Heart Thief

0005 Turning Point

"All done, beautiful," the street artist announced, putting the finishing touches on Skye's portrait.

Skye examined the painting, pleased with the likeness. She handed the artist a crisp hundred-dollar bill, eliciting a delighted grin.

"Why don't you call Lily yourself? I'll give you her number," Jake suggested as Skye stood to leave.

Skye shrugged. "No need. I don't have a phone."

Jake gave her an incredulous once-over, meeting her narrowed eyes with a mix of amusement and disbelief. A woman driving a luxury BMW and dressed so stylishly, without a phone? It seemed absurd.

Skye offered no explanation. Why bother with a phone when there was no one she needed to contact?

"Here, I've already dialed," Jake said, holding out his iPhone. "Talk to her yourself. I don't want to be blamed for not letting her know I found you."

Skye took the phone, immediately bombarded by Lily's frantic questions. A simple "It's me" from Skye triggered a flood of tears on the other end. Skye winced, rubbing her ear. She wasn't dead, for crying out loud. After patiently listening to Lily's explanation, Skye felt the urge to punch something. When Lily had said not to drive, Skye had handed over the keys. When Lily mentioned selling the car, Skye had agreed. Apparently, she'd misunderstood Lily's intentions entirely. Who knew appeasing others required such finesse?

Worse yet, Skye realized her gourmet lunch plans had evaporated. Lily had been too busy searching to start cooking. Skye silently cursed the emotional nature of humans. Why couldn't people be more rational?

Jake watched, amused, as Skye's expression darkened while ending the call. A woman willing to casually sell a six-figure luxury car, but furious over a missed meal? This was a first.

"Let me treat you to lunch," Jake offered with a chuckle. "Consider it thanks for helping my friends."

Skye raised an eyebrow at Jake, waving him off. "No thanks." She turned to leave. She hadn't intended to help anyone - it was mere coincidence.

"Thief! Stop that thief!" A shout erupted just as Skye took a step. She looked up to see a red-haired young man sprinting in their direction, a stolen wallet still visible in his hand. A couple gave chase, yelling for help.

Central Park visitors reacted variously. Some ignored the commotion, others watched with morbid fascination, while most maintained an air of detached indifference.

Skye observed the thief's desperate sprint, his menacing glare keeping bystanders at bay. His disheveled appearance screamed "amateur." Already irritated, Skye's mood soured further. She'd had enough of this sloppy work. Eyes narrowing, she stepped forward.

With casual grace, Skye extended her foot. The redhead went sprawling, face-planting on the pavement. Jake, standing nearby, smoothly placed his foot on the man's back, pinning him down.

Skye stepped back with a cold smile, her Jimmy Choo heel digging into the thief's spine. The shoe's debut couldn't have been more fitting.

A muffled groan escaped the pinned man as Jake and Skye worked in unison to keep him down.

"Quite brave of you," Jake remarked, eyeing Skye with newfound respect. "Most New Yorkers would look the other way. Your sense of justice is rare in this city."

Skye gave Jake a sidelong glance before grinding her heel into the thief's back once more. She crouched down, glaring at him. "You're a thief, not a mugger. Stealing is about finesse, not intimidation. For God's sake, you're a pickpocket, not a hitman. Have some professional pride. You look like a wannabe Al Capone."

Jake and the thief both stared at her, dumbfounded. The couple caught up, reclaiming their wallet and thanking them profusely as they called the police. Not everyone was indifferent after all.

As the police led the man away, Skye felt her irritation dissipate. Her expression softened, eyes brightening. Jake noticed the change and commented with a raised eyebrow, "I didn't expect you to be such a good Samaritan."

Skye shot Jake a skeptical look. Good Samaritan? Hardly. She'd simply been offended by the thief's lack of skill. Stealing was an art, not brute force. If you're caught, at least show some dignity. The dignity befitting a proper thief. Since he lacked it, she'd had to provide it for him.

She waved dismissively. "If you can't handle the job, stay out of the game. It's embarrassing to watch." With that, she sauntered off, humming a tune. Her mood had improved considerably. Time to find some lunch.

Jake's eyebrows rose. It seemed her intervention wasn't about justice, but professional standards. He found her unconventional thinking intriguing. Damn it, she'd piqued his interest.

New York nights were intoxicating. As the moon rose, the bustling city took on a decadent, alluring atmosphere.

In a trendy Brooklyn bar, Lily perched at the counter, nursing a vibrantly colored cocktail. She watched Skye move freely on the dance floor, a relieved smile playing on her lips. She'd feared Skye had grown distant, not realizing that Skye simply didn't dwell on such things. A lavish dinner had smoothed everything over.

"Hey Lily, why aren't you dancing? Come on, join us," a male voice called out.

Lily turned to the self-assured man beside her, smiling politely. "I don't dance. You go ahead."

"That won't do," another man chimed in. "You're hosting, you should participate. Where's the fun if you don't join in?" It was the group of trust fund kids from campus.

Earlier that day, after Skye's disappearance, Lily had grown increasingly worried. When she'd rushed out to search, Skye was long gone. In her panic, Lily had encountered these wealthy students. Seeing her distress, they'd seized the opportunity, dragging her around Manhattan under the guise of helping, while hoping to score points. Unable to shake them, and feeling grateful for their assistance, Lily had agreed to go out that evening as a thank you gesture.