Chapter 4 - The Back Alley
Panic seized her chest. She didn't wait for the pawn broker to finish counting. She grabbed a handful of the cash he had laid on the counter—maybe three thousand dollars—and scooped Lily into her arms. "Hey!" the broker yelled, but she was already bolting for the back door. She kicked open the fire exit, bursting into a narrow, trash-filled alley. "Get her!" a deep voice boomed from inside the shop. She ran as fast as her heels would allow, her lungs burning, the silk of her dress tearing on a rusted dumpster. She turned a corner, then another, weaving through a labyrinth of brick and shadows. She could hear the heavy footsteps echoing behind them. Spotting an open service door to a bustling restaurant kitchen, she ducked inside, pulling Lily behind a stack of flour sacks. The chefs didn't notice them in the chaos. A moment later, the two men ran past the open door. She let out a shaky breath, but then she felt a large, calloused hand clamp down hard over her mouth from behind.
