“Just for a quick look!” I’m already walking along the fence, examining it. “I’ll climb over, walk up to the barn, verify that the reindeer exist, then leave. Five minutes, max.”
“That’s breaking and entering!”
“It’s borrowing their driveway without permission. Totally different.”
“It’s a felony!”
“Only if I get caught.” I find a good spot—the decorative metalwork is particularly elaborate here, lots of handholds on the gate. “Besides, what’s the harm? I’ll take one look, confirm that Chris wasn’t lying, and be on my way before anyone even knows I was here.”
“This is how people end up on the news. And what if they have a major Cujo dog?”
“It would have heard me by now and come running.” I grab the lowest bar, test my weight. Solid. “I’m doing this.”
“God, be careful.”
I start climbing. It’s easier than I expected, and my boots find purchase on the curves and swirls. Up I go, hand over hand, trying not to think about how insane this is.
Halfway up, I pause. “You still there, Lily?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Just making sure you haven’t abandoned me in my time of need.”
“I’m documenting your poor life choices so I can tell the police exactly how stupid you were.”
“That’s the sister I know and love.”
I reach the top, carefully navigating between the metal spikes. They’re decorative but sharp, and I don’t want to explain to an ER nurse how I impaled myself breaking into a bounty hunter’s property.
Just as I’m straddling the top, trying to figure out the best way down, the entire gate lurches.
I yelp, grabbing onto the nearest spike to keep from falling.
The gate is moving. Opening. Someone activated it.
“Oh, shit,” I gasp.
“What? What’s ‘oh, shit’?”
“The gate’s opening. Someone’s home. Someone saw me.”
“GET DOWN!”
“I’m trying!” But the gate is still moving, and I’m still perched on top of it, and this is officially the most embarrassing moment of my entire life.
I scramble down, my boots slipping on metal, my hands scraping, and I definitely tear my jacket on something sharp. But I make it to the ground, landing in snow with an ungraceful thump.
“Did you die?” Lily asks.
“Not yet.” I’m breathing hard, face burning with humiliation. “But someone definitely saw me.”
“Then RUN.”
“I can’t! I’ve come this far.” I brush snow off my jeans, trying to look casual. Like I always climb gates and get caught. Totally normal activity. “I’m just going to… go get my car and drive through like I was invited.”
“You’re insane.”
“Probably.”
