Ahead of us, the apartment building ended and it was too far to jump to the next building. But some construction work was being done and Bradan and Gabriel grabbed one of the planks, using it to bridge the gap. Gina walked carefully across, then Gabriel. When it was my turn, I looked down and felt my stomach drop: we were four stories up and the plank was narrow and crusted with ice. When I took the first step over the void, my body tried to rebel: it took everything I had to keep my feet moving and when I made it to the other side, I went weak with relief.

Erin went next. JD held her hand as she got up onto the plank. I could see her feet sliding a little on the ice and my stomach lurched: her feet were probably so cold, she could barely feel them. But she managed it, and as soon as she was close enough to grab, I took her hand and steadied her from our side. JD followed, then Bradan and Cal. There was no way to do it fast: only one person could be on the plank at a time. And that meant that by the time Cal made it across, Becker and his men were almost on us.

Last to go was Colton. He put one foot on the plank, looked down…and froze.

Oh shit. I’d forgotten about Colton’s fear of heights. “Come on, mate,” I called, relaxed and cheery. “It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t. Colton stared down at the drop and I could see his chest moving as he began to pant in fear. Behind him, Becker and his men were sprinting across the roof.

“Come on, pal, time to go,” called JD.

Even Gina dropped her usual grumpiness and was supportive. “You got this, big guy,”

Becker was sprinting. He really was in good shape, moving as fast as someone in their thirties. Colton had to go now.

I saw the big bounty hunter’s mouth moving as he silently cursed up a storm, furious with himself. Then he suddenly charged forward and shot across the plank, the wood creaking under his weight. He did it so fast, the plank rocked and twisted, and Colton jumped the last few feet, smacking into JD and me and taking us down in a heap. But it didn’t matter: he was across. I patted the panting Colton on the back. “Well done, mate,” I said sincerely. I’d been scared and I didn’t have his fear of heights. That had taken real guts.

Gabriel and Bradan shoved the plank and it tumbled down into the alley, cutting Becker off just as he arrived.