24
Dale jumped in surprise.
The broad staircase yawned beside him, and his feet wobbled on the tile. He seized the top of the rail with one hand, trying to steady himself.
His feet were several inches from the edge of the stairs. Nothing to worry about.
But his heart still pounded.
I hope nobody saw that.
Dale gulped air and glanced around.
Misha Pokotylo stood about three feet away. He’d swapped yesterday’s T-shirt for a corporate polo shirt with the ShufflSoft logo, but his biceps still strained against the cotton. The combination of the crowd noise and Pokotylo’s Russian accent made Dale squint with effort to understand Pokotylo’s words. “You all right?”
“Of course.” Dale made himself stand straighter, feebly willing his embarrassment away. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Good. You see e
