in love with Ollie. If he had accused her of lusting after Ollie, perhaps she would eventually agree. But love was an entirely different story. “I don’t know.”

The rope fell away, and Ollie moved to stand in front of her. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Heat crept up her neck as she scrambled for what to say. “He watches you.”

Ollie frowned deeply. “Sorry?”

“He watches you. Thinks you are amusing to watch, and he’s been doing it for a while now, though he didn’t say how long.

” But he had apparently been doing it longer than Evelyn had known Ollie.

How many years had the thief been watching Ollie?

It was unsettling and strange. Why Ollie, though?

The thief had not revealed the reason, other than blaming it on a general curiosity.

But there had to be more to it than that. Right?

Concern knit over Ollie’s face. As he mulled over this tidbit, he lifted one of her wrists to observe closely.

Her skin was red where the rope had been.

Ollie lightly swept a thumb over the raw spot and the intensity of the gentle touch against the tender skin rankled her.

She jerked her hand away and clutched her wrist against her chest.

A muscle in Ollie’s jaw ticked, the only hint her reaction bothered him.

The Signature Swindler, apparently losing interest in them, was meandering around the room as if he were shopping. He lifted a painting, bobbed his head as if considering it, then secured it under his cloak.

“What in the blazes are you doing?” Ollie said to the thief, turning his back to Evelyn.

The thief didn’t look up. “What does it look like?”

“Where is the painting that you stole from us?”

“Now why would I tell you that?”

“I want it back.”

“Do you, now?”

“Yes.” Ollie’s voice was hard. “Enough of this madness. I’m not chasing you around London for it. If it doesn’t appear on my doorstep by noon tomorrow, I’m going to the police.”

The thief chuckled. “No, you won’t. Even she knows that.”

Ollie looked over his shoulder at Evelyn and all she could do was shrug one shoulder.

Ollie returned his attention to the thief. “I think you’ve done enough. We’ll leave you alone if you return it by tomorrow.”

The thief had pulled a fountain pen from somewhere and, with a comical flourish, signed his name atop the rough, wooden table from which he had taken the painting. “How about we strike a bargain?” he asked while securing the cap back on the pen.

“A bargain?” Ollie replied, frustrated by the man’s antics. “I already gave you my offer!”

“Tomorrow by noon, I’ll send you a note with instruction on where to meet me to retrieve the painting.”

Evelyn bit her lip. Was it really as easy as that? “Just like that, you’re going to give it back?”

“He did ask nicely,” the thief replied.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes.

“And, to retrieve it, you must also go to a location of my choosing.”

“How about the tenements across the street?” Evelyn asked with a smirk.

The thief stilled. Finally, after a long moment, he said, “No.”

She had hit a nerve. “What are your ties there?”

“Who tattled?” He had recovered from that odd moment and his eyes were back to smiling. “Nah. Not there. I’d like something with a bit more…flair.”

Evelyn and Ollie exchanged a look. What option did they have?

“Fine,” Ollie said after Evelyn gave a small nod. “Note by tomorrow noon and we’ll meet you at whatever place you decide fits your ridiculous game.”

The thief bent over, flipped the tricorn hat up from the floor, lifted it in a cheer, then spun around to disappear into the shadows.

*

Ollie watched the blasted thief disappear like a ghost. It was unsettling and he was glad that, this time tomorrow, they might be rid of the idiot for good. Assuming he came through, which was questionable.

Ollie turned back to Evelyn, who was putting pointed focus on her skirt.

He wasn’t sure what to do or say, what his place was in all of this.

Earlier, she’d admitted she liked him touching her.

If anyone but her had said that, it would have sounded like innuendo.

But he could see in her surprise that she’d meant it.

And, strangely, he found himself pleased by her discovery.

It made him feel oddly special to her, even though he wasn’t.

But it also didn’t make sense. Evelyn had recoiled from him several times over.

He couldn’t forget those moments. And her claim she liked his touch had been during a moment he’d been teaching her something.

It wasn’t one in which he’d held her hand to keep her close, or when he’d kissed her.

Or she’d kissed him. Whatever it was that had happened.

“You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?” Ollie asked, trying to shut his mind up.

Unfortunately, they still didn’t know who the thief was, but now Ollie’s curiosity was piqued even more.

It was rather strange the man had been watching Ollie.

That, admittedly, was incredibly weird and a bit sinister.

But it made no sense, either. Ollie was just another Londoner.

Why had the thief focused on him, of all people?

Furthermore, why would the thief have even admitted that to Evelyn? It must have been a part of the game he seemed to be playing with them. But what the purpose of that game was, Ollie still couldn’t understand.

“Why did he take you instead of meeting with the both of us like we were expecting?” Ollie asked.

Evelyn stopped fussing over her skirt. “I don’t know.” When she looked up, he was startled to see how forlorn she looked. Her eyes were dull, and the delicate skin around those eyes was darkening.

“All of this should be over tomorrow, Evelyn,” Ollie reassured her. He wanted to fix everything for her and make her feel better, but this was all he could offer. And he wasn’t even sure it would ever end.

She gave him a small smile. “Except you’re still barred from work, and I’m still hiding from my family.”

True. “It’s better than nothing, at least.” Her weariness apparent, he needed to get her home post-haste and began walking through the large, cluttered room while she followed. “Do you think we’ll really get the painting back tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” she replied. “I do trust he’ll send a note. He seems to enjoy toying with us, and he will follow through with that part at least.”

As they reached the double door, Ollie stopped. “Did he tell you why he follows me? I have to admit that…was an unexpected discovery. That I don’t like one bit.”

Evelyn looked up at him with wide eyes. “No, but you want to know the strangest part of it? He said you never would have known about him if it weren’t for me.”

Ollie furrowed his brow. “What does that mean?”

“The only reason he made himself known to you is because I showed up. Otherwise, he would have watched you, for who knows how long, and you never would have known.”

“He made his presence known because of the reward money.”

“Maybe.” Evelyn’s mind seemed to be wandering and that lingering discomfort still had not dissipated.

“You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?”

Her attention went back to him. “Yes.”

“Something’s bothering you, though. What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Did he say something you’re not telling me?”

Her mouth opened slightly as if surprised he had asked. “Don’t be silly, Ollie. The man was being a pest is all.” But the words came out too quickly, too high-pitched, to convince him.

However, before he could press the issue further, Evelyn adjusted her hat and opened the door. “No more of this. I’m quite tired and would like to leave. Perhaps we go to the tenements across the street and see if anyone is up and about? We could ask them if—”

“No. No one will tell us—total outsiders—anything useful. And anyway, you look ready to collapse.”

She let out a long sigh but didn’t argue.

Minutes later, they found their way back outside, tracked down a hansom, and swiftly returned home.

As Ollie’s house came into view, the driver slowly pulled the horse over to the side to stop. They were two houses over, but Ollie wasn’t about to correct that. He paid the man, who tipped his hat in thanks, and the horse trotted off.