The brick wall was a little higher around back—exactly three feet taller, to make it an even eight feet. Ravyn was five feet six inches. She reached back, lowering the pack she carried to the ground. Pulling out the bungee cords and hooks, she made quick work of getting them assembled and then tossing the line so that the hook soared over the top of the wall. When that was secure, she scaled the wall, taking wide steps so that she was over the top in less than ten seconds, dropping to the ground like a blur in the night.
From there it was a thirty-foot run until she came up against the wall of the breakfast room. This was the only room that hadn’t been lined for security because the owner of the house hadn’t gotten to it yet. Dumbass. She worked the lock at the door and eased inside, walking through one room after another recalling the blueprint she’d bought from Vertis as she ended up in what the blueprint called the “display room.” Again, dumbass rolled through her mind as she thought of the owner, because who really thought it was a good idea to keep valuable artifacts in an unguarded location called the “display room.” He might as well have just put an ad in the paper that said: Please come steal from me at your earliest convenience.
Well, she supposed she should thank him but for now she’d just relieve him of the one thing she’d come all this way for. Now with her penlight in hand, she angled it first at the walls in the room. They were built-ins with what she suspected were other pieces of Dumbass’s collection on each shelf. Changing direction, she aimed the light in the center of the room and found the five dark wood pillars in a staggered line right where Vertis said they would be. She passed the first two, not bothering to inspect what was inside of them because they weren’t what she was here to retrieve. Instead, she headed straight for the one in the middle, letting her light rest on the glass case atop the pillar which was larger than the other ones. Upon closer scrutiny she saw that this pillar was also different from the others because it was bolted to the floor.
She stepped closer and took a deep breath before lifting her hands and moving them around the perimeter of the glass, just in case there was some type of alarm that would go off if she got too close to it. Nothing happened and she figured that was a good sign. The glass was heavier than she’d thought but after a little effort she was able to lift it and set it on the floor. Her gloved hand closed over the hilt of a dirty old knife that she was told was worth a half a million dollars. She lifted it from the base it was set on and slowly brought it up to survey it more closely. There was nothing exceptional about it. A filthy sheath covered the actual blade and she pulled it back slightly just to be certain she was getting what she came for. Dinged metal that appeared dirty or stained. She shook her head and was jamming it back into the sheath when she heard it. A low hum that buzzed soft and long and made her feel as if some type of device was running along her skin.
She stuffed the knife into her bag and made her way back through the house the way she’d come. But a light flashed through the windows of the breakfast room and Ravyn ran in the opposite direction. She flew through the house she’d been told was empty and didn’t stop until she was standing in the center of the hallway on the second floor. A quick glance behind showed there were lights in the driveway. Somebody was definitely coming. Cursing, she grabbed a cord that was hanging and yanked it. In seconds, stairs to the attic unfolded and she hurried up them. Once she was completely inside the attic, she reached back to pull the stairs up behind her.
Now she was trapped.
“Dammit!”
The whisper seemed loud in the drab low-ceilinged space. There were boxes everywhere and large covered things she presumed from their shape were paintings. She walked from one end to the next, stopping the moment she saw the small window. There was no way she would fit, but she didn’t have time to contemplate. Using more strength than she’d realized she had, she finally managed to push the window open and in the next seconds was squeezing her body through the small opening.
Now she was on the roof. With a sigh she leaned over, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. The light she’d seen outside the house before appeared to be gone as now there was only darkness again. But it wasn’t quiet darkness, that low hum she’d heard when she was inside the house still buzzed in her ears. And that wasn’t all that was strange. Ravyn slowly came to a full stand, easing her hand into her bag to grab the knife she’d just stolen, because while Vertis had assured her nobody would be inside this house tonight, there was definitely someone on this roof with her. Someone she just might have to kill in order to get away.
Chapter Three
Something wasn’t right.
A fierce breeze whipped through the thin navy-blue jacket he wore. His booted feet stood firm on the portion of the roof that was flat. She stood closer to a gabled section, her legs partially spread, back turned to him, but she knew he was there. He could tell by the way she was standing with her shoulders squared, arms tense and head slightly
