Page 15 of Corbin (Wild Wolf Pack from the world of Gallize Shifters #2)
Eirene fidgeted, worried about the motorcycle Ivarson had mentioned possibly following them. She had almost not exited the car at this dress shop until he announced the bike had disappeared in traffic.
For some reason, her stomach refused to see that as good news.
She walked around the shop that smelled of lemon-floral potpourri.
She touched the back of her head for any loose hairs falling from the floppy brown hat concealing her hair.
Nope, her hair remained intact where she’d pinned it up high.
She removed the dark glasses that she’d worn in case the paparazzi showed up.
Some days, she felt like a cartoon character in disguise.
Had the motorcyclist following them been one of the two she’d seen standing by their bikes outside the theater? Or a coincidence?
She didn’t have the energy to become paranoid over motorcycles with so many on the roads.
Moving around a rack of skirts near the display window, she started to worry.
Where was her friend who managed this shop?
Eirene remained across the room from a thirtyish woman she did not recognize who carried an armful of clothes, clearly helping a middle-aged lady. They headed toward the dressing room.
Eirene kept glancing out the display window.
No motorcycle had passed by in the last three minutes, and she could see none parked nearby.
Good, but where was Lilly?
The front door opened, and in came a trim, energetic twenty-three-year-old Gen Zer carrying a white paper bag emitting a delightful aroma. Lilly had picked up something from the Persian restaurant two blocks over.
Her head swiveled in Eirene’s direction. “Hi!”
Eirene flinched at the loud sound in the too-quiet shop.
Lilly scrunched her shoulders and whispered, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to blow your ears.”
Smiling, Eirene shook her head. “I’m fine. Your lunch smells divine. Wish I had time to visit Raoul’s place.”
“You should. He’s got a new item on the menu.” Lilly rushed over to the shop’s checkout desk, depositing her meal bag and purse. She hooked her thumb toward the back of the store without saying a word.
Eirene nodded and headed that way, passing into an area where clothes hung in clear bags and cardboard cartons sat unopened on a long table.
Lilly waited until Eirene was close enough to whisper, “I’ll go back to give you a couple of minutes to exit.”
Eirene grabbed the young woman’s cool hand and shoved a hundred dollars in it. “Thank you for giving me some free time alone, Lilly.”
Grinning, Lilly stuffed it down her cleavage. “Anytime. I can’t imagine being followed by rabid photographers.”
Eirene smiled. “Be sure to grab the four tickets I’ll have for you at will call.
” Whenever she performed in Spartanburg or relatively close, she arranged for Lilly to have tickets.
It was rare to meet anyone who could keep their mouth shut about knowing Eirene this well, but Lilly could.
She came from a poor family of eight and had grown up with no privacy, so she protected her own.
She’d been surprised when Eirene had first sat next to her at the Persian restaurant where they both ate at the bar.
Eirene had spent many visits observing Lilly before deciding she could be trusted.
Another friend, Raoul, had never fawned over Eirene either, treating her with the respect of a cherished patron. He would also slip her out the back door when necessary.
The moment Lilly returned to the front of the shop and closed the door softly behind her, Eirene got busy. She hurried to a set of stairs that would take her upstairs to a hallway which led to the owner’s second-floor apartment when the woman was in town.
Currently, the elderly lady had another four days left on her trip to Italy, thanks to her trust in Lilly running the shop.
Rushing past the front door to the woman’s home, Eirene reached a locked door. She used the key to open it, thanks to Lilly, who kept one for when maintenance needed access. Hanging it on the nail they both used, Eirene crossed through a small storage area to take the stairway to the roof.
Once up there, Eirene scampered across the roof, bent over to keep her head below the three-foot-tall parapet wall running across the front and back of each two-story brick building.
Thanks to wearing pants now, she was able to climb over the short fire-break wall erected between connected buildings.
When she reached the back corner of the next building, she peeked over the rear wall to check the permanent fire escape ladder that had been attached to the building many years ago. Eirene paused to listen.
No unusual traffic sounds like a motorcycle motor.
Her primary mobile phone in her pants pocket rang with the annoying sound of Leszek’s jingle. Slipping her hand inside, she clicked the silence button.
She’d use the excuse that she had been in the middle of the fiasco at the theater for missing his call.
Heart beating hard at the chance of being caught, she paused and took a good look up and down the rear access road to the shops.
Over an hour after conventional lunchtime, all seemed quiet.
Convinced she could get down without being spotted, she swung a leg over the short wall and descended the ladder.
She’d have to travel on foot to her secret warehouse, then the same way on to her apartment. Ivarson had not been happy when she told him she wished to walk home for some fresh air. He’d expect her to be home before dark.
If nothing slowed her up, it would still be a tight timeline.
She took in the wooded natural area on the other side of the road and jumped the last four feet to the ground. She’d barely entered the tree line when she sensed being watched. Pausing to take in the quiet back street, she saw no one near the dress shop delivery door.
She asked Pixie, Am I jumping at shadows, or do you sense anyone else out here?
Yes, you are tired, but I am not at ease with you being here alone.
Her wolf was never at ease about a lot of Eirene’s actions, but she was always ready to help. Stepping into the woods ten feet, she swung around to peer at the back street.
A delivery van drove by and continued past the restaurant.
That was it. Nothing else stirred.
Pixie said, If we are going to do this, sooner would be better than later.
Agreed , Eirene sent back, but she couldn’t risk anyone following her on this run.