Within seconds of posting, the comments rolled in like assault rifle spray, pumping Emmett full of
ridicule, incredulity, and outright hate. He had a text from Lizette: Your mom’s here.
Then, a moment later: What the fuck was that post??? He fled toward the main hall. He needed to get out
of the museum—clear out his bank account and maybe grab a few things from home before heading
south. He’d be safe over the border. But where would he stay? Would border control let him take Bella?
Could he convince Lizette to move down there with him? What was he going to do about his mom? Jesus
Christ, why did she have to be there today of all days?
His phone lit up with a call from Lizette. He declined it and began to text her, pausing at the crescendo of
sirens. Visible through a mullioned window overlooking the courtyard, a pair of cop cars screeched to a
halt in front of the building.
That was fast—too fast. Someone must have ratted him out. The volunteer who’d noticed him on the
stairs. Fuck. As Emmett reached the mezzanine balustrade, armed officers flooded the hall below. They
split up, searching in different directions—leaving the hall momentarily clear.
Acting on impulse, Emmett made a break for it, hurrying down the stairs and darting into the entrance
vestibule. The exit was sealed, an officer standing guard. Their eyes connected.
“Hey!” She bolted toward him.
Emmett turned and ran. Hanging back to guard the exit, the officer shouted out to her colleagues, “Got
eyes on the perp. Ground floor, heading east!” Emmett ducked right and sprinted toward a side exit. The
push bar held firm —it was locked.
He doubled back, searching for another way out, or at least somewhere to hide. But he’d worked in the
admin building next door. He didn’t know all the museum’s nooks and crannies. He noticed the
brownish-red tiled staircase that led up to California Tower and darted up it. After the second floor, the
st eps grew ste ep, narrow. A black metal security gate, also locked, blocked his passage.
A pair of maintenance workers were tromping down the st eps toward him, maybe headed to lunch. Ry
had mentioned something about the tower being closed for renovations. De ep in conversation as they
passed through the barrier, they barely noticed Emmett, on the landing below, slip through before the
gate slammed shut behind him.