"He's back." Cinnamon whispered.
My heart began to pound like a parade drum. Cinnamon edged closer to the wall and slowly, ever so slowly, began to lift herself toward the window.
We scrunched down and crawled up beside her. She held her hand out to be sure we were still.
"Someone is out there," she whispered. "That's definitely no shadow or spirit."
"Oh, no." Rose moaned.
Then Cinnamon leaped up, throwing the window open at the same time.
We all stood.
Someone rushed off the ledge and up the ladder.
"Who's out here?" Cinnamon yelled. 'What are you doing here?"
She started to climb out.
"Wait," Ice said. "Maybe you shouldn't."
"We've got to." Cinnamon insisted. She went onto the fire escape ledge. Ice followed, and then I did the same. Rose hung back in the window,
"Look," Cinnamon said, pointing above.
We saw a figure climb the flight and step up on the ledge above. Whoever it was disappeared into the open window.
"That's on the side of the house off limits to us," Ice commented.
"Not anymore," Cinnamon said and started toward the ladder.
"No," Ice said, holding her back. "You'll make a big scene."
"We should."
"Maybe not yet,' Ice said.
"This is disgusting. A grown man doing something like this, and a well-known theatrical agent. too," I said.
"Let s deal with it tomorrow. We'll just approach Madame Senetsky and hand her the ascot," Ice said. "Let her handle it. It's her problem. too."
Cinnamon stood there, deciding, and not making an effort to come back m' side.
"What would you do anyway? Climb up the ladder and go through that window? Please," Ice begged. "Come on back inside."
She and I crawled back into the room. Cinnamon still lingered, looking up.
"Cinnamon?" Ice said.
She remained a moment more and then followed us in. Ice closed the window behind us.
"I don't think he'll be back after this." I said.
"I should have gone up," Cinnamon insisted, her eyes on the fire escape.
"Madame Senetsky will still believe us," Rose said. "Won't she? We'll all be able to tell her what we've seen. She's got to believe it if all of us tell her. right? Cinnamon? Right?"
"Yes. Okay," Cinnamon said, frustrated and angry. She turned to the door. "Let's go back to our own rooms now and get some sleep." She paused. "You all right. Rose?"